Questions for Laundress regarding wrinkle free cotton shirt

[alanlendaro]

What is the best way to launder these? I have an older Miele (W1918A) and usually use the rapid perm press cycle with a bit of Persil colors? Is there a way to "refresh" the wrinkle free finish either at home or professionally?

Thanks for your help and happy new year!

Alan

 

[tomturbomatic]

Just on the chance that you need a quick answer, I will tell you what I do until Laundress gets here with professional procedures. I lower the spin speed so that the shirts like that go into the dryer quite damp. Unless you are drying a large load, heat the dryer for 5 minutes before putting the shirt in and do not clean the lint screen before hand. Let the shirt heat up for 5 minutes. Do not let it start getting dry. Remove it from the dryer and shake it while holding the bottom hem. While it is warm, smooth the placket (hold at top and bottom and tug) and collar,stretch from each side, and fold it back then the yoke. Put the shirt on a hanger and pull the side seams first down while holding the shoulder on each side, then grasp each side seam and pull outwards to dewrinkle the back. Pull each sleeve to define the creases. This works for cotton shirts that have never had a no iron treatment. It helps to use fabric softener on this type of shirt.

 

[launderess]

Miele's PP cycle is fine, just keep the temperature to 100F or even 80F. Do NOT use any sort of starch or sizing, but a tiny bit of TOL liquid fabric softener (not the thick icky and gooey tallow based types), in the final rinse helps smoothing out the fibers.

Put shirts in the dryer on PP/low for about 3 minutes, and promply remove. Give a good shake and place on hangers to finish air drying, smoothing down any wrinkles.

Did you know?

No-Iron shirts actually have a coating of Teflon baked onto the surface? That is right, you are wearing a non-stick frying pan! *LOL*

Actually the darn things take along time to absorb water. Try dipping a part into water, or sprinkle with same, water tends to bead up and roll off at first.

L.

 

[whirlcool]

Levi's makes some no iron Dockers pants that are labeled "Wrinkle Free - With Teflon". And they behave the same in water, the water tends to roll off the surface.
But they also have a stern warning on the label, DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER!
I wonder why?

 

[alanlendaro]

Thanks for the answers!

I figured it was a chemical coating that made them wrinkle free.

 

[oxydolfan1]

Laundress, could you possibly furnish us with an example of such a brand-name fabric softener, suitable for this purpose?

I'm guessing if "thick and tallow-like" don't cut it, you're probably not referring to the latest versions of Downy and Snuggle....

Thanks to everyone on this issue. This is helpful, since I've been integrating these types of fabrics into my wardrobe, but am finding they don't tend to last as long...

 

[launderess]

Downy Free

Actually isn't that bad. Not at all like the nasty Snuggle with "wash to wash freshness" that one just threw in the rubbish. Unlike the Snuggle, DF does not make nasty globs either around the cap or even in the dispenser. It also stays liquid when stored in a cold or cool area, which leads me to belive further it is not the same tallow based gunk as the others.

Used some of the Snuggle once for a rinse load in the twin tub, and it was like the Good Seasons salad dressing commercial, you know: "oil and vinegar don't mix". Stuff just stayed in globs until turned the machine on to agitate water.

When I said a "bit" of FS for the shirts, I meant a drop or two, nothing more. Apparently there can be problems with anything which builds up on the surface of these Teflon coated shirts, which is understandable. Because of the coating, not much easily penetrates fibers easily, if at all. Whatever does not penetrate remains on the surface probably causing all sorts of problems. Much like when one does not clean a non-stick pan or pot very well after use.

L.