We all love a good graphic T-shirt. Yes, there are plenty of great new tees on the market, but nothing really compares to a good vintage tee.
The problem is, some of these amazing T-shirts are 20, 30, or even 40 years old. How they’ve been stored or who was wearing them before is a mystery. In most cases, they’ve been washed dozens, if not hundreds, of times. There’s rips, tears, and stains. These vintage tees lived an entire life before they made it into your hands. So, how do you bring them back to life?
To get some answers, we took a trip to New York City-based vintage boutique Hommage and spoke with its co-founder Josh Martinez. He clued us in on all of the proper materials you need, this pesky problem called dry rot, proper storage techniques, and more.
If you’re trying to bring some vintage tees back from the dead, check out Martinez’s 10 Best Tips to Clean and Maintain Your Favorite Vintage T-Shirts below.
What Cleaning Materials Do I Need?
You are sure to find various answers to this question depending on who you talk to. Truthfully, you don’t need to overcomplicate things. Martinez uses a five-gallon bucket from Home Depot, container of OxiClean, spray bottle of LA’s Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner, Carbona Stain Devil, some rubber gloves, and some warm water. That’s it.
How Do I Clean a Stained Vintage T-Shirt?
You should be immediately cleaning any vintage item you buy as soon as you get home. But for anything with a stain, you will need a little more effort to get it looking how you want it. First, fill the bucket about half way with warm water. Then, fill the scooper about a quarter of the way full with Oxi Clean, dump in, and mix. Toss on those gloves and then fully submerge the shirt you are cleaning into your mixture. Now, patience.
Let that baby soak in the bucket for 24 hours. After that time has passed, take it out, ring it dry, rinse it in clean water, ring it out again, and then let it air dry for as many hours as you need.
“Definitely don't leave stuff in Oxi Clean for over 24 hours,” says Martinez. “If you leave it there too long, the shirt disintegrates. You can ruin a shirt.”
For those pesky stains that may still be there after this process, spot treat them with the LA spray and then let the shirt dry in the sun for five to 10 hours. After that, throw it into the washer on a normal wash cycle.
What About Shirts With Colorful Graphics?
If you just purchased an all-over print shirt or just a T-shirt with a very colorful graphic that has never been washed before, don’t use the Oxi Clean method because the colors will likely bleed out. Instead, toss it into the washer alone and run it through a gentle cycle.
What If My Shirt Is Very Distressed?
Overly distressed shirts are much more delicate. For these, Martinez ditches the Oxi Clean in favor of classic laundry detergent. He also avoids a washer. Instead, he hand washes them to make sure he isn't doing any further damage to the already thrashed shirt.
What Is Dry Rot?
Like we said, a lot of these T-shirts are old as hell. Even if they have never been worn and look brand new when you come across them, there could be a horrible defect waiting to rear its ugly head. It’s called dry rot.
Dry rot is caused by the dye in old T-shirts. When they have never been washed or exposed to air, the dye will start to deteriorate the cotton. In some cases, you can rip apart your tees like a piece of tissue paper if they are rotted enough.
“The biggest tell if a shirt is dry rotted is how shiny it is,” says Martinez. “It shines and will almost feel silky to the touch. It shouldn’t feel like that. If you started to pull on a shirt like that, it would rip pretty easily.”
Can I Still Wear a Shirt With Dry Rot?
Contrary to popular belief, yes. You have to be extremely careful, but you can still wear a dry-rotted vintage tee.
“I know the value of it probably won't be as high as a shirt that doesn't have dry rot,” says Martinez, “but you can still enjoy it as long as you clean it properly.”
What If My Shirt Is Too Long?
Cropped and boxy T-shirts are very trendy right now, but that wasn’t always the case. You’ll discover that a lot of the vintage T-shirts are much narrower and longer. Grab a pair of scissors and get to cutting.
“Just giving it a nice cut at the bottom brings it back to life,” says Martinez. “That really long fit just isn't for anybody. A good crop can't hurt. I think the longer you're into vintage, the more worn you want it. It adds some character.”
If you want something to feel more pristine, don’t hesitate to visit the local tailor.
“That’s my pro tip. Get yourself a really good tailor and a dry cleaner," says Martinez. "If you can find someone to cut off those extra three to four inches that are unnecessary, that could bring the value of a shirt up too.”
How Should I Store My Vintage T-Shirts?
Whether you fold your T-shirts and put them in a dresser drawer or hang them up in your closet all comes down to personal preference. Martinez just recommends that if you do hang up your shirts to stay away from metal hangers. They’ll stretch out your shirt, make the collar droopy, or leave those annoying points on the shoulders.
“I’ve learned the hard way,” says Martinez. “I use either plastic, cheap wire, or wooden hangers. Metal hangers are a complete no-no.”
The temperature is also an important factor. Keep them in a climate controlled space. That means a box in your roasting hot attic or a musty storage unit are not the right choice.
What Should I NEVER Do When Cleaning My Vintage T-Shirts?
While Martinez doesn’t shy away from using the washing machine on certain vintage tees, he absolutely never tosses them in the dryer. Hang dry only.
Are There Certain Brands I Should Look Out For?
A lot of the most valuable vintage tees on the market were originally sold in the parking lots of sporting events or concerts. As you may expect, they weren’t printed using the best materials. That’s why coming across them in good, wearable condition is so rare. It isn't a perfect science, but there are some tags that you should keep an eye out for to help determine quality when you're out hunting.
“I would say a Fruit of the Loom tags from the ‘90s. Those tees were good quality,” says Martinez. “Changes tags from the ‘90s were made with lower quality materials, so they have a better chance of being dry rotted.”
Screen Stars has also always been a go-to for many vintage collectors.
Check out our tips for how to clean your favorite pairs of sneakers here.