Garment Care for Uniforms

Let's Get To It!

• Uniform Laundering Instructions - Garment Care Labels
  There is a reason why every garment (uniforms or not) has a care label. Always check the care label for specific instructions on what to do and what not to do with each garment. Care labels have written instructions and/or care symbols that tell you how to wash or dry clean. See the diagram on this page to learn what the various symbols mean.
• Sorting
  It is worth the time to sort your laundry before throwing it in the dryer. Definitely sort light colors from dark colors. You don't want the dark colors to bleed onto the light colors. But also sort delicate fabrics from sturdy fabrics. Delicate fabrics can be damaged by rubbing against coarse fabrics. Also sort items that produce lint (like towels) and wash then separately from your career wardrobe.
• Stains
  Especially important for restaurant uniforms. First off, stains should be treated immediately or as soon as possible. Do not use hot water or dryer until the stain has been removed. Be sure that whatever method you use to treat stains is compatible with the fabric. Consult the care label of course and test your method on an inside seam. One of the most basic stain treatments is plain old water. Often you can get a stain out completely by running under cold water and gently dispersing the area with your fingers. Other treatments include soda water, chemical stain removers and oxygen stain removers. We try to steer clear of bleach in general. Try using white vinegar for tomato, grease, coffee, and wine stains. If your are taking your garment to a dry cleaner be sure to point out any stains.
  
  Tip: Have you tried any of the new stain resistant uniforms? These shirts are treated with chemicals that repel stains and are well worth it for those people and industries prone to stains and spills.
• Wrinkles
  Nobody like wrinkles but we think it is especially important that your employee uniforms are clean, crisp and wrinkle free so take the time to guide them with this info. The easiest way to get rid of wrinkles is to not get them in the first place. This can be easily accomplished by purchasing wrinkle free shirts or wrinkle resistant garments. But with any garment, make sure you promptly remove your items from the dryer just before they are completely dry (more on this later). You can also use an iron but be sure to use the proper and lowest setting for your garment. Irons that are too hot can permanently damage your clothes especially polyester and silk fabrics. If you hate to iron (and who doesn't) try a wrinkle remover spray. Just spray it on and gently smooth out the wrinkles.The spray works great on wools and knits but be sure to test it on an inconspicuous place. Lastly, invest in a garment steamer for an easy and fun way to remove those wrinkles.
• Hangers
  Use good quality hangers that support your clothes well. Remember "No wire hangers"? Well it happens to be good advice because they allow clothes to sag out of shape and even damage the shoulders. Look for hangers with sticky foam on the edges or try the new felt hangers available in stores now.
• Fabric Softeners
  Fabric softeners are full of chemicals that lay on the garment and on your body so we say just skip them in general. But more importantly if you are buying high tech moisture wicking shirts and clothes you absolutely should not use fabric softeners. They clog the fabric and reduce the effectiveness that you want and invested in. By the way, fabric softeners also reduce the absorption of your towels. So with all these reason why buy fabric softener at all? Look for a future post with all kinds of things to do with your leftover fabric softeners.
• Zipper and Velcro
  Before laundering be sure to zip and lock all zippers and close all velcro closures to avoid causing snags.
• Inside Out
  All garments benefit from being washed inside out. Especially pay attention to dark colored clothing and clothing that is embellished with printing, embroidery or rhinestones.
• Liquid Detergent
  We recommend liquid detergent over powder to avoid those powder spots on your clothing. If you do choose a powder let it agitate in the water before adding your laundry.
• The Dryer - Your Enemy
  Always remember to apply the lowest effective heat to your clothing across the board. And pay special attention to the fabric frying, clothing eating dryer and only dry your garments as much as necessary. Often polyester fabrics are almost dry right out of the washer and may shrink in the dryer so just hang them right up. There are times when you want to use the dryer to avoid wrinkles or crunchy denim so just remember to limit the time your clothes are in the dryer to the least amount necessary and on the lowest heat setting to be effective. Always check those care labels.
• Printed Garments
  Whether you buy custom logo shirts shirts for your business or just want to take care of the printed shirts in your closet, following these simple steps will help. Use cold water to help keep your print and the overall color of the garment in tact. Do not use bleach. Wash and dry your printed items inside out. Use a low heat in the dryer and remove immediately. If you happen to forget to get them out right away it is possible that the print can stick to itself. If this happens, you will have to carefully peel it apart. Heating in the dryer, just slightly, can help with this process.
• Sweaters
  Turn all uniform sweaters inside out for laundering. Cotton sweaters should be cold water washed with like colors and dried flat. Acrylic sweaters can be cold or warm water washed and dried on medium heat. Wool or wool blend sweaters should be hand washed in cold water and dried flat or dry cleaned.