Sublimation printing is a method known to produce highly vibrant and durable prints that don’t fade from your fabric. However, that doesn’t mean you can just wash your sublimation shirts however you want. If you’d like the prints to stay vibrant after a few washes, you’ll still need to know how to take care of your sublimation shirts carefully.
So, how do you wash sublimation shirts? You will need to hand wash your sublimation shirts using cold water and a mild detergent. Air-drying in a dry and cool area will also preserve the colors’ vibrancy as well.
If you want to know more, this article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to properly care for your sublimation shirts so that the prints will last longer.
What Can Damage Sublimation Prints?
Sublimation printing is a printing process that uses a heat press to transfer sublimation ink from a special paper to fabric.
Under the high heat, the ink will transform into a gas, which will allow it to bond to the fabric’s fibers, and the pressure will seal the ink into the fabric to produce a crisp and vibrant design that won’t fade.
However, this process is definitely not foolproof. There are a few factors that can damage sublimation prints. To understand how to take care of sublimation shirts, you’ll first need to learn about the factors that can damage the print.
Fiber Content
There’s a reason sublimation printing is only recommended for polyester fabrics (take a look at our recommendations for the best shirts for sublimation). This is because polyester can handle the high heat of the heat press and will hold the sublimation ink very well.
If you try to sublimate on other types of fabrics, you’ll find that the fabric can easily become damaged by the heat, or the prints will likely fade in the wash.
For example, natural fabrics such as cotton do not hold dye and ink very well. If you try to sublimate on a cotton shirt, the results will show up well, but the ink will wash out almost immediately, and you’ll be left with a dull print on your shirt.
That’s why when you work with sublimation, it’s best to print on a polyester shirt (or a shirt with at least 70% polyester fiber content). If you work with any other type of fibers, the prints will likely wash out, even if you follow the washing instructions to the letter.
Hot Water
Although heat or water on their own won’t really affect the quality of sublimation prints, hot water can really weaken the fabric’s fibers and cause the prints to fade. If you wash your sublimation clothes in hot water repeatedly, you’ll likely see a noticeable difference after just a few washes.
When washing your sublimation shirts, it’s best to wash them in cold water so that the fabric can maintain its structural integrity and the prints are less likely to fade after going through several washes.
Friction
The friction that occurs inside the washing machine when you wash your clothes can be a key culprit that damages your sublimation print. The more times your sublimation shirts go through the wash, the more faded the prints will become.
That’s why experts recommend hand washing for sublimation shirts. If not, you can also use the gentle cycle in the washing machine to minimize the friction that occurs during a wash cycle.
You should also air dry the garments to avoid the friction that can occur in the dryer.
Sunlight
Sublimation ink can also fade when it is exposed to sunlight. The ink is not UV-resistant, so prolonged exposure to sunlight can affect the quality of the prints.
That’s why it’s best that you keep the sublimation shirts away from intense sunlight and air dry your clothes in a dry and cool area so that the prints are not affected by the UV rays.
Bleach
Bleach is a useful stain remover, and it’s great if you would like to remove stubborn stains from plain fabrics.
However, sublimation ink won’t survive being bleached, and the bleach will likely remove both the stains and your prints if you try to use it to wash your sublimation shirts. This is why shirts are always bleached before sublimation, if necessary.
If you would like to treat stains on a sublimation shirt, it’s best to spot-treat the stain using a stain remover. Some stains can even be washed out using just water and a mild detergent.
Then, you can safely wash your sublimation shirts without worrying about the prints being damaged by bleach.
How To Wash Sublimation Shirts
Now that you understand the factors that can affect sublimation prints’ longevity let’s take a look at how best to care for your sublimation shirts.
Spot Treat
If there are any stains on your sublimation shirts, the first step is to treat the stains using a mild stain remover to treat that particular area first.
After spot treating the stain, you can go ahead and wash your sublimation shirts using a mild detergent.
Use Cold Water And Mild Detergent
Whether you are hand washing or machine washing, you should always use cold water and a mild detergent (one without any brightener ingredients or added scent) to wash your sublimation shirts.
Wash Sublimation Clothes Separately
This is definitely basic laundry advice, but it’s especially true if you are washing sublimation prints.
Although the risks of bleeding are low, washing your sublimation clothes separately from other clothes (especially light-colored ones) will protect both the sublimation prints and your other laundry.
Hand Wash Or Use Delicate Cycle
As we’ve mentioned, the friction that occurs in the washing machine can be intense for sublimation prints, and the prints may fade if the wash cycle is too harsh. That’s why hand washing (or using the delicate cycle in your washing machine) is highly recommended.
When you wash your sublimation shirts, make sure to turn the shirts inside out to minimize the friction against the prints themselves.
If you are hand washing your sublimation shirts, you should avoid rubbing against the prints too much. The friction can cause the prints to fade, and there’s really no need for intense rubbing if you’ve already spot-treated the stains.
When you remove the excess water from your sublimation shirts, you should also avoid wringing the fabric too hard. The fabric can become weaker when it’s wet, which may cause the prints to become dislodged.
If you need to remove excess water from your clothes, it is better to press the fabric lightly so that the fabric’s no longer dripping and leave the rest of the work to the drying process.
Hang Dry In A Cool Area
The dryer can also be quite damaging to sublimation prints. The heat and friction in the dryer will rub the prints off easily, so hang drying the sublimation shirts will help preserve the prints better.
Make sure to hang dry your sublimation clothes away from sunlight as the UV rays can also cause the colors to fade as well.
If you are using clothes hangers, make sure to use wooden or plastic hangers, as metal hangers can have rust spots that will easily stain your shirts.
Iron At Medium-High Heat While The Clothes Are Still Damp
If you need to iron your sublimation shirt, you can use an iron at a medium-high heat setting when the clothes are still damp. The steam that is released when ironing damp clothes will help remove the wrinkles without having to use super high heat.
If you have a steam iron, this is also a safer method to remove wrinkles from your sublimation clothes without damaging the print.
Related Questions
What If My Sublimation Still Fade After Following Washing Instructions?
If you follow all of the washing instructions and your sublimation prints are still damaged, then it’s likely a problem with your printing setting rather than a problem with the wash.
You may not be using the right sublimation ink, paper, or the right setting in your printer when printing your sublimation design.
It’s also likely that you are not using the right setting in your heat press to transfer the print to the fabric. For polyester, you will need to heat press at 385-400°F for 45-60 seconds for the prints to be transferred properly.
How Long Do Sublimation Prints Last?
If you follow all the best guidance when printing and washing your sublimation shirts, your sublimation prints can last anywhere from two to three years.
Of course, this number is largely dependent on how often you wash your sublimation shirts and how often it is exposed to damaging factors. The more you wash your sublimation shirts, the earlier the prints will fade, no matter how careful you are.
Can I Dry Clean Sublimation Clothes?
Although dry cleaning is often associated with a delicate process that helps you preserve precious fabrics (such as silk and wool) and design details (like lace and sequins), dry cleaning is not the best way to clean sublimation shirts.
That’s because dry cleaning is a process that uses very strong solvents to remove stains and odor. These solvents are strong enough to damage the prints, and your sublimation shirts will not come back in one piece.
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