THE LIFE OF A DRESS SHIRT

Although they are relatively easy for a professional cleaner to clean and press, a shirt can experience several problems, including ring-around-the-collar, color loss, and fabric abrasion that can lead to tears, punctures and holes.

Industry experience shows that, on average, shirts have a wear life of 35 to 50 washings. That's not to say your shirt will shred during its 51st time through the spin cycle. The wear life will fluctuate depending on the amount of abrasion and strain placed on the shirt during wear, the fiber content, and the laundering procedure.

Sweat Does More Than Stain
A sweat-soaked shirt could eventually turn into a stained shirt if the perspiration is allowed to say in the shirt. Sweat, as well as many antiperspirants, will also weaken the fabric allowing it to be damaged during washing. Localized holes or tears may appear near the underarm area of shirts made with natural fibers or blends.

TWO TIPS:
When applying antiperspirants or deodorants allow them to dry before dressing.
Wash your shirts as soon after you wear them as possible in order to minimize the damage.

Pinholes in Oxford Shirts
Tiny holes can appear at random areas throughout an oxford shirt due to the weaving process. Oxford cloth is made with two thin yarns in one direction and one thick yarn in the other direction. This unbalanced construction puts strain on the thin yarns, causing them to break and leave tiny holes.

The development of holes is slower in shirts made with a cotton/poly blend or with a heavier yarn, but eventually any oxford weave can develop tiny pin holes due to wear and care.

Puckers or Wrinkles in Collars and Cuffs
If the interfacing fabric used in collars, cuffs, and placket fronts is not fused correctly or is not properly preshrunk, after laundering the outer fabric will then be larger than the interfacing, causing puckers or wrinkles when pressed. This excess material makes obtaining a smooth finish difficult if not impossible. If this happens, the shirt should be returned to the retailer or manufacturer.

For Best Results: Go to a Pro
At home or at the cleaners? It's your choice. Either way, the better you take care of your shirts, the longer they will last.

To get the most mileage out of a dress shirt you should clean it as soon as possible after wearing to remove body oils and other substances that can cause staining and weakening of the fabric.

Professional shirt laundering differs from home cleaning in that it used specialized wash formulas and a different pressing procedure. Collars come out cleaner and professional pressing produces a crisper finish.