How to Wash a Soccer Jersey With a Printed Name and Number
Wash it inside out, in cold water (30°C or below) on a gentle cycle, without fabric softener or bleach, then hang it up to dry. Never put it in the tumble dryer and never iron over the name, number or badges. That's the whole method, and it's the same care advice we give on every jersey page.
The reason it matters is the print. A name and number is usually heat-applied, which means heat is also what loosens it. Cracked, peeling or faded names almost always come from a hot wash, a hot dryer or an iron, not from wearing the shirt. Here's how to keep yours looking the way it arrived.
The short version
- Turn it inside out so the print and badges don't rub against the drum or other clothes.
- Cold water, gentle cycle. Our product pages say 30°C, and hand washing is gentler still.
- Wash with similar colours, with no bleach and no fabric softener.
- Hang it to dry on a hanger, away from direct heat.
- No tumble dryer, and no iron over the print.
Why printed names crack and peel
Most names and numbers on football shirts are a thin printed or flocked layer bonded to the fabric with heat and pressure. Once it's on, it's durable, but it never stops being sensitive to the thing that attached it. A hot wash or a dryer softens the bond again, and the tumbling then flexes the letters until the edges lift or the surface cracks.
Fabric softener does slower damage. It leaves a coating on the fibres that can weaken a print's grip over many washes. Friction does the rest: zips, jeans and towels in the same load rub against the print every time the drum turns.
Step by step: washing in a machine
- Close any zips on other clothes in the load so nothing snags the shirt.
- Turn the jersey inside out, so the name, number, crest and any sleeve patch are on the inside.
- Choose a cold or 30°C setting and the gentlest cycle your machine has, often called delicates, synthetics or hand wash.
- Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent. Skip bleach and fabric softener.
- Wash it with similar colours and light items, not heavy denim or towels.
- Take it out as soon as the cycle ends, so it doesn't sit creased and damp.
A mesh laundry bag adds another layer of protection against rubbing if you have one.
Hand washing a printed shirt
Our product descriptions recommend hand washing where you can, and for a shirt you care about it's worth ten minutes. Fill a basin with cool water and a little mild detergent, turn the shirt inside out and move it around gently for a few minutes. Don't scrub or wring the printed areas. Rinse in clean cool water until the suds are gone, then press the water out by rolling the shirt in a dry towel rather than twisting it.
Drying: where most prints are ruined
Hang the shirt on a plastic or padded hanger and let it air dry, still inside out. A lightweight polyester jersey dries quickly indoors. Keep it away from radiators and heaters, and out of long spells of strong direct sun, which can fade colours over time.
Avoid the tumble dryer completely, even on a low setting. It combines the two things a heat-applied print handles worst: heat and constant flexing.
Ironing and creases
Most football shirts don't need ironing: hanging them while damp lets the creases drop out. If you do iron, our product descriptions say to use a low setting and to keep the iron off embroidery. Turn the shirt inside out and never run the iron directly over a printed name, number, badge or patch, because the heat can melt or smear it and stick it to the iron.
Stains, sweat and smells
Deal with marks early. Rinse a fresh stain from the inside with cold water, then work in a little mild detergent with your fingers before washing as normal. Hot water can set some stains, so keep it cool. After a hot matchday or a game of five-a-side, wash the shirt soon rather than leaving it balled up in a bag, which is where lingering smells come from.
If a stain sits on the print itself, dab rather than rub, and don't use stain removers that contain bleach.
What to avoid
- Hot washes and "cotton" or "heavy duty" cycles.
- The tumble dryer, at any setting.
- Fabric softener and bleach.
- Ironing over names, numbers, crests or patches.
- Dry cleaning, unless the care label on your shirt says otherwise.
- Washing the shirt with Velcro, zips or heavy fabrics.
Adding a name and number to a new shirt
If you're ordering a shirt from us with a name and number, the same care applies from the first wash. On products that offer it, you can add a name of up to 12 characters and a number of up to two digits, and you'll see a preview before it goes in your cart. Printing is currently free. Personalised shirts are made for you, so they can't be returned: check the spelling and the size before you order.
Shirts with a name or number
JerseyJuventus 2025/26 ADP Pre-Match Jersey – #10View productPlayer EditionArgentina #10 Maradona Tribute Away Jersey – Player EditionView product
RetroBrazil 2002 World Cup Home Retro JerseyView product
RetroColombia 1990 World Cup Home Retro Jersey – #10View product
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a soccer jersey with a name in the dryer?
We'd advise against it. Heat is what bonds a printed name to the shirt, and a dryer's heat and tumbling can loosen, crack or peel it. Hang it to dry instead.
Can I use fabric softener on a football shirt?
No. Our care instructions say no fabric softener or bleach. Softener leaves a coating that can weaken prints over time.
How often should I wash my jersey?
After every time you play or sweat in it. If you've only worn it casually for a few hours, airing it out and washing it less often is kinder to the print.
A letter on my name has started to lift. What should I do?
Stop machine washing it, switch to cool hand washes and don't pick at the edge. Don't iron over it directly, as that can melt the print. If the shirt has just arrived from us with a damaged print, email support@fashionown.com with a photo.
