How to Keep Men Office Shirts Crisp and Looking New

Updated on April 04, 2011
M.B. asks from Plano, TX
17 answers

I wash my husband's shirts with best brand liquid detergents and use the steamball in the dryer. Press them with steam ironing. My concern is it still doesn't look crisp and bright. Is there anything I am missing in this? Help please

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J.R.

answers from Glens Falls on

I admire you for trying but take them to the cleaners. They will look like new, the shirts will last longer and it's really not very expensive. There's just no way to replicate what the cleaners can do with their equipment.

4 moms found this helpful
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S.T.

answers from Dallas on

We haven't sent my husband's shirts out to the cleaners since we've been married, and his shirts look nice. They're super high-quality custom made shirts, and we wash them at home. Either my cleaning lady or I dampen them slightly (or take them out of the dryer slightly damp), spray with liquid starch solution, and steam iron them. They look great.

It would be easier to take them to the cleaners, but this way I can control where I put the starch (more on the collar and front strip with the buttonholes and less on the main parts of the shirt where the starch would be uncomfortable).

Hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

I think the 'crisp' was answered, but if you are looking for bright, avoid bleach at all costs. It can acutally yellow men's shirts (thank you Martha - LOL). Instead use oxi clean and use minimal amounts of detergent and do an extra rinse to get all detergents out.
In terms of taking to drycleaner, make sure they are a good one and not a 99cent cleaner. My husbands white shirts ended up gray in about a year of dry cleaning when our dry cleaner sold their business to folks who chose to take short cuts. And take it easy on the starch. if you ask me, my husband requested too much starch in his shirts which lead to their early demise:)

2 moms found this helpful
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L.V.

answers from Dallas on

My mom decided a very long time ago that it was a losing battle, and she took them to the cleaners to be laundered and pressed to keep them looking nice. My dad had to wear dress shirts everyday for over 30 years, and, mind you, my mom is a domestic goddess. LOL Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Redding on

Well, you can try starch, but that's not always comfortable and besides, when a man has had a shirt on for about 35 minutes, all the ironing in the world goes out the window.
I used to iron all my husband's shirts for him and as long as they weren't wrinkled when he put them on, I had no control over what happened after that. A suit jacket can wrinkle them. The car seat belt can wrinkle them.
I iron all my own clothes before work and within two hours, they aren't crisp and "bright" anymore.
Even shirts done at the drycleaner still aren't perfect.
Send your husband out the door with a clean, pressed shirt and your job is done.
You know, it's funny...I'm divorced and guess who does all his own ironing now? He's actually pretty good at it.

2 moms found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Dallas on

Spray starch the collars and button holes, that should take care of your problem.

1 mom found this helpful

J.G.

answers from St. Louis on

Dry cleaners use starch which makes them crisp. My ex didn't like starch so I just pressed them. Even if you tell the cleaners no starch they will still use some because it is the only way to make them crisp. I find it funny that faced with pressing his own shirts he found the starch the cleaners use to no longer be an issue.

When you wash any fabric the material breaks down so there is no way to keep them looking new forever.

1 mom found this helpful

L.C.

answers from Houston on

My husband wears the Stafford Super or Performance Broadcloth long sleeve button down shirts from JC Penney. These are the most awesome dress shirts I've seen. They are wrinkle free, don't fade, and last forever. I take them out of the dryer immediately and hang them up and don't even have to iron them. They are usually on sale and come in lots of colors. He's been teaching for 7 years and still wears a few that he's had since his first year.

1 mom found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

My husband has custom made shirts and we use Bibbentuckers Dry cleaning Service.

They are located in West Plano at Park/Preston. However, they do have a route where they pick up and deliver. They pick up/deliver every Tuesday and Friday for me.

Worth the money!! THey do a great job. They are not cheap... you will find many others cheaper but... YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.D.

answers from Dallas on

If you are determined to do it yourself, try spray starch. Otherwise, I agree with just dropping them off at the cleaners and saving yourself the headache. :) In all actuality, after you determine the cost of water, electricity, detergent and time, the cost isn't that much different.

1 mom found this helpful

L.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I like to use Sizing when I iron... it's similar to starch, but the shirt doesn't come out like cardboard.
Try it. You can find it in with the starch in the detergent aisle.
LBC

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K.S.

answers from Kansas City on

Lots of spray starch!!!

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T.V.

answers from San Francisco on

Most cleaners do men's shirt so inexpensively, please try just couple (three) and see how it works for you.

Blessings....

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P.F.

answers from Dallas on

My husband takes them to the dry cleaner. He gives them specific instructions and they return his shirt just the way he likes them.

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J.B.

answers from Tyler on

I admired my BIL's shirt at the end of the day once when I was visiting my sister. She said HE irons them himself and uses spray starch. I send my husband's to the laundry and his don't look as good!!!!

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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

This is exactly why I started taking my husband's shirts to the dry cleaners! They look awesome now.

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K.U.

answers from Detroit on

I second the suggestion to just take them to the cleaners and let them clean and press them there. They can also starch them however your husband likes them (light, heavy, etc.).

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