How to Wash Sublimation Shirts?
Learn the best method on how to wash sublimation shirts in 2024, ensuring lasting vibrant designs with 6 easy steps.
It lasts a long time, and the great thing about it is that the design and colors are just as good now as when you bought the imprinted shirt. But that doesn’t mean the design will last forever if you don’t take care of it.
How to wash sublimation shirts is the most important thing that determines how long the image will last. Yes, you heard that right. But don’t worry, we have the best way to wash sublimation shirts here, along with full directions.
When needed, use bleach that doesn’t contain chlorine. Avoid fabric softeners and dry-cleaning. Dry the shirts in a tumble dryer on a low setting and iron them with a cool setting. When washing your sublimation shirts, use cold water and a gentle detergent. To keep the colors bright, let them air dry in a cool, dry place.
We will give you all the important tips and tricks you need to keep your work safe from any harm. How the transformed craft is washed depends on how the material was made.
When it comes to shirts, vinyl shirts can be washed in cold water. These clothes should not be washed in warm water. Also, you can’t dry the printed shirts in the dryer.
Let’s go over in more detail how to wash sublimation T shirts and why we shouldn’t use warm water or a fan and all the other things that could be bad for those shirts. If you want to wash sublimation clothes correctly, make sure you read and follow all the directions.
Related Post: Best Sublimation Printers
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Key Takeaways:
- Sublimation shirts require gentle washing to maintain their vibrancy. Avoid harsh chemicals like bleach and fabric softeners, and opt for cold water and mild detergent instead.
- Air drying in a cool, dry place helps preserve the colors of sublimation shirts. Avoid using a dryer and opt for hanging them to dry naturally.
- Direct heat, such as from irons, can damage sublimation prints. Use gentle ironing methods on a damp setting to remove wrinkles without harming the design.
- Start with cool water, use a moderate amount of detergent, and avoid hot water to prevent fading of sublimation prints.
- To prevent wrinkles, dry sublimation shirts inside out and avoid direct sunlight. Steaming or dry cleaning can be used to remove wrinkles safely.
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How To Wash Sublimation Shirts:
Find out more about how to wash your sublimation clothes at home.
Step 1) Begin With Cool Water:
As it gets warmer, warm water starts to break down the fibers in clothes, even though it seems softer and kinder. Always start with cool water when you wash your T-shirts. Also, you should never use a machine to dry your sublimation shirts. Instead, hang them outside on a clothesline to dry naturally.
They stay fresh-smelling because the cold water and light sun are enough for them.
Before you put your sublimation shirt in the washer, spray it with stain remover if it has food or other spots on it.
An oxygen cleaner is another great way to get rid of spots before they set in. Put one packet into a small load of washing and let the strong oxygen action work on tough stains like tomato sauce, grease, and grass. The clothes will be naturally clean!
Step 2) Do Not Use Fabric Softener or Bleach:
Don’t use bleach or fabric softener on your embroidery shirt when you wash it. Bleach breaks down dyes, and fabric softener stops clothes from drying properly. Shirts with white ink will also turn yellow because of it.
Make sure to wash your shirts in cold water instead of warm water, since warm water can make painted areas on sublimated clothing fade faster.
For the best effects, use a mild detergent that doesn’t have any optical brighteners in it. One more big mistake is using too much soap. Do not make that mistake! Use vinegar instead of soap to get rid of any buildup.
When clothes are soaked in vinegar water, vinegar removes dirt from them, making them whiter.
Also, if you’ve ever had trouble getting oil paint stains out of clothes, soak them in vinegar overnight. This will help lift out those tough spots, and it works great on dry stains too.
Don’t put your brand-new t-shirt through another wash cycle right after using vinegar, because that could damage it by letting the soap powder stick to it. For example, the color could fade over time.
Step 3) Avoid Using Too Much Detergent:
Don’t use too much detergent when you wash your sublimation clothes. To make your design look less clean and crisp, don’t put too much detergent in the washer. Too much soap can leave behind residue that will clog up your ink.
A full tablespoon of powder or two tablespoons of liquid detergent is what you should use. If you want more cleaning power, add an extra half-ounce of liquid detergent.
Wash sublimation shirts in warm water.
Many dye plants don’t do a good job of checking the quality of their products, so washing them in hot water may make the colors fade. However, some companies have recently raised their standards. The dye will last longer if you use cold water and wash your clothes more than once.
Also, never wash a sublimation shirt at temperatures above 200 degrees. The shirt could get damaged at that temperature.
If you need to wash other clothes, do them on a gentle cycle so that rough materials don’t get on your t-shirt. In this group are things like diamonds and trims that are sewn onto the shirt’s body.
Step 4)Rinse and Then Hang to Dry:
It is very important to remember that you should never put dyed clothing in the dryer when you wash it. It will look bad in a machine because of the heat and movement, so just wash the shirt and hang it up right away.
If you don’t have much time, you could run cold water over your shirt and squeeze it out before hanging it up.
You should never use bleach or any other kind of cleanser on your shirts because they are very easy to damage. You just need to wash your shirts by hand or in a washer with gentle cycles and let them dry fully in the air before putting them on.
These steps will help all t-shirts, not just dark ones. Bright colors fade faster, but if you wash them right, they’ll last longer too!
Step 5) Iron Your Shirt While it is Gently Damp:
It’s best to iron your shirt while it’s still a little damp since heat fades colors. When you iron, the steam will keep your design in place and get rid of any wrinkles that may have formed after washing sublimation shirts.
Don’t use too much water or hang up your shirt before it’s dry, though. Wet shirts fade faster than dry ones.
Also, keep in mind that weather doesn’t change fading: Even if you’re printing on a dark shirt, iron it at medium-high heat (or whatever setting you usually use).
Lighter colors don’t need as much heat and can turn yellow if they’re in high temperatures for too long.
Step 6) Re-sublimate as Needed:
If you wash your shirts, you might need to re-sublimate them. This way, you can wear them as many times as you want without having to hand-clean spots or send them back to be re-sublimated.
Sometimes washing machines are safe, but it’s still best to wash your shirt by itself and in cold water instead of hot.
Related Post: How To Convert HP Printer To Sublimation Printer
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Care Instructions for Sublimation Shirts:
When taking care of sublimation shirts, one of the most important things to remember is to never use bleach or fabric softener. Things like sublimation patterns and printed colors can be in great danger. Because bleaching the water kills the colors.
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Sublimation Washing Instructions:
Another very important washing instructions for sublimation shirts is that when you wash your sublimation shirts, don’t use too much soap. For this reason, adding more detergent can make the sublimation pattern look dull and rough.
And a heaping tablespoon of detergent powder is the right amount to use for cleaning clothes.
Also, it says what temperature to use. Never put the washer on at more than 200 degrees. Because it could hurt the sublimation image and make your shirts look bad.
So be careful when you change the temperature settings, and for great results, use the right cleansers that don’t have any optical brighteners.
Putting your embroidery shirts in the dryer can also be bad for them. This is because the dryer machine keeps a lot of heat and motion, which damages the picture. While your sublimation shirts are still wet, it’s best to hang them up and wait to wear them again.
When it comes to fabric softener, it doesn’t let your shirts dry all the way. So, neither bleach nor fabric softener should be used for cleaning, according to both us and the experts.
People use both soap and vinegar, but vinegar is better because it is a natural whitener. If your clothes are stained, it gets rid of all the spots overnight and does a great job on dry stains.
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Dangers of Heat and Sublimation Shirts:
Because of how the sublimation ink is made, heat can damage sublimation pictures. Since the sublimation printing method changes the ink from a solid to a gas, heat can make the ink react badly, which could make the print fade or become blurry.
This is also true for shirts that were dyed or washed and sublimated.
People often mess up when they try to dry their sublimation clothes with a screen print dryer or any other heat-based method. Too much heat from screen print dryers can damage sublimation prints, but they work well for some kinds of clothing.
If you put your sublimation pictures in hot water or dry them at high temperatures, the dye sublimation ink could break down. This would make the color and quality of the image worse.
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Recommended Ways to Dry:
If you want the print to stay bright, it’s best to let your sublimation shirt air dry after washing it in cold or lukewarm water with a mild soap. To help the shirt keep its shape and design quality, lay it flat to dry and keep it out of direct sunlight.
If you can’t lay them flat, use plastic hangers instead of metal ones. Plastic hangers are better than metal ones because metal ones could rust and stain your shirt.
If you have to use a machine, choose the setting with the least amount of heat. Keep in mind that heat can change the sublimation ink and make the colors fade or the picture come off.
In general, the less heat you use, the better your sublimation pictures will stay in good shape and last longer.
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Sublimation Shirt Ironing:
Why Ironing Can Be Harmful To Sublimation Prints:
Sublimation pictures can be damaged by direct heat, like when you iron them. The iron’s heat can mix with the sublimation ink, which could cause the color to bleed or fade.
This is because of the way sublimation ink works. When heated, it turns into a gas that soaks into the cloth fibers. So, simply applying the heat of an iron can make the sublimation ink move around or fade, which can ruin the design.
Appropriate Methods to Remove Wrinkles If Necessary:
Utilizing Fabric Softeners:
Utilizing fabric softeners while running a washing machine is one method for minimizing creases. They can help keep clothes from creasing, so you don’t have to iron them as often. A cold-water wash and fabric softeners can help keep sublimation from fading.
Drying the Shirt:
Another good tip is to dry your shirt inside out after washing it. This keeps the printed side from rubbing against other clothes or the dryer’s sides, which could make the print wrinkle.
Avoiding Direct Sunshine:
If you dry the shirt in direct sunshine, it may get wrinkled and the sublimation prints may fade. Choose a place to dry that is in the shade and has good airflow.
The Steaming Process:
If your shirt is already wrinkled and you need to smooth it out, you might want to use a steamer instead of an iron. A steamer can get rid of wrinkles without using direct heat like an iron would.
Dry Cleaning:
There are times when you might want to have your clothes dry-cleaned by a professional. Dry cleaners know how to use certain tools and methods to get rid of wrinkles in delicate fabrics and prints without hurting them.
Bottom Line:
Finally, the wash-out directions for the sublimation blanks will be written on the material you choose for the sublimation. Ask the maker of the item if it doesn’t tell you about the washout rules. Besides that, think about all the important things we’ve talked about in this book.
It’s not hard to wash your sublimation shirts at home, but there are a few things you should remember if you want them to last. As soon as possible, you should always rinse it out. This gets rid of a lot of loose dye and slows down wear and tear as much as possible.
To get the results you want when you wash the sublimation shirts, use cold water. Don’t use the dryer to dry the clothes; let them dry naturally instead. Also, don’t use a lot of detergent. For the best results, wash your sublimation clothes in cold water.
Therefore, to ensure that your garment maintains its quality throughout the years, you must be familiar with the washing procedure for sublimation shirts via the care instructions on how to wash sublimation shirts provided in this article. So feel free to begin.
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FAQ
Last Updated on June 9, 2024 by Muhammad Haseeb
