Washing settings guide
What Setting to Wash Shirts
Use this guide for work shirts, school shirts, and everyday cotton or polycotton shirts.
Use the care label to choose a Shirts, Easy Care or other appropriate fabric programme. Bosch describes its Shirts programme as using gentler spinning to reduce creasing; this does not establish one rpm for all shirts.
Last updated: 22 September 2026
Quick answer
Best washing machine setting
Program
Shirts/Easy Care if compatible
Temperature
As directed by the shirt label
Spin
Use the suitable programme’s default; follow textile and model limits
Why: Programme availability and crease-care options vary by machine.
Safe tip: Check the care label and the load limit for this programme before starting.
Step-by-step setup
- 1.Read the shirt’s washing instructions, including any restrictions for trims or finishes.
- 2.Empty pockets and prepare buttons and fasteners as the garment maker directs.
- 3.Treat stains with a product suitable for the fabric, following its instructions.
- 4.Choose the matching programme and permitted temperature, then check its load limit.
- 5.Unload promptly and hang or dry the shirt as directed.
Related problems and error codes
When to use this setting
- Work shirts, school shirts, and casual shirts.
- Cotton, polycotton, and synthetic shirts that are machine washable.
- Loads where reducing creases matters.
When not to use it
- Silk, wool, or dry-clean-only shirts.
- Very dirty shirts that need pre-treatment before washing.
- Heavy mixed loads with towels or jeans.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a white shirt can always tolerate 60°C.
- Overfilling a Shirts programme with a lower capacity than Cottons.
- Increasing spin speed without checking crease-care instructions.
Related guides
Best Setting for Dark Clothes
For suitable washable dark clothes, sort compatible colours, turn items inside out and consider a cool gentle wash. The garment label and programme limits take priority over any generic colour setting.
How to Wash Whites Properly
Separate whites from colours, then sort by fabric care. White colour is not permission for a hot wash: delicate whites and particular stains can need cooler treatment.
What Temperature to Wash Clothes in the UK
The number on a wash care label is an upper temperature limit. Routine lightly soiled clothes may suit 30°C or lower with an appropriate detergent; 40°C and 60°C are options only where the fabric and purpose allow them.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should I use?+
Use the garment label and stain-treatment instructions. Colour alone does not establish the temperature.
How can I reduce creases?+
Where available, use the manual’s suitable Shirts or crease-care option and follow the shirt’s drying instructions.
Can silk shirts use the same programme?+
Only if the programme and garment instructions explicitly allow it. Otherwise use the appropriate silk or specialist care.
Sources and limits
Programme names, load limits and permitted settings vary. Follow the item’s care label and the instructions for your exact machine.
- Bosch UK: choosing a washing programmeDescribes Bosch fabric programmes and their purposes. Availability and limits depend on the model; these are examples, not identical settings across brands. Checked 22 September 2026.
- Ariel UK: washing whitesWhite colour does not remove fabric-care restrictions; delicate items and some stains need cooler treatment. Product-specific dosing examples are not universal doses. Checked 22 September 2026.