Why is soaking critical to the care of fine shirts?
Because soaking reduces the wear and tear that would result from the use of conventional washing techniques (aka the scrubbing/hot water/harsh, caustic, industrial detergent/bleach method). Here’s some background … The tightness of the weave and the thickness of the fibers in fine shirts requires an increase in the time it takes for the water and detergents to penetrate the fibers and release the soils and water-based stains. In addition, the sensitivity of fine shirts to bleaches and high temperatures requires the elimination of all bleaches and a lowering of wash temperatures. Unfortunately, the removal of soil, oil-based stains and water-based stains using conventional commercial washing techniques requires an extended wash cycle, coupled with the use of aggressive detergents, bleaches and hot water. All no no’s.
