How to Take Care of Dress Shirts: Washing, Drying, Ironing, Folding

There’s not a much worse way to make a first impression in a business meeting or interview than with an unkempt, wrinkly dress shirt. On the contrary, a nice crisp, clean dress shirt can signal a strong sense of intentionality, longevity, and professionalism.

All of this comes from the way you treat your dress shirts every day, from washing, drying, ironing and even folding. Having a specific care routine for your dress shirts will not only keep you looking nice, it will keep the dress shirts looking crisp and professional for longer.

In this guide, we will cover all steps on how to care for a dress shirt from The Tie Bar and elsewhere from how to iron a dress shirt, how to wash dress shirts with the goal of helping you become a master of dress shirt care.

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How to Wash Dress Shirts

After a long day at the office or a cocktail party, it’s probably best to give your dress shirt a good wash.

The first thing that’s important to remember is to unbutton all of the buttons, including those on the collar and cuffs. This prevents the eyelets and the buttons from wearing out and beginning to fray or pull. You also want to be sure to remove any collar stays, cufflinks, or other accessories you may have been donning for your night on the town.

It’s also a good idea to check for sweat stains on the underarms and around the collar and referencing the best way to deal with that type of stain. Refer to our Dress Shirt Stain Removal Guide before continuing.

When washing your dress shirts, we recommend using a delicate or normal cycle with cold or lukewarm water. Hot water or a heavier cycle runs the risk of damaging the shirt’s fabric. Even opting for a mild detergent designed for delicates can help preserve the shirt’s fabric.

To really take care of delicate fabrics, particularly used in higher-end dress shirts, hand-washing may be the way to go. You can regulate the amount of soap used while also avoiding the harsh nature of the machine wash.

How to Dry Dress Shirts

When it comes to drying your dress shirt, nothing is safer and as effective as air-drying. Using a properly shaped hanger in a dry, shaded space allows the shirt to dry evenly while avoiding altering the shirt’s shape or shrinking the fabric.

When time is of the essence, tumble drying can be used on the low-heat setting in a pinch. This should still be saved for only durable fabrics.

How to Iron Dress Shirts

Avoiding those pesky wrinkles is essential in maintaining a put-together look that’s sure to turn heads — for the right reasons. When wrinkles do happen, though, it’s okay! It’s time to break out the iron or steamer and get to work.

At The Tie Bar, our dress shirt fabrics are chemically treated to resist wrinkles and stay wrinkle-free all day long. Barring extenuating circumstances, you should be able to just throw it in the washer and take it out wrinkle free.

If you’re trying to get wrinkles out of another dress shirt, here is a tried and true guide to making sure you look your best. All you’ll need is an iron, ironing board, and spray bottle.

Step-by-Step Ironing a Dress Shirt Guide

Start with the body:

1. Unbutton the dress shirt and lay half of the torso against the flat end of the ironing board.
2. Spray the shirt with water and begin to firmly iron.
3. Lightly pull at the ends of the fabric to make sure you get every wrinkle.
4. Be sure to go over the placket (where the button holes are) or go between the buttons with the point of the iron, depending what side you’re on.
5. Turn the shirt over and repeat with the other side.
6. Use the corners of the ironing board to get wrinkles out of the yoke (shoulder) and other parts of the shirt until the wrinkles are gone.

If you’re in a pinch for time and you’re planning to wear a suit, you can save time by not ironing the back. If you want to ensure a fresh look all-around, continue with the back:

1. Lay the shirt with the inside on the ironing board and the collar hanging off.
2. Adequately wet the back and firmly press all around the back until it’s even.

Then go to the collar:

1. Lay the collar open so that the backside is facing you.
2. Spray the collar enough to get it wet.
3. Iron from the point of the collar inward to prevent the collar from curling.
4. Once the wrinkles are gone, fold it over along the seam as if you were wearing it.
5. Iron once more while folded over to make sure it sits better and better highlights your tie.

For the cuffs:

1. Unbutton both buttons.
2. Use the spray bottle again until it’s wet.
3. Iron from the inside of the cuff going around the wrist of the shirt.

Now, your shirt should be ready-to-wear. Be sure to then hang your shirt until it’s time to show off your look.

How to Fold a Dress Shirt

The best way to store your dress shirts is by hanging them on proper hangers that don’t create creases in the shoulders. If you don’t have the closet space or the right hangers, there are still ways to store your dress shirts in an efficient and safe way.

If you want to keep your dress shirts in drawers or in a bin beneath your bed, follow this step-by-step guide to folding your dress shirt to make sure they stay high quality:

Step-by-Step Folding a Dress Shirt Guide for Storage

1. Button all of the buttons on the dress shirt.
2. Lay the shirt on a flat surface on its front.
3. Place a shirt board in the center of the shirt, at the base of the collar
4. If you don’t have a shirt board, a magazine, piece of carstock, or the insert included
5. with most dress shirts will work just fine!
6. Fold one half of the dress shirt over the center, meeting the shirt board.
7. Take the sleeve and, from the shoulder, fold it back out and over itself in thirds.
8. Repeat for the other sleeve.
9. Fold the bottom of the shirt up to the top of the collar and tuck in the tail.
10. Turn the shirt over and remove the shirt board.

How to Fold a Dress Shirt for Travel

If you’re traveling, you ideally want to avoid as many wrinkles as possible once you take your shirts out of your luggage. That starts when you’re packing. The goal is to recreate the tight folds and creases you see in dress shirts sold in the store, but this isn’t just for show — it’s to make sure you’re looking your best.

1. Button up the shirt all the way.
2. Lay the shirt flat on its front.
3. Fold the sleeves across the back so they create an X shape.
4. Fold each sleeve upward so they meet in the middle and each cuff reaches the base of the collar.
5. Take the sides of the shirt and fold them so they meet in the middle.
6. Fold the rest of the shirt in thirds from the bottom and turn it over.

Maybe you have multiple business meetings right when you hop off the plane or a dinner party to go to right away. You might not have time to iron everything out if your shirt was all wrinkly, so ensuring that these folds are tight is essential in taking care of your shirt.

If you have a little less room in your carry-on or duffel bag, consider tightly rolling the shirts to conserve space.

How to Roll Up a Dress Shirt for Travel

1. Button up the shirt all the way.
2. Lay the shirt flat on its front.
3. Fold it in half so that the cuffs meet and the buttons of the placket are on the outside.
4. Fold the sleeves down over the body of the shirt.
5. Tightly roll up from the waist.

If you weren’t able to prevent the wrinkles, don’t fret. Most hotels have an ironing board in the closet you can use in a pinch to be sure you look your best wherever you are.

Buy Quality Dress Shirts at Tie Bar

Taking care of your shirts is just as important as buying the right ones. From washing and drying to ironing and folding, we hope this guide steered you in the right direction and will help you in the future. Shop The Tie Bar for our wide selection of wrinkle-preventing shirts.

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