How to keep your monster prints bright, wash after wash

Kids' tees live a hard life: mango juice, mud, crayon, the occasional dal-and-rice incident. The good news is that a few small habits keep a printed tee looking new for much longer. Here's our washing routine.

Before you wash

• Turn it inside out. This is the biggest single thing you can do. The print rubs against the drum and other clothes far less.
• Treat stains early. Dab (don't scrub) fresh stains with cold water and a little mild soap. Scrubbing a print can lift it.
• Sort by colour. Wash darks like black with darks, and whites and yellows together, so nothing turns grey or picks up colour.

In the wash

• Use cold or cool water. Hot water fades colours and can shrink cotton.
• Choose a gentle cycle, or hand wash if you have the time.
• Go easy on detergent and skip bleach. Extra soap doesn't mean extra clean, and it can leave tees stiff.
• Don't overload the machine. Clothes need room to move to come out clean.

Drying

• Dry in the shade, inside out. Strong afternoon sun is lovely for towels but tough on colours.
• Skip the tumble dryer where you can. Line drying is kinder to both the print and the fit.

Ironing and storing

• Iron inside out on low or medium, and never iron directly on the print.
• Fold rather than hang heavier tees so the neckline keeps its shape.

Twinning tip

If you and your kid have matching tees, wash them together. Same water, same cycle, same sun, so they stay a perfect match for longer.

Always check the care label on your tee too, as it's the final word for that style. Now go and make some mess. We've got the clean-up covered.