How To Wash Graphic Hoodies And T-Shirts So They Actually Last

If you live in hoodies and black tees, you know the pain. You pull your favourite top out of the wash and the print already looks tired. Cracks. Fading. Weird ripples in the fabric.

Most of that is avoidable. You do not need special products or a perfect laundry setup. You just need a few habits that protect the print.

I run Ruby Avenue, a small streetwear brand from Northern Ireland, everything I design I wear myself. I also have two kids who treat my clothes like napkins, so my hoodies and t-shirts get washed a lot. This is the routine I use at home and what I tell customers who want their prints to last.

1. Turn It Inside Out First

This is the one simple rule that makes a big difference.

When you turn the hoodie or t-shirt inside out:

• The print is not scraping against the drum
• Zips and buttons hit the fabric side, not the artwork
• You get fewer tiny scratches that turn into cracks later

If it has a print you care about, flip it inside out before it goes near the machine.

2. Keep The Wash Cool And Gentle

Heat is the main thing that kills prints and shrinks cotton.

For graphic hoodies and tees:

• Wash at 30 to 40°C
• Use a short or daily cycle, not a heavy one
• Avoid 60°C and hot cotton cycles unless you are washing towels or bedding

Thirty to forty degrees is enough to clean everyday streetwear. You are just getting rid of sweat, food and whatever life threw at you that day, not trying to boil everything.

3. Use Liquid Soap And Lower Spin

You do not need harsh products for casual wear.

• Use a bit of liquid soap that is safe for dark clothes
• Avoid bleach on black or dark colours
• If your machine allows it, lower the spin speed a little

If most of your wardrobe is black, a product made for dark colours will help keep that deep black for longer.

4. Dry It Gentle, Even In The Tumble Dryer

Hang drying is still the softest option for fabric and prints. But you do not have to avoid the tumble dryer completely.

If you use a tumble dryer like I do, you can still keep the print in good shape:

• Keep the hoodie or tee inside out
• Use a low heat setting
• Do not overfill the drum

I have hoodies that have been through more than 60 washes, always inside out on low heat. They only started to show small cracks and wrinkles recently. So you can use a dryer. You just need to keep the heat sensible.

If it is a good drying day, hanging them up inside out is still the safest choice.

5. Never Iron Straight On The Print

If you like your clothes neat, you can still iron them. Just do it the right way.

• Keep the garment inside out
• Use a low to medium heat
• Do not press the iron directly on the artwork

If you must touch the outside, put a thin cloth between the print and the iron and keep the iron moving. Do not leave the iron sitting on one spot.

6. Wash With Similar Colours And Similar Fabrics

Most Ruby Avenue pieces are black on black. That is on purpose. It also means you should treat the all black wash with some respect.

• Wash dark colours together
• Try not to mix heavy, rough items like jeans with softer tees
• Do not stuff the drum so full that nothing can move

Less chaos in the machine means less rubbing on the prints.

7. My Real Life Routine For Ruby Avenue Pieces

This is what I actually do at home with my own hoodies and tees:

1. Turn everything inside out
2. Wash at 30 to 40°C on a short or daily cycle
3. Use liquid soap that is safe for dark clothes
4. Spin on a medium speed
5. Tumble dry inside out on low heat, or hang dry if the weather is decent
6. Iron inside out on low if it really needs it

Nothing fancy. Just repeating that routine has kept my own prints looking sharp for a long time.

8. Why Bother With All This?

You bought the hoodie because you liked the design. You wanted the art on your chest, not in the bin after six washes.

Looking after your graphic clothes means:

• The print looks better for longer
• The fabric keeps its shape
• You are not constantly buying replacements

You get more wear from each piece. Less waste. Less money burned. More time in your favourite hoodie.

9. Want Streetwear That Can Handle Real Life?

Ruby Avenue exists for people who live in black clothes, fantasy art and slightly cursed vibes. Every hoodie and t-shirt is printed in house here in Northern Ireland and built to handle real life. School runs. Late night gaming. Coffee spills. All of it.

You can check out the latest designs here:

• Shop all hoodies
• Shop all t-shirts

Look after them a little and they will stick around for a long time.