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Original poster

Boring question - do you have to hand wash cashmere?

36 replies

KitKat1985 · 28/12/2020 10:42

Was gifted a very nice cashmere jumper for Christmas. Lovely. I've never had one before so not really familiar with how to wash cashmere. I wore it yesterday and went to wash it today and noticed it said 'hand wash only' on the label. Is this essential, or is the label just being over-cautious?

OP posts:
testing987654321 · 28/12/2020 10:44

Very easy to shrink, so I would say yes to handwashing.

tasmaniandevilchaser · 28/12/2020 10:44

Following with interest as I was wondering the same.... I think it will last better if you hand wash it but hoping it will be ok in the washing machine on a wool cycle....

testing987654321 · 28/12/2020 10:45

And if you're not wearing it very close to your skin I'd suggest not washing after every wear.

SheeshazAZ09 · 28/12/2020 10:45

I machine wash all my cashmere on wool cycle but I always buy from companies that specify that is ok.

Gunpowder · 28/12/2020 10:49

I machine wash all of it! Unless it is a very loose fine weave.

But: 20c or lower, only with delicate washing liquid, only 600rpm spin.

Then when you take it out of the machine, roll it in a towel to get out most of the moisture and dry flat.

CoolCatTaco · 28/12/2020 10:49

Boden cashmere can be washed in the machine, not sure about other brands. I washed mine loads without any issues.

Aahotep · 28/12/2020 10:50

I don't wash it that often. I do use the washing machine on a handwash cycle and I place the jumper in a string bag that protects it from snagging. A pillowcase would do the same thing.
I have quite a few cashmere jumpers (I live in another country with v cold winter) and love them because they keep you really warm but I don't overheat when I go in the warm from the cold. I feel icky in synthetic things.

Aahotep · 28/12/2020 10:50

Ps dry flat on a clothes airer or on a bath towel on a flat surface

Enidblyton1 · 28/12/2020 10:57

YES!
You don’t need to wash it very often. In fact, the less often the better. Get a specialist hand washing liquid (I use Soak) and wash it perhaps several times a year.
I put mine in the bath with a bit of Soak for half an hour. Doesn’t need to be rinsed out. Don’t wrong the jumper too much - just gently squeeze to get most the the water out. Lie a big towel on the floor. Lie the jumper on the towel and roll up the towel. Leave to dry inside the towel for a day and then lie out on a clothing rack until fully dry.
If you do this, your jumper will last years.
Very very risky to put in the washing machine (from bitter experience!!).
It may sound like a faff, but I have about 5 jumpers which I do together, a couple of times a year and it’s absolutely fine. Worth it for soft, long lasting cashmere Smile

dealornodealer · 28/12/2020 10:57

I put mine in the hand wash cycle in washing machine. Cold wash, no spin. I only wash them when they need it, dry them flat. I've had a few accidents over the years and they shrink straight away Confused

Enidblyton1 · 28/12/2020 10:57

Wring the jumper (not wrong!)

Original poster
KitKat1985 · 28/12/2020 11:21

Hmm okay, maybe I need to try and hand wash. The brave part of my is considering just doing a cold 'hand wash' cycle in the washing machine but I may wait until it's a bit older, as it would be a shame to risk it with a brand new jumper. Thank you for the advice clever ladies!

OP posts:
ichundich · 28/12/2020 11:27

I collect all my wool and knitted acrylic garments and wash them together a few times a year using the wool cycle of my washing machine and a wool detergent. I buy most of them in charity shops, therefore I'm not too worried about ruining them anyway, but so far so good.

Palavah · 28/12/2020 11:29

I only handwash mine.

Between wears I steam (just hang in the bathroom while showering) and air.

Janegrey333 · 28/12/2020 11:40

@KitKat1985

Was gifted a very nice cashmere jumper for Christmas. Lovely. I've never had one before so not really familiar with how to wash cashmere. I wore it yesterday and went to wash it today and noticed it said 'hand wash only' on the label. Is this essential, or is the label just being over-cautious?
It would be sensible.
tilder · 28/12/2020 11:51

This is why I don't have cashmere. Unless it specifically says it can be machine washed, you probably should wash by hand. Unless a doll sized jumper wouldn't bother you. It's not guaranteed to shrink, but highly likely it would.

I wish online shops had a 'how to wash' filter as well as size etc. Then I wouldn't waste time clicking on stuff only to find it's hand wash or dry clean only. I only buy stuff I can wash in the machine. Bit tricky when it was a gift!

Facade1983 · 28/12/2020 11:57

KitKat, please tell me what make your very nice jumper is! I can't find proper soft velvety fuzzy thick cashmere any more - M&S and John Lewis used to have lovely jumpers but these days their cashmere is like thin merino. Even pricy House of Bruar isn't what I'm looking for.

And if it says hand wash, definitely hand wash - I have a few doll sized jumpers in my cupboard which I'm keeping for When I Lose Weight....

JayeAshe · 28/12/2020 12:08

I use lukewarm water with a dash of hair shampoo in the sink and gently squeeze the armpit and neckline areas, then dump in the washing machine for a short cold rinse and spin, dry flat.

Time40 · 28/12/2020 12:15

OP, if you only got it at Christmas, why on earth do you want to wash it? If you wash it constantly you'll wear it out in no time.

I put mine in the bath with a bit of Soak for half an hour. Doesn’t need to be rinsed out. Don’t wrong the jumper too much - just gently squeeze to get most the the water out. Lie a big towel on the floor. Lie the jumper on the towel and roll up the towel. Leave to dry inside the towel for a day and then lie out on a clothing rack until fully dry

My method is similar, but I don't leave it in the towel. After rolling up, press hard all over the rolled towel to extract the water, and then put the jersey on a rack - what I do with them is spread a different dry towel across a rack and put the jersey flat onto that, so it's supported and not hanging down. The important thing with hand washing any knitwear is not to wring it out - twisting is damaging.

redcandlelight · 28/12/2020 12:23

my machine has a handwash cycle.
cold
no spin
table spoon of shampoo

once finished lay the jumper flat onto a bath towel and roll it up gently to squeeze out some water. then lie flat to dry.

Original poster
KitKat1985 · 28/12/2020 12:36

@Facade1983 It's from White Stuff. x

Thank you for all of the hand-washing tips!

OP posts:
MassDebate · 28/12/2020 12:37

Mine all goes in the machine on a cold hand wash/wool cycle, including any that is supposedly dry clean only. Have never shrunk or ruined anything this way.

LaBellina · 28/12/2020 12:39

Machine wash on wool programme but use a washing net. Cashmere is very delicate.

CausingChaos2 · 28/12/2020 12:40

I machine wash mine on the wool cycle at 40 degrees Blush . A couple of years old now and haven’t shrunk.

froggywentacarolling · 28/12/2020 12:46

I have loads and always wash them in the washing machine, on the wool cycle. Never shrunk.

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