When you buy good-looking clothes, you want to keep them looking that way. Quality clothing is an investment that, if cared for properly, should serve you well for a long time. Here are some wash day tips to ensure that everything comes out okay on laundry day.

Laundry Basics 

• "Dry Clean Only" means dry clean only! Always check the tag before washing. Same goes for "Hand Wash Only."
• Prevent "pink shirt syndrome" and other color bleeding and fading problems by washing lights and darks separately, and wash whites all by themselves.
• Unbutton clothes before washing. This ensures a more thorough wash and lessens wear and tear on the buttons. Make sure sleeves are out of armholes, pants don't have one leg inside out, and socks are not rolled into balls.
• To cut down on wear and tear, wash dark colors, fleece, and clothes with lettering inside out.
• Anything made of 100% cotton will probably shrink in the dryer, so if something fits you just perfectly, it should be air-dried on a clothesline or hanger.
• Lessen time in front of the ironing board by taking clothes out of the dryer immediately to prevent wrinkling.  Many newer dryers have special wrinkle-guard cycles.
• Check to make sure that a stain is gone before putting the piece of clothing into the dryer. Once a stain is heat-dried, it's set and virtually impossible to remove.

Bleach Smart
Sweat happens, but sweat stains can be avoided. Bleach will whiten your whites and reduce those ugly yellow stains. However, bleach can do a lot of damage if used incorrectly, so follow the instructions on the bottle carefully or try one of the new nonchlorine oxygen-based bleaches. They're a lot less harsh and can work wonders on stains without damaging fibers.

• Never bleach items made of silk, wool, or other specialty fibers.
• Add bleach to your wash water. If you pour it directly onto clothing, you might end up with large white spots.
• If one cup of bleach whitens, wouldn't two cups of bleach really whiten? No, overbleaching will not only weaken fabric and cause an unpleasant smell, but can also cause "bleach burn," which will permanently discolor fabrics.

Ironing: A Few Tips
Disclaimer: Do not iron "dry clean only" clothes. This could damage the texture and color of the garment. If you purchased your dry-clean-only garment at Men's Wearhouse, just bring it in to any of our locations for free pressing.

• Use a spray bottle filled with water to dampen the clothes you intend to steam iron.
• Spray starch can help the look of a cotton shirt; however, spray starch can build up on and discolor clothing, so use it sparingly.
• Iron items that require a cooler iron (such as silk) first, before the iron gets too hot.
• If the care tag doesn't give ironing instructions, be safe and use a cool iron.
• Iron a nonvisible part of the garment first, such as the inside of a cuff and the collar.
• Pull fabric tight as you are ironing to avoid pressing in new wrinkles.
• Iron around buttons and not on top of them.

And when ironing isn't an option, try hanging clothes in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam will often release many of the wrinkles. This is also a great trick to use when traveling.