Football Shirt Maintenance

On todays blog shirt collector Zeke (AKA @knockemdownes) write for us about shirt maintenance. 

Washing Your Shirts! 

When it comes to football shirt collecting, 95% of our time is spent enjoying these wondrous pieces of polyester. The other 5% is made up of the unspoken chore that we’d all rather not do, cleaning. We all have our routine when it comes to washing football shirts, be that hand washing or machine washing, but the words of the football shirt gods ring clear: “DO NOT TUMBLE DRY”- unless, of course, you want to give your child your prized Holland 88 shirt, because it will shrink 43 sizes. You have been warned.

Want to read more? Zeke's how to hand wash your football shirt guide.

Or - Read my guide on how to safely get creases out of shirts. 

Removing Stains

There’s an abundance of different cleaning products available nowadays. Most of them do a more than adequate job. It’s all personal preference, really. However, in terms of football shirt maintenance, there are a few rules that are set in stone. One of these being the aforementioned tumble drying. Another being to not machine wash above 30 degrees, or else your Messi shirt could well become a mess, as your “I” has gone walkabout.

Now, about the dreaded cleaning. Personally, I like to hand wash my shirts in lukewarm water. I sprinkle washing powder in the water and throw some scent boosters into the mix for some extra freshness. A quick cold spin leaves your shirt almost dry, clean as a whistle, and most importantly, completely intact. Then, just hang it up somewhere, inside or out, so the sun can dry the last of the moisture out. 

Surprisingly, I’ve somehow managed to write 239 words without mentioning my weapon of choice – Vanish gel. There’s nothing I recommend more than this small-but-mighty bottle of magic. Say goodbye to stains with one splat of this special sauce to the affected area. Just rub, then watch the nastiness disappear. Food and grass will be a tricky task, but it can be done if you put your mind to it. Paint is also doable, but you will need something known as Goo Gone to get this off. If the stain is oil or ink, don’t bother. It’s not worth your time. Elbow grease is just a myth with these sorts of stains. 

Want to read more?

Here's Zeke's guide to removing stains from football shirts. 

Or here;'s my guide to removing signatures from shirts.

Storing Your Shirts

Now that I’ve got all of that off my chest, I’ll leave you to gaze in awe at your football shirt collection, knowing that your shirts are in safe hands. Your shirts will thank you.

Here is Zeke's round up of the best football shirt storage options. 

Happy cleaning.