How to Hand Wash and Dry a Cashmere Sweater

How to Hand Wash and Dry a Cashmere Sweater

1. Prepare a cold water bath
   Start by filling a sink, tub, or basin with cold water (not excessively cold) and add a small amount of a wool-specific cleanser. In case you don't have one, you can use a quality hair shampoo since wool and cashmere are akin to hair.
2. Step 2: Immerse the sweater
   Submerge your sweater into the bath without mixing colours. Keep beiges and whites separate from any coloured garments.
3. Step 3: Gently swirl and soak
   Once in the water, delicately swirl the garment for approximately half a minute, allowing it to soak for about 30 minutes before rinsing off the soap with cold water from the tap.
4. Step 4: Final rinse
   Empty the soapy water and give a final rinse with fresh, cool water.

How to Properly Dry a Sweater

Regardless of whether you opt for hand washing or using it is advised against putting your pullovers in the dryer or wringing them out by hand. Wringing can damage the fibers, especially when they are wet, as they become more fragile. This could lead to distorting the shape of your pullover.

1. Eliminate Excess Water
   Instead of wringing it, gently press the excess water out of your pullover by forming it into a ball. Once it's no longer dripping wet, lay it flat on a dry towel and mold it back to its original form.
2. Absorb Moisture with a Towel
   Fold the towel in half over your pullover, then roll it up along with the garment inside until most of the moisture is absorbed. Place it on a fresh towel to complete the drying process.

Guidance for Removing Stains, Wrinkles, and Pills

Whether dealing with a stubborn stain or pesky pills, you can effectively restore your pullover to its pristine condition with some care and attention.

Stain Removal

In case of a stain, resist the urge to aggressively dab at it, as this may worsen the situation. Apply stain remover to the affected area before the next wash, but advises caution in the application process. Vigorously scrubbing the stain can harm the fabric's weave or create excessive fuzziness. Gentle massaging should suffice.

Wrinkle Treatment

You can iron cashmere and wool on a low heat preferably with a towel to protect the or cashmere wool over the top. Using a steamer for delicate fabrics like merino or cashmere is also a great option as it helps make the fibres fluff up. You can also use a steamer between washes for a quick freshening up, as it helps freshen up the yarns naturally.

Pill Prevention

To prevent pilling, which are those tiny balls that form on sweaters due to friction, we can use two tools for this purpose: a sweater stone for thicker yarns and a sweater comb for finer weaves. These tools specifically target and remove the pills without causing damage to the fabric, unlike a shaver.

Utilize Our Comprehensive Laundry Symbols Guide to Decode Your Clothing Care Tags.