Cashmere - can I machine wash it or am I forever doomed to dry cleaning? If worse, hand washing?

[StellarLunar]

My mil has very kindly given me some cashmere sweaters she no longer wears. She says she just hangs them on the line and lets the wind air them. They are a little stained so I think they actually need to be washed. But the label says dry clean only. What's the general verdict? Could I put them in the machine on a cold /wool short cycle? And what's the best powder /liquid to use?

I machine wash on a wool cycle (cold) with woolite. I then air dry them and always fine.

Hand wash is fine, probably better than dry cleaning. Washing machine gentle cycle wouldn’t risk it unless label says it’s ok as it’s very variable.

Have lost stuff to an accidental machine wash. Worth bearing in mind that sometimes things might survive one machine wash, but not like it repeatedly. So something might be ok the first time, but that’s not an indication it’s ok.

I quite like Co-op wool and silk wash, anything enzyme free should be ok. But usually I just use a little bit of shampoo for a gentle hand wash (Faith in Nature Coconut shampoo is good).

I handwash cashmere inside out in lukewarm water and use Woolite. I then spin it in the washing machine and leave it on a clothes horse or washing line to dry. It's worked well for me.

Kylee300 she was given the jumpers, didn’t buy them herself, and that wasn’t the question.

OP buy some eucalan. It’s no-rinse wool wash that you just dilute in water and soak the woollens in, no risk of felting and no effort required.

I have a huge collection of cashmere jumpers and always wash them on a 30 degree hand wash cycle, no disasters yet. I dry flat on a towel, don't hang knits as they will stretch and misshape

I use the machine to wash cashmere, special handwashing programme and detergent and I use a laundry net also.

Thanks for the advice all, I'll try hand-washing them.
Kylee I didn't know that's how they got cashmere wool. That's very cruel. I have never bought any, but these were a gift.