Washing cashmere sweaters

[WeeSausage]

Can I please have some advice so I don't ruin more jumpers?

How do you wash your cashmere jumpers? And how frequently? I have some new-ish ones which I've worn a few times and they probably need a wash now. I usually shrink them or they go bobbly. What's the best way to avoid this? I've heard you can put them on the top shelf of the dishwasher , but I'm quite tempted just to febreeze them!
Any better suggestions?

I wash mine on the wool cycle in my washing machine (low temp, low spin) with Woolite detergent. I reshape them as soon as the wash has finished and dry them flat. No shrinkage, no issues.

I wash them after ever wear. I do a wool wash once a week.

*every wear

I handwash. Then put them in machine on a 30 rinse and a 500 spin. Take out and reshape. Lie flat in airing cupboard. No issues.

I wash mine at 20 and then dry on the back of a chair or flat on a table. Don’t dry them on a radiator as this causes shrinkage. I use Woolite too, or the Tesco’s own hand wash stuff (much cheaper!).

Mine usually do shrink a tiny bit after the first wash but then never again.

I don’t wash them after every wear, more like after about 3 wears. But then I never wear them next to my skin. I have a long-sleeve tshirt underneath.

I wash mine when they need it, so if they smell or have food down the front. Probably every couple of months? (Wear long sleeves under so they don’t get armpitty and hang to air between wears).

Hand wash with SLS/paraben free shampoo or wool detergent, making sure your rinsing water is the same temperature as your washing water (shrinkage and felting are caused by friction and sudden changes in temperature). Roll up in a towel and squeeze excess water out, then dry on a towel across the top of the airer so fairly flat but get air underneath.

Forgot to say I use the Dettol anti-bac stuff too. Due to the low washing temp.

Yes, I dry mine on a clothes horse, away from direct heat.

Have a look on the Hush website, their instructions are great. I comb mine before a gentle machine wash

I wash mIne on the wool wash at 30 degrees and turn the spin down low. Then dry on a clothes rack. I use a battery operated defuzzer that’s brilliant and much better than a manual comb .
I do wear a t shirt underneath so I can get a few wears before washing. For those who avoid washing Cashmere you’re far more likely to have moth issues. As they don’t like clean cashmere as much. So up your moth protection.

I wash all clothes inside out to protect the good side.

I don't know if this applies to cashmere , but when I bought some Pure New Wool from Woolovers the instructions were:

Machine wash on the wool setting
No detergents like Fairy . (I don't use Woolite so I used an EcoEgg in a netbag )
No conditioner
Lightly reshape while damp and dry flat.

I had them for 4 winters , wore them loads.
Recently bought a Uniqlo PNW but lambswool so followed the same instructions

I wash them in the machine - I've found it more gentle than washing by hand. I wash them after a few days of wear - I always wear a t-shirt underneath.

I use a wool/silk/delicates program, 30 degrees, low spin speed.
I use Persil wool and silk, but have used Woolite in the past. I prefer the Persil scent.

Each item is put in bags used for delicates.

I don't leave them in the machine for a long time after the wash cycle is done.
Hang on hangers or dry flat, depending on the item. If washing very heavy/large items like dresses, I tend to roll them up in a towel to dry a bit first, then dry flat.

When dry, I usually steam the items.

I mainly wear cashmere cardigans (I'd rather have a few really nice ones than a lot of less nice items), and I do look after them, but they are just clothes that need to be worn, rather than being saved for best.

I wash any wool and silk items and other nicer/more expensive things in exactly the same way.

Hand wash with Woolite or simila, gently squeezing water out. Lie it flat on a towel and roll up, to remove excess water. Gently shape and Dry flat on an airier away from direct heat.
Never use fabric conditioner, it matts the fibre.

Generally handwash. I use lukewarm water and a little bit of naice shampoo. Then final rinse in a wee touch of highly diluted naice hair conditioner (same brand as shampoo).

Dry flat on a towel on the airer.

That’s a good idea with the steamer RiskIt. I’ve got one, use mostly for delicate dresses, never thought aboutusing it on the cardis too.

I make sure i only get the ones that say machine washable.

I machine wash mine on delicate wash, cold temperature, with a wool shampoo like woolite or soak. Then reshape and dry flat.

Machine, wool wash, no spin for my best, 400 spin for the others, Johnsons Baby Shampoo and wash inside out. The jumpers which have had the spin dry flat across clothes horse, no spin jumpers are folded in a towel, spend the day on the Aga and then flat on clothes horse. Defuzz them as I iron.

It depends on your washing machine.

Mine is a Miele and there is the option of a handwash setting at 30C, so I use that with liquid like Woolite or own brand stuff for delicates. Thik the spin is around 800 and that's fine. I pull into shape, put on a clothes horse sometimes with a towel under to prevent getting a line across the jumper, and sometimes iron at a very low setting if needed.

I wash them after ever wear.

There is no need to wash cashmere or wool after one wear unless the armpits are soaked in sweat.

Wool doesn't actually smell of BO unless it's really soaked in it.

I wear my wool jumpers many times- often with a vest or cami under.
If you put them back in the wardrobe after wearing and not washing them, do store in moth proof bags ( zipped) as moths are attracted to the smell of perfume and deodorant or even just your own body smell.

I used to wash on Handwash setting but my new washing machine isn’t good for this
I Handwash in Woolite
Then spin on delicate cycle of Handwash
Dry hung on a padded hanger
I wash every 3-4 wears

there’s no need to wash every time

You do it your way, I’ll do it mine

I wash in the machine on the cold wool/handwash, with a little delicates liquid, 500 spin, as infrequently as possible - I always air really well after wearing and use moth sachets in all my drawers.

If you have an electric blanket it’s quite handy for drying wool and cashmere - obviously put the garment on a nice clean towel. It keeps it totally flat and dries it quicker than using just an airer but the heat is gentle.

The good thing about wool is it is naturally antibacterial and so on because it is a natural fibre so it doesn’t smell as easily and can be aired between wears and doesn’t need washing so often. I wash all mine on a cold wash using method washing liquid, gentle 600 spin and then dry on an airing rack. Even the ones that say dry clean only. Some are now on their third winter and doing just fine.

My machine has a 15 minute quick wash, so I use that one to wash my cashmere jumpers (not that I have a big collection - only two), with the temp set really low and using wool detergent. No casualties yet, unlike the lovely mohair jumper I assumed would be fine because the cashmere was.

I don't find mine need to be cleaned to get rid of smells, but because the sleeves become a bit stretched out after a few wears.

I bung it in the machine on the wool wash and dry on a hanger. Not found cashmere any worse than any other wool to wash TBH.