Washing your 66 merchandise

Keeping your Route 66 Apparel looking its best

Although everyone wears tee shirts, not everyone knows the best way to extend the life of the designs silk-screened on them.

Simply turn the shirt inside out, then wash and dry. This prevents the ink from rubbing up against buttons, zippers, and the agitator fins of the washer or the drum of the dryer. If possible, use cold water in the washer and low heat in the dryer - or better yet, line dry.

Washing embroidered caps and visors is another matter altogether. For caps, you can try those forms you see advertised in catalogs that fit in your dishwasher. However, we're afraid the hot water might make the dye on the embroidered thread bleed. Probably the best solution would be to experiment on a cap that you are not too attached to and see what works. Maybe hand washing, using a soft toothbrush to scrub on the stubborn spots, might be the thing to try. Be sure you wash the entire cap or visor, and not just a spot. Otherwise, you could end up with splotchy results.