This article offers advice on how to safely and effectively launder your Tommy Hilfiger button-down shirts at home. 

Tommy Hilfiger Button-Downs: Iconic American Style

Since its founding in 1985, Tommy Hilfiger clothing has become a style staple in American wardrobes for men and women. Tommy Hilfiger clothing retains a unique niche in the market by pairing classic styles and preppy silhouettes with contemporary colors, logos, and bold patterns. 

The enduring popularity of Tommy Hilfiger men’s button-down shirt collection is testament to its timeless design sensibility. Despite decades of changing tastes, the iconic Oxford-weave shirt–with a button down collar and relaxed fit–remains a perennial best-seller. Available in solids or stripes, Tommy Hilfiger Oxford cloth shirts are made from soft, organic cotton with a touch of elastane to preserve their shape; they go everywhere from a casual day at the office to a formal occasion with a suit and tie. Other popular Tommy Hilfiger dress shirt styles include regular and slim fit poplin shirts; the The Slim Fit THFlex Solid Dobby Shirt made with a bit more elastane; and THFlex Twill shirt, which is a modern silhouette with a spread collar. 

All of the above Tommy Hilfiger dress shirt styles are washable. But that need not mean a trip to the cleaners! The experts at Heritage Park Essentials are here with step-by-step guidance for washing your Tommy Hilfiger shirts at home to save time, money, and protect the fabric from damage in heavy-duty machines. Read on to learn how to wash your Tommy Hilfiger shirts to get them clean, fresh, and ready to turn heads.

The Best Detergent for Washing a Tommy Hilfiger Shirt

Your first step in successfully caring for your washable Tommy Hilfiger button down is choosing the right detergent. Tommy Hilfiger Oxford, poplin, or THFlex shirts are made from cotton or a blend of cotton with a small percentage of elastane. Heritage Park All-Purpose Laundry Detergent is the ideal choice for any high-quality dress shirt, button down, or even polo. The gentle, pH-neutral formula won’t damage fabric, while the powerful blend of natural cleaning enzymes will effectively break down and remove sweat, stains, dirt, and odors without any harsh chemicals. Our fragrance-free variety is lab-certified hypoallergenic, and dermatologist-tested, which won’t irritate sensitive skin. If you prefer a subtle scent in your detergent, choose one of our lightly fragranced options: Spring Magnolia, Lavender Mist, or Shore Breeze. 

Supplies You’ll Need to Machine Wash Your Tommy Hilfiger Button-Down

Get ready to wash your Tommy Hilfiger dress button down with the following:

• Heritage Park All-Purpose Laundry Detergent in Fragrance-Free/Hypoallergenic (or one of our lightly scented formulas)
• A washing machine with a gentle cycle
• Mesh laundry bags (optional)
• A spray bottle for making your own enzyme solution
• Heritage Park Naturally Bright Oxygen Powder
• A tub or bucket for pre-soaking
• Plastic hangers
• An iron

Simple Steps for Washing Your Tommy Hilfiger Button Down Shirts

Step 1: Read and Follow the Care Label

The care label on is your blueprint for washing your Tommy Hilfiger Shirts. (Note: these instructions are geared to cotton and blend shirts. We do NOT recommend washing any shirts that explicitly say dry clean only. Take these to a professional).

Step 2:  Pretreat and Presoak Stains Immediately

Pre-treat or pre-soak any stains as soon as possible. We recommend using an enzyme stain remover or make a solution of a 1:1 ratio of Heritage Park All Purpose Laundry Detergent and water in a spray bottle. 

Step 3:  Pay Special Attention to Collar, Cuff, and Armpit Stains

These are the most common types of stains in dress shirts and are the result of sweat, grooming products, and even dead skin cells that transfer to the fabric. To prevent collar stains, we recommend regularly scrubbing and exfoliating the skin on your neck and making sure to wipe away any hair products from your nick. To treat collar, cuff, and armpit stains, do the following:

Pre-treat these areas with an enzyme stain remover or 1:1 solution of Heritage Park All-Purpose Detergent and water in a spray bottle. Let sit for at least an hour before washing. You can even pre-apply the enzyme remover before dropping your shirt in the hamper. You can also pre-soak your entire shirt in enzyme detergent in a clean tub.

For heavier stains, pre-treat cuff, collar, and armpit areas with a paste of color-safe oxygen bleach like our Naturally Bright Oxygen Powder. Make a paste with water and apply to affected areas. Gently rub if need be. Allow to sit before washing.

Add a scoop of Naturally Bright Oxygen Powder into the machine and stop the cycle to allow it to soak, or use a “soak” setting if your machine has one.

Step 4:  Sort Your Shirts by Color and Wash in A Dedicated Load

Always sort dress shirts by color. This will protect your items from fading and damage in the machine. Remove any color stays and unbutton the garment. Turn the shirt inside out and (optional) put in a mesh laundry bag to protect it in the machine. Wash shirts in their own load (never mix a load with heavier items like towels or jeans, even in the same color family, as these can damage the shirt fabric).

Step 5:  Use A Normal Cycle and Warm Water

Wash in warm water on a normal cycle to get an effective clean. For lightly worn shirts, a gentle cycle and cool water is also acceptable. If you have heavily soiled white dress shirts that need brightening, an occasional wash in hot water is okay. We don’t recommend this for regular laundering, because over time hot water can damage fabric.

Step 6:  Avoid Bleach, Fabric Softener, and Dryer Sheets

These products are unnecessary and can damage clothing. Chlorine will cause discoloration of colored shirts and yellowing of white shirts. Fabric fabric softeners and dryer sheets will leave a waxy build-up both on fabric and on the inside of your machine. If your shirts need a little extra boost, toss a scoop of our Naturally Bright Oxygen Powder into the wash.

Step 7:  Hang to Dry (Preferred) or Tumble Dry on Low

When removing your Tommy Hilfiger dress shirts from the machine, give them a shake to remove excess water and put them on a hanger. Air drying dress shirts is our preferred method, and by far the best way to preserve the fabric for years of regular wear. If space and time don’t allow for hang-drying, put your shirts in the dryer on the lowest possible temperature for the shortest amount of time.

How to Iron Your Tommy Hilfiger Button-Down Shirts

With the small percentage of elastane, Tommy Hilfiger Oxford and THFlex Twill shirts require minimal ironing. Pure cotton shirts are a bit more prone to wrinkles and are good candidates for ironing. In either case, we suggest ironing your shirt while it is still slightly damp, or using a spray bottle with a warm iron. Iron the front of the shirt lengthwise on the wide end of the ironing board, first one side then the other. Go between the buttons and, on the other side, stretch the placket of the shirt to get a clean look. Press the underside of the collar first, then fold on the seam and iron it flat. Next iron the back of the shirt, and finish by ironing the cuffs on the inside. Put your freshly ironed shirt directly on a hanger to prevent new wrinkles from forming.

Do You Need a Professional Cleaner?

These care guidelines should be sufficient for regularly washing your Tommy HIlfiger button down shirts at home. You can also adapt these guidelines for washable men’s dress shirts from other brands like Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein. When washing dress shirts, always follow care guidelines. Also, don’t hesitate to consult a professional for any stains that you are having difficulty treating at home. The experts here at Heritage Park Laundry Essentials are also available to answer your stain-removal and fabric care questions; drop us an email or give us a call and we will try to assist you.