Show your rugby some love: a guide to care & maintenance
Congratulations on your new rugby top purchase! Caring for it properly is key to keeping it looking great and lasting longer. In this post I’ll share some easy tips to help you maintain your rugby top, so it stays looking as good as the day you bought it.
An Out & About rugby top is not just a piece of clothing; it represents you. To keep the colour alive its important to take care of your new purchase. From the moment you bring it home, the way you wash, dry and store your rugby top can significantly impact its longevity and appearance. Lets dive into some simple yet effective care tips to ensure your rugby top remains a standout piece in your wardrobe.
First thing is first. Check the care label. This will provide you with specific washing instructions tailored to our garments. We recommend washing your rugby top in cold water, with gentle detergent and on a gentle machine wash to preserve the colours & the constitution of the fabric. Remember we have already pre shrunk your fabric prior to making your rugby so we know that you won’t have any shrinkage issues. Never use bleach (or any cleaning products containing bleach) as it will damage the fabric and fade those vibrant colours. Never hand wash in a bucket with undissolved washing powder as this may cause colour spots on your new rugby. We recommend adding a ‘colour catcher’ to the wash as this will soak up any extra colour that is floating around in the wash water. Your rugby may be mostly dark colours, but have a white in the stripe on the collar or a big white spot etc; washing with a colour catcher will ensure that even if this rugby is put in a wash load with a mix of colours, that this white collar trim will remain white.
After washing, its important to dry your rugby top properly. Instead of tossing it in the drier which may cause shrinkage and damage, hang it inside out and air dry out of the direct rays of the sun. If you choose to hang outside to air dry, always hang your rugby inside out and remove from the line as soon as its dry to safeguard your rugby from the harmful UV rays of the sun that will damage and fade your rugby.
Spot cleaning is another essential technique to keep your rugby top looking fresh. If you happen to get a stain, deal with it right away. A general stain spray is always handy, we love to use Sard. If the stain is oil based we applying dish washing detergent directly onto the stain. With either product, we suggest squirting some of the liquid straight from the bottle onto the garment and to gently massage into the fabric with your fingertip. Be careful not to rub too hard as this can damage the fabric. Leave it stand for approx. 10-15 minutes and then either cold gentle machine wash entire garment as per usual or run the part of the garment with the stain product on it under cold water until the dish detergent or stain spray is completely out of the rugby fabric and hang in the shade to dry.
Combining our quality fabric choices with your careful application of the right washing techniques, proper drying methods and quick spot cleaning and you can be sure your rugby will stay in great shape and with colours that last. Remember to show your rugby some love and it will be with you for many years to come.