Cotton T-shirts: How to Wash & Care

Cotton is a lightweight and smooth fiber. It is harvested from the small, round pods of cotton plants. Cotton is pure cellulose and contains fewer waxes, fats, pectins, and water. This cotton fiber is woven to produce the clothing fabric in the textile industry. Cotton fabric is famous due to its comfortable and soft texture. It allows the sweat to evaporate due to its breathable nature. Cotton T-shirts are the most widely worn type of clothes. They are present in every household and require special care when washing. Cotton T-shirts are prone to fading and shrinking due to rough handling. Follow the right washing guide and detergents to maintain their softness and increase their lifespan. 

How Do You Wash Cotton T-shirts?

Here are the four tips to wash cotton T-shirts:

1. Use Cold or Lukewarm Water: Use chilled or warm water at 30 °C to wash cotton T-shirts. This water temperature is ideal for washing all types of fabrics. Lukewarm water protects the original color of the T-shirt from fading and the threads from weakening. 
2. Turn Inside Out: Make sure to turn the T-shirt inside out to prevent it from getting extra rubbing. This step is crucial to protect the designs of T-shirts and beads from getting stuck in the machine. It also helps to keep the T-shirt fresh for a long time.
3. Gentle Cycle: Don’t set the spin speed cycle of the machine to high, as it increases the rubbing in clothes. They wrinkle and lose their shine. Set the gentle cycle and use the thumb rule of two-thirds to fill the machine. Provide enough space for clothes and water to circulate so loose dirt detaches and stains vanish.
4. Mild Detergent: Pre-treat the stains with gentle detergents, vinegar, lime juice, and salt. They remove the stains to some extent and then use fragrance-free detergent to wash. These mild detergents have no bleach, chemical (sulfates, phosphates), or toxins in them. They protect the skin from allergic reactions and rashes.

Can Cotton T-shirts Shrink in the Wash?

Yes, cotton T-shirts change their shape in the wash. The shrinking of cotton depends on multiple factors, including manufacturing, washing method, and water temperature. Manufacturers stretch the cotton to produce fabric in industries, so it shrinks when washed. Heat causes the stretched cotton fabric to contract, and its length changes. Make sure to read the labels and ask the manufacturer about pre-shrinking to avoid shrink issues later on. Don’t use hot water to wash cotton T-shirts and prioritize cold water. Many people unshrink their T-shirts with lukewarm water. They use many other products, like baby conditioner, and then flat dry to maintain their shape.

What is the Best Way to Dry and Iron Cotton T-shirts?

Here are the four best ways to dry and iron cotton T-shirts:

1. Air Dry or Low Heat: Hang and spread T-shirts immediately after washing to dry. Avoid using air driers as they damage the threads. Use low heat or open natural air to protect the T-shirt color from fading. 
2. Avoid Direct Sunlight: Avoid spreading clothes on a clothesline that is under the sun. Spread clothes in the shade to preserve their original colors. The high heat of the sun not only fades the color but also weakens the threads and affects the T-shirt quality.
3. Medium Heat Iron: Cotton is soft, but cotton fabric is strong enough to withstand the medium heat. Iron cotton T-shirts to remove wrinkles. The best way to remove them is to spread them well after washing. Flat ironing works best where the collar, sleeves, and shirt are reshaped. Iron clothes when they are a little bit damp or spray fine water droplets.
4. Iron Inside Out: Ironing inside out prevents the patchy designs on the front and smooth ironing. It protects the prints from melting and spreading all over the T-shirt.

How to Store Cotton T-shirts Properly?

Here are the four tips to store cotton T-shirts properly:

1. Fold Instead of Hanging: Fold T-shirts neatly to prevent wrinkles. It helps to avoid stretching and maintain the original shape of cotton shirts.
2. Keep in a Cool, Dry Place: Clean the surface well before storing T-shirts there. Moisture produces bad odour in clothes and also mildew growth during storage. Use insect-killing sprays and then dry that area. 
3. Use Drawer Organizers: Get drawer organizers made up of fabric to store clothes. These fabric bags are breathable and allow fresh air to pass through clothes over time. Place the T-shirts neatly and organize the most used ones on top. Zip up the bags and make sure they are free from insect holes.
4. Moth Protection: Use cedar blocks (aromatic wood or lavender sachets ( dried flower buds) to spread a strong smell. They disrupt the signaling of moths and absorb moisture.

How to Remove Stains from Cotton T-shirts?

Here are the three tips to remove stains from cotton T-shirts:

1. Treat Stains Quickly: Pretreat stains with gentle stain removal to lighten the stains. Don’t pile them to be washed later because the longer they stay on t-shirts, the harder they are to remove.
2. Use Stain Remover: Use readily available stain removers like baking soda or salt. Rub them until the stain changes its color, and then use mild detergent to wash them.
3. Avoid Bleach: Don’t use any detergent with bleach or heavy chemicals in it. Prefer the liquid detergents over powder ones because they leave residues tangled in fabric. Those detergent residues cause skin irritation and respiratory effects.

What Are the Long-Term Care Tips for Cotton T-shirts?

Here are the three tips to care for cotton T-shirts in the long term:

1. Wash Less Frequently: The washing frequency affects the lifespan of every fabric, whether it's wool, cotton, or bamboo. Don’t wash a T-shirt every time for a tiny stain on it. 
2. Rotate T-shirts: The only way to reduce the washing frequency is to rotate T-shirts. Don’t overwear one T-shirt and rotate them to increase their wear. 
3. Follow Label Instructions: Every cotton has different shrinking habits and temperature requirements. Read the labels carefully to understand the shrinkage of the T-shirt. Understand the washing guide and best practices to increase its lifespan.