What is the best way to keep dress shirts in good condition?
Have a cleaner launder them, but not every time you wear (fourth time or so). Ask them to wash in cold water. One of the biggest problems is having your collar shrink up on a perfect fitting shirt, and then you can't wear a tie (if needed). Cold water fixes this. Also point out any spots and they will usually gladly take care of these no charge. Starch how you please.
Another option is to ask them to dry clean your shirts. Some places I've been to don't actually charge extra for this, but most probably do. Not really necessary and you can't use starch, but it won't shrink the shirts and will keep them in great condition. This is really good to use especially for black or dark shirts so the collars and cuffs don't get 'shiny' after a few cleans.
I've been on and off with both methods, and have good shirts I love that I'm still wearing after 3-4 years.
6 Answers
Have a cleaner launder them, but not every time you wear (fourth time or so). Ask them to wash in cold water. One of the biggest problems is having your collar shrink up on a perfect fitting shirt, and then you can't wear a tie (if needed). Cold water fixes this. Also point out any spots and they will usually gladly take care of these no charge. Starch how you please.
Another option is to ask them to dry clean your shirts. Some places I've been to don't actually charge extra for this, but most probably do. Not really necessary and you can't use starch, but it won't shrink the shirts and will keep them in great condition. This is really good to use especially for black or dark shirts so the collars and cuffs don't get 'shiny' after a few cleans.
I've been on and off with both methods, and have good shirts I love that I'm still wearing after 3-4 years.
Always store your nice shirts and suit jackets on study wooden hangers. Not only will it keep the shoulder areas of your shirt sturdy and un-wrinked after ironing, it will make your closet look unified and professional. No one said wooden hangers have to be expensive either. Check out these Bumerang's from IKEA.
1. Wear an under shirt
2. Have them dry cleaned or laundered.
2. No starch.
3. When you bring them home transfer them onto wooden hangers.
When in your closet keep your shirts hanging on a wooden hanger. if you don't wear a shirt as often keep a poly bag over it so the dust will not stick to it.
For cleaning: unless it says dry clean only, the best way is to hand wash a shirt in cold or slightly warm water and lay flat to dry (avoid using a dryer, if no choice than at list avoid high heat cause that causes fabric shrinkage). When ironing get the shirt damp first and avoid using Starch, it weakens the fibers (cotton). before washing remove the collar stay, keeping them can damage the shape of the collar. If doing all that on your own is too tasking you Can than just give your shirts to a cleaner, they do a good job and its faster and relatively cheap ($2-3), just let them know of stains that need to be removed. I try to avoid dry cleaning cause the chemicals damage the buttons (depends on the quality) and its too expensive.
When wearing: an under shirt can protect the armhole from getting stained and will also allow you to wear the shirt more than once at a time (the less you wash it the better).
Depends on how often you wear your shirts but the above should keep your shirts long enough...at list until you decide its time for a new style.
http://boaznyc.blogspot.com/2010/01/5-quick-ways-to-express-yourself.html
I had a dry cleaner tell me that starch dissolves the buttons on a shirt and never to use it. Hand washing is probably good for a shirt but seems kinda hard on your spare time.
Unless it's dry-clean only, wash by hand. Fill a sink or clean bucket with warm water, add a gentle detergent. If I have some serious yellowing on the back or armpits, I add a little Oxyclean to the mix. Soak for an hour.
Then gently rinse in the sink, lightly squeeze the excess water from the shirt, place on a hanger, smooth out the wrinkles and kinks, and let it drip-dry in your shower. Iron according to the shirt label's directions.