When it comes to caring for your newly customized garments, you may be debating the best approach to make your clothes last. TKO Sales can help eliminate the guesswork with our professional tips on preserving heat transferred designs. 

Our vinyls are of the highest quality but, even the most luxurious items require proper care to keep them beautiful for years to come.

To maintain your new heat transfers and keep your personalized clothing looking brand new for much longer, read on and follow our 5 recommendations below. 

Wait for a little before washing your clothing 

First tip! Do NOT wash your clothing within the first 24 hours of transferring the vinyl.

It is crucial to allow the newly applied heat transfer time to cure completely. If adequate time is not allowed for the curing process to take place and you wash the garments prematurely, the heat transfer will not stick to the clothing fibers as effectively and could even crack as a result. Thus, to avoid causing damage to your freshly customized clothes, please always be sure to hold off for at least 24 hours before the first wash.

How to Wash Your screen printed clothes 

Second tip! Always make sure you are cleaning your customized clothes properly. This is necessary to avoid damaging the heat-transferred design.

Once you have passed the 24-hour curing period, you may launder your clothing in the washing machine. Be sure when washing these specific garments that they are always turned inside out and that you are choosing a delicate cycle with cold or warm water (never hot) to protect the vinyl from unwanted damage.

Choose the Right Cleaner

Tip number three! Using a mild detergent will not only allow you to properly clean your heat transfers, but also to maintain your garments for longer periods of time as well.

Try to avoid the Dryer 

Tip number four! You can use the dryer at a low temperature, but it is far more beneficial to preserve your heat transfers by hanging your freshly washed clothing up to dry. This will not only reduce the wrinkles that are produced during the washing cycle but also prevent excessive heat exposure during the drying cycle from damaging your designs.

Iron it but with care! 

The fifth and final tip we have to share with you today is if you must iron your customized garments, NEVER iron directly over the heat-transferred design. Ironing the design directly could cause damage to the vinyl.

To avoid this you can place a dish towel over the design to act as a buffer, protecting the design from direct heat exposure. Please also remember to always use a low heat setting as this will minimize the amount of heat being applied to the design itself.

Now that you know our five tips for preserving your newly personalized clothing, you can be confident at laundry time, knowing with proper care your designs are built to last.