Caring for printed T-shirts

Keep the print looking good for longer: what the care label means, and how to wash, dry and iron a printed shirt.

A printed shirt can last for years with a little care. Start with the care label sewn into the shirt — it's the maker's instructions for that fabric and print.

Read the care label

The little symbols on a care label are an international code. The washing-tub symbol shows the highest temperature the item can take. According to clevercare.info, the consumer website of GINETEX (the international association for textile care labelling), the symbols show the maximum treatment — washing at a lower temperature than the label is always an option, though it may not shift heavy dirt as well.

Washing

• Wash only when the shirt is actually dirty — clevercare.info recommends washing textiles only when they're dirty.
• Separate bright and dark colours. Clevercare also suggests a separate first wash for new coloured items.
• Our tip: turn printed shirts inside out before washing, so the print rubs less against other clothes and the drum.
• Coloured cotton shouldn't go above 60°C, and a lightly worn garment can be washed at 40°C or even 30°C (clevercare.info). Always stay within the label.
• Use the amount of detergent the pack recommends — clevercare notes that both too little and too much can cause problems.

Drying

• Clevercare's advice for cotton is to dry it in the open air where possible, stretched out properly so it keeps its shape, and to keep coloured cotton out of direct sunlight.
• Only tumble dry if the care label allows it, and use the setting it shows.

Ironing

• Cotton can usually take a hot iron, but check the label.
• Clevercare's guidance is that shiny or pressure-sensitive pieces should be ironed with a pressing cloth or inside out. Our tip: treat a printed design the same way, and never run a hot iron straight over the print.

Stains

Deal with stains quickly. Clevercare.info has a step-by-step stain guide for different stains and fabrics.

Storing

Fold printed shirts with the print facing inwards, or hang them on a wide hanger, to avoid creases running through the design.

This guide gives general advice. The care label on your shirt always comes first.

Last updated 4 October 2026.