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The Best Way To Wash Your Pearl Snap Shirts (Machine and Hand)

The Best Way To Wash Your Pearl Snap Shirts (Machine and Hand)

It’s super easy to wash pearl snap shirts, just throw them into the washing machine, and it’s done!

If you just do that, the pearl snap shirts will clean. But trust me, they will go down quickly over time.

Today, this article will give the most detailed instructions on how to wash pearl snap shirts correctly. Not just to make it clean, but to avoid having too many creases, being shrunk or damaged over time.

I will tell you all the important notes when washing this type of shirt and provide step-by-step instructions.

Let’s check it out!

Key Takeaways

  • Use cold water, don’t iron the shirt while it is wet, dry it by natural wind or light sun, don’t wash colored pearl snap shirts with white ones together, etc. These are some special notes you should pay attention to.
  • Most pearl snap shirts can be washed in the machine since they are made from very durable materials.
  • Using the right brush (the one for fabric), detergent and conditioner are necessary to protect your shirts well.
a man wears a dark wash denim pearl snap shirt

Image copyright Denim Pearl Snap | Click image for more info | Tecovas Boot Company | #CommissionEarned

Step-by-step instructions and some important notes when washing pearl snap shirts

The materials of pearl snap shirts often include cotton, denim, or polyester. The problem is, all of them will shrink when in contact with warm or hot water. So the first important thing you should do is to use cold water to wash the pearl snap shirts.

After washing, don’t put them in the dryer, instead, use the natural wind or light sunlight to dry them slowly. This way can ensure your shirts don’t shrink.

The next step is to clean the pearl snap area. To ensure the pearl snaps do not scratch while washing, undo them! Remove all the snaps and don’t forget the ones on the cuff areas. This also makes sure any nooks and crannies of the shirt are clean.

Remember to check the label, some manufacturers will clearly state on it what you can and cannot do with your pearl snap shirts. Some notes you often see are the maximum temperature of the washing machine or dryer for your shirt, whether it is machine washable, can be bleached or not, etc. You should follow these instructions.

In some cases, wool or silk cannot be washed in the washing machine. However, most pearl snap shirts are made from durable materials such as denim, cotton, or polyester. So you can use the washing machine to clean them if you want.

Nowadays, most pearl snap shirts are machine washable. I recommend you choose these ones for easy care.

Here is the step-by-step process for cleaning pearl snap shirts in the washing machine:

  • Prepare detergent powder and fabric conditioner, you should choose ones that are specialized for machine wash, as they will be more effective and safe for your shirt.
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  • Open all the pearl snaps in the neck, scuff, and placket, pocket (anywhere has these snaps). Note that don’t wash the colored pearl snap shirts with white shirts, you should separate them each time of washing.

Dont wash colored shirt with white ones caution

  • Put the shirt in the washing machine, and adjust the temperature so that the water is neither warm nor hot, it needs to be cold instead.

Put the shirt in to washing machine with cool temperature

  • Put the detergent powder and fabric conditioner in the machine (the amount depends on the number of your clothes, you can read it in the product description), and wash it for 25 to 50 minutes. Then take all of your clothes out.

Put the powder detergent and conditioner into the washing machine

  • Hang the shirt on the balcony (or somewhere with much natural wind). Don’t put it in the dryer or iron it immediately while it is still wet, or you will make your shirt shrink.

Use natural wind to dry the pearl snap shirt

In the event that your pearl snap shirt is not machine washable, here are the step-by-step instructions for it. You need to prepare a clothes washing brush.

  • Again, open all the pearl snaps, and don’t wash colored shirts with white ones. You should prepare detergent powder (or soap) and fabric conditioner for hand washing.

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  • If you have time, you should soak the shirt in a mixture of cold water and fabric conditioner a half or an hour before starting to washing. This will help your sweaty pearl snap shirt smell better.

Soak water in the mixed solution (water and fabric conditioner) in a minute

  • Take a bucket of cold water, put the detergent powder and fabric conditioner in this bucket (in case you didn’t do it yet), and dip the cloth washing brush and the shirts into this solution.

Put the detergent, brush, shirts and conditioner into the water bucket

  • Start rubbing from the cuffs, and sleeves to the collar and pocket. Rub your shirt inside out, front to back.
  • Then continue to rub the entire body of the shirt, yoke, etc. from front to back.

Rub the shirt with brush

  • You will need to be more careful when rubbing the areas with pearl snaps (cuff, pocket, front placket…). If you rub them too hard, these snaps might fall off. Take it slow, do it gently but thoroughly. I usually use the tip of the brush to scrub the areas around the pearl snaps rather than rub their surface directly.

Use brush to scrub around the pearl snap

  • Take a bucket of clean and cold water. Wash the shirt and brush it with clean water. While doing it, use the brush to rub the entire shirt to remove all the residue or excess. Repeat this step until you feel the shirt is clean (without soap) by touching it.
  • You can repeat the entire process one more time to make sure the shirt is completely clean.
  • Hang it in a cool, dry and breathable place. Let the natural wind or light sunlight dry it instead of ironing the shirt right away. This makes sure the shirt will not shrink.

That’s all!

Before you leave

It’s really easy to wash the pearl snap shirt because this type of shirt is really durable. But to make sure these types of shirts last as long as possible, you still need to pay attention to the above notes.

I myself wear the pearl snap shirt almost every day for many years and I haven’t received any complaints about the way I care for this type of shirt. Because it’s very easy, the shirt is not made from weak materials like wool or silk clothes – which my wife owns.

However, the shirt colors still fade with time (like every type of clothing does). In this case, you can still use it as a coat or give it to charities.

Good luck!