Knowing the proper way to take care of your dress shirt will allow you to keep it looking new for years.  Some men feel they can’t be bothered with taking time for their shirts, but in reality dress shirt care isn’t difficult.

Here are some tips for taking care of a dress shirt.

• Always wash a dress shirt before wearing it for the first time.  This will rinse out any excess dye and remove fabric finishes that can cause allergic reactions in some people.  It will also leave your dress shirt softer and more comfortable the first time you put it on.
• If you have your shirts professionally cleaned, request that they be laundered rather than dry cleaned.  The chemicals used for dry cleaning will weaken and yellow your cotton shirt fabric.
• If your shirts are bespoke, consider having them hand laundered.  If they’re washed by machine, use a warm water temperature setting rather than hot.  Wash light and dark dress shirts separately to avoid color transfer.
• If your shirt is stained, treat the stain and launder the shirt as soon as possible.  Check online for the correct treatment for different type of stains.  Never iron a shirt that’s stained since it will “set” the stain.
• Avoid starch when ironing since it can weaken the fibers in your shirt’s fabric.  Ironing a shirt that is slightly damp or using a steam setting will protect the fabric and leave it looking crisp.
• Always properly iron your shirt. This will help prevent the shirt from loosing its shape.
• Check your shirt buttons on a regular basis.  If they feel loose have them resewn or resew them yourself.

Without proper care, a dress shirt will become rumpled, stained and lose its shape.  If you want to keep your shirts crisp and fresh, it pays to spend to follow these simple tips for taking care of your dress shirts.