Find yourself wondering should you dry clean dress shirts – or simply wondering how often? With over 50+ years of expert garment care behind us, we are happy to answer these questions.

In a world where convenience often takes precedence, the care and maintenance of our wardrobe can be overlooked. However, when it comes to dress shirts, the dry cleaning process should be an informed decision. After all, dress shirts come in all price points. And if you have chosen luxury or custom shirts, then it’s extremely important to protect your investment. Over the years, we have heard countless horror stories from people coming to us after an inexperienced cleaners change the look and/or feel of a button-down. When in doubt, leave this level of care to the professionals.

How to Decide Should You Dry Clean Dress Shirts?

1. Prolonged Fabric Life

Typically, dress shirts are made from delicate and high-quality fabrics (e.g. luxury cotton, silk, or linen). To maintain their original look and feel, these materials require special care. Professional dry cleaning prevents the wear and tear that can occur in traditional washing machines; it helps to preserve the fabric’s strength, texture, and color.

2. Stain Removal Expertise

In addition, leaving your dress shirt care to the professionals means expert stain remove as well. Every garment that passes through our doors is provided an in-depth evaluation for stains and review of any trouble areas. Our stain removal team properly removes stains and ensures the fabric is not disturbed. (As some of you may already know, home stain removal can sometimes lead to permanent damage or discoloration.) Professionals have the expertise and specialized solvents to do the job right (and safely).

Note: If possible, try to provide the stain source at the time of drop-off or pick-up. Oil-based and water-based stains are treated differently.

3. Crisp and Wrinkle-Free Appearance

Let’s talk about the impeccable finish. When it comes to dress shirt care, the finishing cannot be overlooked. And a professional’s pressing cannot be replicated at home. It is a skillset that only some possess. Hallak has a highly-trained team that focuses solely on the finishing process. Due to fashion trends and new fabrics, they are in constant training to ensure your garment receives the perfect finish.

Hallak’s three shirt laundry levels is actually broken down by the level of finishing:

Basic: Machine-finished shirt with a basic hand touch-up.
Deluxe: Machine-finished shirt by an extensive hand touch-up.
Premium: Each button-down shirt is fully hand-finished and packaged individually with the sleeves carefully stuffed to preserve the fine French laundry look. (Ideal for costly, high-fashion shirts.)

4. Odor Elimination

Over time and especially in the summer, dress shirts can develop odors. Sweat and daily wear can become ingrained in fabric, which then calls for a professional’s touch. Dry cleaning effectively removes these odors, leaving your shirts smelling fresh and clean. For more severe cases, an ozone treatment or restoration may be needed.

5. Buttons and Detail Preservation

Dry cleaners should pay close attention to the details of your dress shirts. Luxury dress shirts often have delicate buttons that require protection from damage during the cleaning process. The Hallak team offers both a remove-and-resew option or covering.

How Often Should You Clean Your Dress Shirts

Before making this decision ask yourself the following questions:

Are you wearing your shirt for a full day but don’t sweat excessively?
Are you wearing a protective undershirt?
Are you wearing your shirt for a full day in the summertime?
Did you spill something?

It’s also important to note that some fabrics, such as cotton, tend to wrinkle easily. They will then need to be washed more frequently to maintain its crisp appearance. Overall, we strongly suggest using your best judgement based on your own level of comfort and the garment itself. Keep in mind that saving money upfront may end up being costlier in the end.

Typically, dry cleaning your dress shirts is a smart investment in the longevity and appearance of your wardrobe. If you have questions, it’s best to speak with a professional cleaners that you trust.

And if you’re ready for a pick-up, schedule yours today. We hope that we have answered your question ‘should you dry clean dress shirts’ and found some valuable tips on how to decide.