Knowing the proper care for you dress shirts is an essential in keeping them crisp, clean and elegant, not to mention in good condition. But most importantly, keeping your shirts in tip-top shape helps you project a well-groomed appearance.   Below are some simple tips and steps you can use to care and extend the life of your men's dress shirts:   - Wash brand new dress shirts you just bought from the store before you wear them. This removes any toxic chemicals that may actually harm you. This will help you avoid allergies especially if you have sensitive skin. Doing so will also make the shirt softer and more comfortable to wear. - To avoid embarrassing moments caused by missing buttons, routinely check your dress shirts to see if all buttons are secure and there are no loose threads. Getting them repaired immediately not only help avoid nuisances, but will also help in keeping your shirt in good shape. - Machine wash you dress shirts using gentle cycle with lukewarm water to preserve the fabric quality and color. - Never dry-clean your shirts. This is because chemicals use in dry cleaning fluids tends to destroy the fabric, weakening the threads and eventually result to holes and rips. These cleaning agents are also very strong that they have the tendency to turn whites to yellow. - As much as possible, avoid starching your dress shirts. Starching while pressing causes cotton fibers to weaken. To keep the crisp look on your shirts, buy ones that have higher thread count. - To avoid stains due to deodorant stains, spray or apply deodorant, cologne and other similar products on your body and wait for them to dry before wearing your shirt. - To prevent permanent stains when accidents happen, promptly wash your dress shirt before the stain sets in and absorbed in the fabric. - To avoid color runs, separate your dress shirts before washing into three categories: whites, colors and darks. To get white shirts whiter, use bleach. For colors, use a diluted solution or special bleach for colors. As for the darks, avoid bleaching all together. - Check for stains and clean them before pressing. Heat from the iron might permanently set the stain into the fabric. - Using a steam iron is better when pressing your dress shirts. But if you don't have one, it's best to iron them while the fabric is still damp so that you do not scorch or damage the fabric. It also helps in getting the wrinkles easier. - When storing and hanging your dress shirts, it is better to use wooden or plastic hangers with firm shoulders to keep them in nice shapes. Wire hangers tend to destroy the shape of your shirts.   Clothes, including men's dress shirts are actually investments that every man should take care off. Looking good on them not only give you a good appearance, but also an air of confidence. That is why having them in perfect condition is very important and knowing how to do so is an essential.