Screen Printed Shirt: Can You Bleach It?

Have you ever wondered why your white laundry always looks dingy? You probably know that bleaching is an effective way to brighten whites, but it can be complicated. 

Due to different laundry types, there should be other ways.

There are two main types of bleach: chlorine and oxygen. Chlorine bleach is the most common type and is usually used for whites. It works by breaking down the structure of stains, making them easier to remove. 

Oxygen bleach is less harsh than chlorine bleach and is often used for colored laundry. It works by releasing oxygen molecules that break down the stains.

When bleaching your laundry, it is important to follow the instructions on the label. You should also test the bleach on a small area of the fabric before using it on the entire garment. 

This will help you to avoid damaging your clothes. Finally, remember that bleaching is not a permanent solution. Over time, the bleaching effect will fade, and you will need to repeat the process.

Can You Bleach Over Screen Print

Can You Bleach Over Screen Print

Because screen-printed logos are created with insoluble pigment inks not tainted by bleach, they are often colorfast to bleach.

A screen print is a design placed on a garment using screens. The application of ink makes it onto a shirt’s surface through a stenciled opening in a screen placed on top of the fabric. 

The ink only gets through the areas of the screen that are not blocked off by the image; this is how the design is transferred onto clothing. Because the ink is placed on top of the fabric, it is less likely to run or fade than if it were dye that had been soaked into the fabric. 

This also makes screen prints more colorfast, making them less likely to be damaged by bleach. If you’re wondering whether you can use bleach on a shirt with a screen print, the answer is generally yes! Of course, it’s always best to test a small area first.

Dos And Donts Of Printed Shirts

Have you ever wondered what it is permissible and prohibited to do with your screen-printed t-shirt? After all, screen-printed clothing cannot be handled in the 

same way as regular clothing. Follow this list and keep its shape for eternity.

Dos:

  1. Ironing

Nobody wants their t-shirt to be wrinkled. You appear awkward and experience discomfort because of it. Additionally, it gives out a bad impression of you to others.

Contrary to some bizarre claims made on the internet, it is entirely safe to iron screen-printed t-shirts.

Before ironing, you should flip the garment inside out. If not, the heat risked damaging the impression.

You could also want to sandwich the t-shirt between two other articles of clothing while ironing to shield it from the heat.

Sprinkling water before ironing is one thing you should avoid doing because moisturizing before ironing is bad for the health of your t-shirts.

  1. Tumble dry

T-shirts may safely be tumble dried in a tumble dryer on low heat. But remember that a high temperature might cause fading, so keep it cool.

The garment should be removed from the dryer when it is still damp and placed outside to air dry naturally.

  1. Hand washing

It is undoubtedly an excellent habit to hand wash clothing with screen printing. Screen-printed apparel should only be washed in cold water and with gentle detergents. This type of garment material is deemed safe in any water that is less than 90°F.

You should launder screen-printed clothes made of comparable materials to prevent lint transfer. Additionally, it will aid in reducing pilling.

Don’ts:

  1. Fabric softener 

Screen-printed textiles are known to be adversely affected by fabric softeners. A screen-printed tee’s impression may fade if fabric softeners are used.

Additionally, it tends to fade the printing on your shirt. Omitting the fabric softener will improve the quality of your screen-printed clothing.

  1. Hot water

Unless you are washing hospital bed sheets, there is no apparent need to wash your garments in hot water. However, using warm water to wash clothing with screen printing is utterly forbidden.

This is because it promotes shrinking and renders it useless. The bottom line is always to wash screen-printed clothing in cold water.

  1. Dry clean

Your personalized t-shirt should not be dry-cleaned since doing so would destroy it because the substance used in dry cleaning might discolor products with screen printing. To keep the clothes free of stains, you should choose air drying.

How Can I Clean A Garment With A Torn Screen Print?

Can You Bleach Over Screen Print

You should finally get rid of your designs if the screen-printed shirt design gets torn. Fortunately, the thick ink utilized for this process doesn’t wholly permeate into the cloth strands, making it feasible.

Iron and Peel

A printed pattern is “melted” onto a bag using this technique. Next, it will be simple to peel away any remaining ink. This method uses heat, which is usually more challenging to remove ink from surfaces. 

To avoid using steam, though, be sure to You can get rid of any leftover ink using a plastic scraper as well.

Acetone Or Nail Polish Remover

Acetone, a substance in nail polish remover, effectively eradicates worn-out and broken screen-printed artwork. 

You may use nail polish remover or a container of pure acetone to dissolve your patterns. However, because it’s a powerful solvent, use this substance with caution.

Washing

All printed graphics ultimately deteriorate, especially after several washings. Because of this, you may easily erase the pattern from your goods by giving them an ordinary wash. 

Keep your clothing right side out to make it easier to remove the pattern immediately. Also, remember that the color of your clothing item itself may fade somewhat.

Conclusion

Bleaching can damage the fabric of your shirt, so always use caution. Bleaching can also remove the ink from your shirt, so if you’re not careful, you could end up with a blank shirt. 

Moreover, bleaching can also change the color of your shirt, so if you’re not careful, you could end up with a completely different color shirt than you started with. 

With all that being said, bleaching a screen-printed shirt is safe as long as you use caution and know what you’re doing. 

So go ahead and give it a try, but always keep these things in mind to avoid damaging your shirt.

Leave a Comment