You spent money on a custom raccoon tee. You want to wear it for years, not three washes. This is the care guide. The tips below extend the print life, the fabric integrity, and the overall vibe of the tee.
None of this is hard. Most of it is just resisting the temptation to throw the tee in with everything else on hot.
The Short Answer
Wash cold, inside out, on a gentle cycle. Air dry or tumble dry low. Do not iron directly on the print.
That is the entire care routine. Follow it and your raccoon tee will look fresh for years.
Why This Matters
OtterMia raccoon tees use direct-to-garment (DTG) or screen printing depending on the design. Both methods produce vibrant prints that can fade or crack if mistreated.
The most common ways prints fail:
Hot water. Causes the cotton fibers to swell and contract repeatedly, which stresses the print bond.
Hot drying. Same problem on a faster timeline. High dryer heat is the single fastest way to crack a print.
Direct iron contact. Melts the ink, even at low heat. Always iron from the back.
Bleach. Strips color from both fabric and print. Catastrophic.
Fabric softener. Builds up over time on the print surface, creating a slightly waxy texture that traps oils.
Avoid these five things and your tee will outlast multiple seasons.
The Wash Routine in Detail
Before the First Wash
OtterMia tees are pre-shrunk, so you do not need to wash before wearing. But if you prefer to wash before first wear (to remove any production residue), do so on cold with no detergent or a tiny amount of mild detergent. Air dry.
Standard Wash
Turn inside out. Always. Always always always. This protects the print from agitation against zippers, jeans rivets, and other wash-load items.
Cold water. 60 to 80°F maximum. Hot water shortens print life by 50% or more over time.
Gentle cycle. Most washing machines have a "delicates" or "gentle" setting. Use it for tees.
Mild detergent. Liquid detergent without bleach, without optical brighteners, without harsh enzymes. Brands like Woolite, Tide Free & Gentle, or any "for darks" detergent work.
No bleach. Ever. Not even color-safe bleach. Bleach destroys prints.
Skip the fabric softener. Or use it sparingly (once every 4 to 6 washes if you must).
After the Wash
Air dry preferred. Hang on a clothesline or drying rack. Air drying preserves both fabric and print indefinitely.
Tumble dry low. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat setting. Pull the tee out while it is still slightly damp and finish air-drying. This combination minimizes shrinkage and protects the print.
Never tumble dry hot. This is the fastest way to age a tee.
Storage
Fold and store flat or hang from sturdy hangers. The print can crease if folded the same way for years, so refold occasionally if you store seasonally.
Keep tees out of direct sunlight when not being worn. UV light fades prints over time.
Handling Stains
The faster you handle a stain, the more likely you keep the tee.
Sweat Stains (Underarm)
Pre-treat with diluted hydrogen peroxide and a soft toothbrush. Apply to the affected area, let sit for 10 minutes, then wash on cold. Repeat if needed.
Do not use bleach. The sweat-bleach reaction often makes stains worse.
Food Stains
Oil-based (pizza, butter, oily salad dressing). Sprinkle baby powder or cornstarch on the spot, let absorb for 10 minutes, brush off, then wash cold with extra detergent on the spot.
Tomato-based (pasta sauce, salsa). Cold water rinse immediately, then wash with cold and a small amount of dish soap pre-treated on the spot.
Coffee or wine. Cold water rinse immediately. If it sets, blot with hydrogen peroxide diluted 50/50 with water, let sit 5 minutes, wash cold.
Chocolate or other sticky. Scrape off as much as possible, then cold water rinse, then wash with mild detergent.
Ink or Marker
Tough. Apply rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab to the spot, let sit briefly, blot, wash cold. May not fully come out.
Blood
Cold water only. Hot water sets the protein. Soak in cold water, then wash cold.
Ironing
If you must iron:
Turn inside out. Iron from the back of the tee, never directly on the print.
Low heat setting. Linen or low-cotton setting. Do not use the highest heat.
No steam directly on the print. Steam can lift print bonds over time.
Skip ironing if possible. Most cotton tees look fine without ironing if you remove from the wash promptly and hang them. Wrinkles release naturally as you wear the tee.
Repairs and Touch-Ups
Small Holes
A small hole in the fabric can be patched from the back with a thin iron-on patch. Make sure the patch heat does not contact the print on the front.
Stretched Neckline
A stretched neckline can be partially restored by washing on cold, then air drying with the tee laid flat (do not hang). The cotton fibers retract slightly. Severe stretching is harder to fix.
Print Cracking
If the print has started cracking due to heat or age, there is no consumer repair. The tee is at the end of its lifespan as a piece worth wearing publicly. Some people turn cracked-print tees into sleepwear or workout tees, where the wear-down adds character rather than detracts.
Color Fading
If the colors have faded significantly, the tee is at end-of-life. Consider reordering the same design as a fresh tee. The OtterMia catalog includes all best-sellers consistently.
How Long Does a Raccoon Tee Last?
With proper care (cold wash, gentle cycle, air dry, no bleach):
Daily-wear tee. 200 to 300 washes before noticeable print degradation. Roughly 2 to 4 years of regular rotation.
Occasional-wear tee. 5+ years before noticeable wear.
Display-only or storage. Decades. Linen and cotton stored properly outlast most apparel.
With improper care (hot wash, hot dry, bleach exposure):
Daily-wear tee. 6 to 12 months before cracking and fading become noticeable.
The math is simple. Five minutes of care every wash extends the tee's life by 3 to 5 years.
What About the OtterMia Specifically?
OtterMia raccoon tees use mid-weight cotton blend (typically 60-40 cotton-poly or 100% ringspun cotton depending on the design). The blends were chosen for:
Comfort. Soft hand-feel from the first wear.
Durability. Survives 200+ washes with proper care.
Print bonding. Holds DTG and screen prints reliably.
Shrink resistance. Pre-shrunk to minimize first-wash size change.
If your specific raccoon tee feels slightly different from another OtterMia tee, that may be intentional. Different designs sometimes use slightly different base tees to optimize print quality for that design.
Travel Care
Tees travel well. A few notes:
Roll, do not fold, for packing. Rolling minimizes creases and saves luggage space.
Pack in waterproof bag if traveling near water. Beach trips, lake trips. Avoid mildew from damp luggage.
Wash mid-trip if needed. Hand wash in hotel sink with mild soap or shampoo. Hang to dry overnight on the shower rod.
Skip the hotel dry-cleaning. Most hotel laundry uses harsh chemicals. Hand wash is safer for printed tees.
A Final Thought
Care is not glamorous. Nobody is excited to write or read about washing routines. But the difference between a tee that lasts 6 months and a tee that lasts 4 years is about 5 minutes per wash and a little restraint with the dryer.
You spent money on the right raccoon tee. Wash it on cold, dry it on low, and you will have it for as long as you want it.
Browse the full raccoon collection for more designs
Have a specific care question or stain problem? Reach us at cs@ottermia.com.