How to Wash a Football Shirt

Before washing

• Read the label: check the shirt's washing temperature and programme.
• Turn inside out: turn the shirt inside out; the print, number and badge are protected from friction.
• Do not leave it: wash a sweaty, muddy shirt without leaving it in a bag; stains that sit are hard to remove.
• Sort: wash white, light and dark shirts separately; do not wash them with rough, lint-shedding fabrics such as towels and denim.

How to machine wash a football shirt?

• Cold or low temperature: choose the low temperature allowed by the label; hot water damages prints and badges.
• Delicate or synthetics programme: wash at a low spin speed.
• Detergent: use detergent for coloureds for coloured shirts and detergent for whites for white shirts; add the detergent at the dose on the label.
• Do not use bleach: on polyester shirts, bleach causes yellowing and fading.
• Fabric softener: on technical-fabric shirts, use fabric softener only if the label allows; it can reduce the fabric's ability to wick sweat.

How to hand wash a football shirt?

Fill a basin with cold or lukewarm water and dissolve the detergent completely; TETİK hand-wash detergent can be used fully dissolved in water. Turn the shirt inside out and wash it by pressing it into the water; rub sweaty areas such as the underarms and collar gently with your fingertips, and do not rub printed areas. Rinse until no foam remains and do not wring. For details, see how to hand wash clothes.

How to wash printed football shirts and shirts with badges?

Printed numbers and names and iron-on badges can crack and lift with hot water, high spin speeds and heat. Wash these shirts inside out, in cold water and on a delicate programme, and do not apply stain remover or detergent to the print and rub it. Do not iron printed areas; if necessary, iron the shirt inside out at the lowest temperature on the label.

Signed and collectible shirts

Signed shirts are not washed; the signature ink can run with water and detergent. Store these shirts in a dry place out of sunlight, unfolded or in a frame. Wash collectible shirts only according to the label and, when necessary, by hand in cold water.

Mud, grass and sweat stains

• Brush off dried mud first, then pre-treat the stain: how to remove mud stains.
• For grass stains on the knees and hips: how to remove grass stains.
• For sweat stains on underarms and collars: how to remove sweat stains.
• Do not use stain remover on printed areas; test it on a hidden spot first.

How should a football shirt be dried?

• Dry the shirt inside out on a hanger or line; technical fabric dries quickly.
• Do not dry it in direct sunlight; the colours may fade.
• Do not use the tumble dryer, or use it on low heat only if the label allows; heat damages prints.
• Do not spread the shirt on a radiator.
• For football boots and trainers: how to wash trainers.
• For football boots and astro turf trainers: how to clean football boots.

What not to do

• Washing the shirt in hot water and drying it on high heat in the tumble dryer.
• Using bleach on polyester shirts.
• Ironing and rubbing printed areas.
• Leaving a sweaty shirt in a bag.
• Washing a signed shirt.

For sports clubs, schools and sports facilities

In sports clubs, school teams and five-a-side pitches, shirts are washed together after matches and training; washing them inside out, sorted by colour and at a low temperature extends the life of the prints. TETİK detergents for coloureds and whites are sold in 4 kg packs, and the TETİK powder machine detergent for coloureds and TETİK Hand-Wash Powder Detergent in 20 kg. For tracksuits, see how to wash tracksuits, and for the product list gym cleaning supplies; request a quote for bulk purchases.