Jersey Care Guide
Product Care
Jersey Care Guide
How to wash, dry and store a jersey so the colors stay sharp and the numbers stay crisp. Most of it is common sense and five minutes of attention — read this once and your jersey will still look new at the end of the season.
- Wash cold, dry low
- No bleach, no softener
- Prints last longer
01Before The First Wear
A jersey that has been sitting in a warehouse is not the same as one that has been washed at least once. Factory handling and storage can leave a faint finish, a smell of cardboard, or a crease that never quite falls out. Washing it before you wear it fixes all three.
- Check the care label on the hem first. The label on your specific garment always wins over any general guide, including this one.
- Wash it once before the first game — cold, inside out, following the steps below.
- If you are buying more than one, take a photo of each care label so you can match them later.
- Still deciding on a size? The Size Guide has the measurements for every fit we carry.
02Washing
Read the label
It tells you the temperature, the cycle and whether the garment is machine washable. If the label says hand wash, that is what the label says.
Turn it inside out
Folding the jersey in half with the print facing inward keeps the graphics from rubbing against itself, and from catching on the drum of the machine.
Cold, gentle cycle
Cool water and a gentle or delicate cycle. Heat is what shrinks fabric and what makes printed graphics crack and lift.
Mild detergent, nothing else
A small amount of ordinary liquid detergent, dissolved in the water before the jersey goes in. Nothing more expensive than it needs to be.
03Drying
- Tumble dry on low, or hang it to dry in shade. High heat is the single fastest way to shrink a jersey and crack a print.
- Take it out of the dryer while it is still slightly damp and smooth it by hand — that removes most creases without an iron.
- Avoid direct sunlight while drying. The sun is fine for a shirt, but strong light will fade the color of a jersey much faster.
- Never dry a jersey with a printed name or number on high heat, or leave it over a radiator to dry.
04Ironing & Pressing
- Turn the jersey inside out and iron the reverse side of the print.
- Put a clean cotton cloth between the iron and the graphic. It stops the heat and the plate from touching the print directly.
- Use low heat, and keep the iron moving. Do not leave it sitting on one spot.
- Steam from a distance rather than directly over the numbers and names — steam lifts a print far less than a hot plate does.
05Stains & Spot Cleaning
Most stain advice is backwards. Drying a stain is what makes it permanent, so the rule is simple: deal with it first, wash it second, never iron it in.
What to do with the common ones
| Stain | What to do |
|---|---|
| Grass | Rinse from the back of the fabric with cold water, work in a little detergent, then blot — do not rub. |
| Oil or grease | Do not dry it first. Press a paper towel against both sides to lift the oil, then wash cold. |
| Blood | Cold water only, blot with a damp cloth, then wash cold. Heat sets blood stains permanently. |
| Chocolate or wine | Lift off the excess, rinse cold from the back, then wash cold with detergent. |
| Ink or pen | Blot with a damp cloth and never scrub. Wash cold, and check the result before drying. |
06Storing
- Fold knits rather than hanging them. A hanger stretches the shoulders of a jersey slowly and permanently, and you will notice it at the end of a season.
- Keep jerseys out of direct sunlight, and away from radiators and hot attics.
- Do not store a jersey flat under heavier garments — pressure and friction are what wear a print down.
- Leave a little space between hanging jerseys so the fabric can breathe and no permanent crease forms.
07Custom Names & Numbers
A name or number applied to a jersey is the part of it that cannot be replaced, so it is worth treating it a little differently from the rest of the garment.
- Hand washing is the safest option for personalized items: cool water, a little mild detergent, and no long soak.
- Air dry it flat or hang it in shade, and never put a personalized jersey in a hot tumble dryer.
- Press from the back with a cloth between the iron and the name — the same rule as for any printed graphic.
- If the edge of a name or number starts to lift, stop wearing it while it is damp and let us take a look. A jersey that arrived with a lifting print is covered by the returns and exchanges policy.
08Common Problems
Prints and fabric
The print has started to crack
Heat and high tumble drying are the usual causes. Wash cold, dry low, and iron from the back with a cloth in between. Once a print has cracked it cannot be repaired, but it will not get worse if you change how you care for it.
My jersey shrank
A hot wash with a hot tumble dry does it. Pull the jersey out, reshape it gently by hand and lay it flat to dry. Pre-shrunk cotton often recovers most of its length, but not always all the way back.
There are small pills on the fabric
That is friction in the dryer. Air dry instead, and a garment brush or a fabric comb lifts the pills without pulling the fibers.
The colors have faded
Harsh detergent, chlorine and direct sun are the usual suspects. Wash dark colors separately, inside out, with a mild detergent, and dry them in shade.
Shape and storage
The collar or waistband is stretching out
Normal for a knit garment, and it happens faster on a hanger. Reshape it by hand and lay it flat to dry, and fold it rather than hanging it next time.
There are wrinkles after drying
Hang the jersey while it is still slightly damp and smooth it with your hands. If you need an iron, follow the pressing section above.
How do I get a smell out of a jersey?
Wash it cold with a little detergent and a cup of white vinegar in the rinse water, then dry it in shade. Do not use softener — it is the thing that makes a jersey smell musty in the first place.
Still not sure?
If you are choosing between two sizes, or a jersey arrived with something wrong with it, message us — we answer every message, and we would rather answer a question before you buy than a return after.
