Dress shirts are made to look nice, so it’s important not to ruin them during the washing process. White dress shirts and black dress shirts require different water temperatures and products for washing, so don’t just throw all of your shirts together and run one big load. Separate them first according to color -- whites, colored and blacks -- then wash the white and black shirts accordingly.

Set your washing machine to the appropriate temperature setting for the color of the shirts you’re washing. For white dress shirts, use hot water; for black, use cold water. Shirts that are a mix of black and white should be washed in cold water to prevent the black from fading.

Set the machine to the gentle cycle. Add laundry detergent to the water according to the detergent label’s instructions. If the shirt is all white, add chlorine bleach per the manufacturer’s mixing instructions. If it’s black or a black and white mix, avoid using chlorine or color-safe bleach, both of which will dull the color.

Run the shirts through a complete wash cycle. Remove them promptly from the washer and hang them on hangers to dry. Fasten the buttons on the shirt prior to drying to help the shirt maintain its shape.