Wrinkle-free...?

Forums: Clothing, Cotton, Laundry, Formal Wear, Household Remedies
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There are many unanswered mysteries of the universe:

Does God exist?
What is the cure for the common cold (and other diseases)?
What is the secret of eternal (physical) life?
Are we alone?
Where are my keys?
Who let the dogs out?

My question is possibly an addition to the above...

I have a number of really great-looking shirts for summer semi-formal wear. They are all 100% cotton. All pre-shrunk, so I don't worry about them getting smaller and tighter as I wash and dry them.

Is there anything that treats a cotton shirt so when it is washed and thrown in the drier, it comes out (and remains) wrinkle-free all day, like a cheap polyester shirt? I really HATE ironing a shirt that just gets wrinkled again in a few minutes.

Tried a sheet of fabric softener. It comes out of the drier looking nice and smelling great. But if I wear it for even a short time, it gets badly wrinkled especially in the back, and looks like I slept in it. A nice-smelling good-feeling wrinkled shirt...

Tried not tossing into the drier, but hang-drying. Not quite as smooth as an ironed shirt, and still wrinkles after a few minutes wearing.

Some spray or pre-wash treatment? A special detergent? Some mantra or prayer? Maybe call Dr. Strange?

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Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 1,316 • Replies: 8

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If it's 100 % Cotton or Linen it will wrinkle, period!
Either you live with it or you become the polyester king!

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@Seizan,

Both Lands End and Jos. A Banks sell wrinkle-free 100% cotton shirts. I hate to admit this, but I used to actually like ironing shirts, however, getting older and several health issues have made ironing a dead issue.

I still order shirts for my husband on the catalogue versions of Land's End and Jos. A Banks........I don't know what they do to condition the shirts, but they do look great and stay looking sharp all day. They do have one drawback, the areas that are creased (like the cuffs, collar and the sharp lines down the sleeves) tend to wear out sooner than you might expect. I'm guessing, but I assume whatever they use on the fabric to make it wrinkle-free tends to weaken on the sharp lines. I may have difficult expectations, because the shirt looks great and then you notice a small split on the sleeve......I shouldn't say they don't last as long because I've never really kept their longevity on an accurate list.......It does tend to tick me off when a nice looking shirt has lost it's allure (maybe it just means I'm cheap) but I do love the wrinkle-free shirts.

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@glitterbag,

Starching heavily with spray starch'll make cotton fibers stiff and they'll break.

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@Seizan,

M&S sell wrinkfre free, dry by hanging shirts.

I'm going to get one tomorrow because if I'm in court next week.

(Nothing criminal, my dil's immigration appeal)

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Thanks for the suggestions and guidance, everyone. But I need to find a way to safely wrinkle-proof some of the clothes I already own, not buy new ones.

I have several expensive semi-formal shirts made here on Okinawa called "kariushi". They are cotton, but a special weave, design, and print pattern that make them traditionally acceptable instead of shirt with collar and tie. They are made to be cool in the summer months (though not very warm in the winter). However, they can be worn tastefully at most functions where folks would otherwise wear a suit.

But they wrinkle too fast. I think some folks today try to find a cotton/polyester blend so they don't wrinkle so much or so fast. Hmmph!
Young people...!

But I have these wonderful 100% cotton shirts that I just don't want to part with. I know the hazards of spray starch (20 years in the military, daily starching and ironing to look sharp, had to buy new shirts and pants too often) and I don't want to do that to these shirts. Steam-ironing only, I guess.

It seems there isn't much choice. I'll just have to smile, and bear with the wrinkles.

On my shirts, I mean...

:-)

2 Replies

@Seizan,

My best advice to you is to take a couple of shirts on their hangers with you when you shower or have a bath. Your shirts will improve enormously. Other than that, don't dry them as long as your other stuff - pull them out and hang them up. And definitely don't leave them in dryer - that's where wrinkles really set in. Using a fabric softener might help.

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@Seizan,

Yes! You have to iron them, it's not that bad really....put some good music on and go for it. I have quite a few linen shirts and 100 % cotton too and the linen will wrinkle after 10 min of wearing. It is what it is.
I have 100 % cotton and linen bedding and I even iron the pillows because it makes them softer.

It's always better to wear natural fibers!

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Here’s a simple solution that hasn’t been mentioned: stop sweating!

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Wrinkle-free...?

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