Should dark cotton shirts be drycleaned instead of washed?

[stylemeup]

When I take my good clothes to a high-end drycleaner, their opinion is that dark shirts made of cotton should be drycleaned instead of washed, because if they are washed, the color is going to worsen.

Is that opinion a correct one?

Would you advise to dryclean dark shirts made of cotton, or wash them?

 

[inimitable]

Wash them.

 

[Blackhood]

I have a few black and dark blue shirts, and I personally like them dry cleaned. I've tried washing dark shirts but unless you do it by hand, they will fade. Who has time for that ****?

 

[Macallan]

Originally Posted by Blackhood

I've tried washing dark shirts but unless you do it by hand, they will fade.
I hand wash my dark shirts

 

[ktrp]

I expect fraying to take mine out before fading does, but we'll find out I guess.

 

[Xenos]

Dryclean. Or wash in cold water.

Under no circumstances should you have the cleaners launder them nor should you put them in the dryer. Either will fade them quickly. I've learned that lesson the hard way.

 

[ter1413]

Originally Posted by Macallan

I hand wash my dark shirts

+1. if they are "good" clothes, they will not fade...

 

[Srynerson]

Originally Posted by stylemeup

When I take my good clothes to a high-end drycleaner, their opinion is that dark shirts made of cotton should be drycleaned instead of washed, because if they are washed, the color is going to worsen.

Is that opinion a correct one?

Would you advise to dryclean dark shirts made of cotton, or wash them?

Wash them on the delicate cycle in cold water. Don't dry them, iron them wet instead.

 

[stubloom]

I agree with your high-end dry cleaner in concept: dark colored cotton shirts retain their intensity if dry cleaned....but ONLY if a few critical rules are observed: 1. The shirt may have to be first hand washed or gently soaked to release any water-based stains such as perspiration, juice, soda, etc. Water-based stains cannot be removed when dry cleaned in a solvent or a fluid (dry cleaning solvents and fluids are great when it comes to emulsifying oils but do almost nothing for water-based stains). 2. The dry cleaning solvent or fluid used must be very gentle. Dry cleaning a dark colored cotton shirt in perchloroethylene, a dye-stripping solvent used by +- 90 percent of dry cleaners, negates the advantage of dry cleaning. Synthetic petroleum (which I don't like) or siloxane (which I love) is a better bet. 3. The shirt must be hand pressed. Dry cleaning a dark colored shirt and then machine pressing the shirt to a thin crisp again negates the advantage of dry cleaning. Machine pressing will cause all areas with "fabric buildup" (seams, edges of the collar and cuffs, edges of front and sleeve plackets, etc.) to loose their color intensity, particularly along the edges. Bottom line: The concept of dry cleaning a dark colored cotton shirt to retain the intensity of color is simple. The execution of the concept is time consuming and more complicated. For more information on this subject.... Blog post: Shirts and blouses ....dry clean or launder? http://www.ravefabricare.com/true-qu...r-launder.aspx Blog post: Why your dark colored garments look dull and faded http://www.ravefabricare.com/true-qu...and-faded.aspx