Flannel is a material that's often prized for its versatility. Few other garments are as durable or as comfortable as a good flannel shirt. Men's flannel shirts with double pockets are both practical and attractive. However, in order to keep your shirt in good condition, you will need to care for it properly. Here are four care tips for flannel shirts:
1. Air them out.
Flannel shirts don't need to be washed after every wear, especially if you didn't do anything particularly physical while wearing them. In many cases, simply airing out your flannel shirt will make it as good as new. Hang your flannel somewhere air can circulate around it for a few days. If possible, hang it outside where the breeze will remove lingering odors faster than the air inside can manage.
2. Never use hot water.
When you do wash your flannel shirt, never use hot water, which can shrink the fibers of your shirt or cause the dyes to lose some of their vibrancy. Cold water works just as well as hot water with most modern detergents. If your shirt is especially dirty and you feel the need to deep-clean it, you can use warm water instead.
3. Check the pockets.
The pockets on flannel shirts can be a convenient place to store cash, credit cards, pens, and other odds and ends. Just make sure you don't accidentally send your shirt through the washing machine with these items still in the pocket. The last thing you need is a pen breaking open and spilling ink all over your clothes. Check the pockets of all your flannel shirts before placing them in the washing machine. Better yet, check the pockets at the end of every day so nothing gets forgotten.
4. Hang your flannel shirt.
Flannel can wrinkle if it's stored improperly. Tough wrinkles that have set in are difficult to get out without the help of an iron. Keep your flannel ready to wear by hanging it up as soon as it comes out of the dryer. Hanging flannel instead of folding it will minimize the amount of wrinkles that appear in the fabric. Plus, when you hang all your flannel shirts, you will be able to easily see the variety you own at a glance. This can ensure you wear all your flannel shirts in an equal rotation since some of them won't end up accidentally forgotten at the bottom of a drawer.
To learn more about caring for flannel clothes like men's double-pocket flannel shirts, consult a resource in your area.