[magogian]

Hey all,

I've finally built up a number of nice dress shirts. Going forward, is it best to dry clean the shirts or commercially launder them?

Here are some more specific questions/concerns.

I suspect that dry cleaning may be easier on the shirt, but of course, dry cleaning is more expensive than commercial laundry. That said, will dry cleaning a shirt allow the shirt to last longer and to not fade as quickly? If so, is it only a slight difference or a difference that is noticeable over the long term.

Basically, I don't mind paying for dry cleaning if it really helps. On the other hand, if the expense isn't worth the difference then maybe it is better to save the money and just replace the shirt a bit sooner.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Penang Lawyer]

I have always prefered the laundry. They iron the shirt by hand. You could also try and learn to iron then yourself. Dry cleaning uses chemicals but a good laundry uses soap.

 

[welldressedfellow]

Hey all,

I've finally built up a number of nice dress shirts. Going forward, is it best to dry clean the shirts or commercially launder them?

Here are some more specific questions/concerns.

I suspect that dry cleaning may be easier on the shirt, but of course, dry cleaning is more expensive than commercial laundry. That said, will dry cleaning a shirt allow the shirt to last longer and to not fade as quickly? If so, is it only a slight difference or a difference that is noticeable over the long term.

Basically, I don't mind paying for dry cleaning if it really helps. On the other hand, if the expense isn't worth the difference then maybe it is better to save the money and just replace the shirt a bit sooner.

Thanks for the help.

Do not dry clean shirts!You can commercially launder them,but home laundering is best if you have the time for it.

 

[magogian]

Do not dry clean shirts!You can commercially launder them,but home laundering is best if you have the time for it.

Why don't you dry clean shirts? For some reason, I was under the impression that it is less harsh on the fabric for dress shirts. Am I just completely off? (it happens)

 

[welldressedfellow]

Why don't you dry clean shirts? For some reason, I was under the impression that it is less harsh on the fabric for dress shirts. Am I just completely off? (it happens)

I don't like the idea of all those chemicals.Like Penang Lawyer said,good laundries use soap and hand iron.

 

[dfloyd]

No dry cleaning of cotton shirts .....

Cotton shirts should be laundered in cold water and hung to dry to prevent excessive shrinkage, then hand ironed. It just doesn't take that much time. I worked for forty years and always found time to properly prepare my clothes. In these days, working women have to do their nails, wash and blow dry their hair, plus take care of their clothes. All you have to do is iron a few shirts; consider yourself lucky.

 

[Pipps]

Launder your shirts according to the Kabbaz prescription.

You will never look back! :icon_smile:

 

[Flanderian]

Dry cleaning will not adequately clean your shirts, and the chemicals used will shorten their life expectancy. Commercial laundries will do a better job of cleaning your shirts, but are rough on shirts too. The best choice for keeping your shirts in good condition is home laundering, or a launderer that will use a similar process.

 

[Super130]

Launder your shirts for longer life/color

shirt fibers are called staples approx 2"/3" long some shorter some longer the longer the staple the tighter the twist can be. The tighter the twist the finer it is, the finer it is the better the hand. Dry cleaning(chemicals) depleats the natural filbers in the shirt. Hence making the feel of the shirt over time rough and to the eye fatigued.

 

[dukekook]

Wash them at home...

and iron them yourself. +1 to what Dfloyd said. Men have it easy; we wear flat shoes, and trousers all the time.

 

[eagle2250]

After having several of my dress shirts damaged by commercial laundries, a number of years ago, my wife started washing my dress shirts at home and we have never looked back. I also cannot recall her ever damaging one of my shirts!

 

[Andy]

There is no reason to Dry Clean a cotton shirt. Laundry is more efficient, and better for the fabric.

 

[RipRoar]

Please indulge my ignorance - what is a commercial laundry? A service similar to a dry cleaner? As in you drop off garments to be laundered? Is it a different cleaning process than taking shirts to a dry cleaners and asking them to launder and press, no starch? The cleaner I use seems to make a distinction between dry cleaning shirts and a launder/press.

Thanks!

 

[dlloyd]

I think there's general confusion over terms: many people refer to "Dry Cleaning" shirts when then take them to their local "Dry Cleaner". The reality of course is that when you take your shirts in they're actually laundering them ... usually harshly.

 

[ack_001]

This seems like an appropriate thread for a question I've had for some time now. I launder and iron my own shirts. However, for some time now I've occasionally had a white dress shirt come out with a slightly dark spot on the point of the collar. This has happened on multiple shirts, and actually in more than one washing machine/dryer. The dark spot is often a bit difficult to remove, and sometimes I only lighten it by allowing it to soak in detergent before washing again and then it gradually wears off to the point that it isn't noticeable any longer. I've found recently that Shout gel works a little better.

That said, does anyone have an idea about what might be causing this or has anyone had the same experience? It has irritated the heck out of me for a while, especially if I only notice it after I've nearly finished the ironing and then have to just throw it back into the wash - then be irritated when I wear it later and still notice the slightly off color spot on the collar point.

 

[JerseyJohn]

Back in the day, I had black shirts dry cleaned to preserve the color, but I always liked the feel of a laundered shirt better - it seemed crisper.

That said, does anyone have an idea about what might be causing this or has anyone had the same experience?

- Ack001

Just a guess - could you be burning the collar point with the iron?

 

[RipRoar]

I think there's general confusion over terms: many people refer to "Dry Cleaning" shirts when then take them to their local "Dry Cleaner". The reality of course is that when you take your shirts in they're actually laundering them ... usually harshly.

OK - but this thread was initiated to compare "dry cleaning" to "commercial laundry", referring to them as unique businesses; you could go to the dry cleaner or go to the laundry. So, I know what a dry cleaner is - although mine makes a distinction between me asking them to dry clean a shirt and launder/press it. My question remains: what then is a commercial laundry?

 

[mrkleen]

OK - but this thread was initiated to compare "dry cleaning" to "commercial laundry", referring to them as unique businesses; you could go to the dry cleaner or go to the laundry. So, I know what a dry cleaner is - although mine makes a distinction between me asking them to dry clean a shirt and launder/press it. My question remains: what then is a commercial laundry?

No where in the initial post did the OP refer to dry cleaners and commercial laundry as unique businesses. He referred to them as unique processes, and wanted to know which one he should choose.

He is calling the process of having his shirt washed and pressed by someone else "Commercial Laundry", which is the correct use of the term.

 

[Cary Grant]

I think there's general confusion over terms: many people refer to "Dry Cleaning" shirts when then take them to their local "Dry Cleaner". The reality of course is that when you take your shirts in they're actually laundering them ... usually harshly.

Beat me to it-that's correct. When you take your shirts to a cleaners, they are laundered and machine or body pressed.

Lately I've taken to doing it myself. I get better results but ironing 10 dress shirts leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[ack_001]

- Ack001

Just a guess - could you be burning the collar point with the iron?

I don't believe that the iron is the problem. I've noticed it as the shirts are finished washing/drying. It's just that on occasion I don't notice then and have finished or nearly finished ironing before I recognize it. I typically wash in cold water and on a gentle cycle and only dry on the lowest heat setting for a very short time. There are some small holes in the washer and dryer that I've decided the points could be going into and maybe geting slightly discolored - that's the only thing I've been able to come up with.