Washing cashmere, silk, mohair, merino, lambswool

[whatausername]

I've been moving away from cotton socks and pillowcases. Got some lovely new things. But they are now all in the wash and I'm a bit hesistant. I remember previous cashmere jumpers and merino socks pilling a bit and, definitely, not coming out as soft as they went in. Do I dare machine wash on a handwash cycle with wool detergent? I'd wash them all together but separated into mesh bags. Handwashing seems such a faff, no?

I must admit I handwash, too many jumpers shrunk that would now only fit the Borrowers

I wash my cashmere & lambs wool jumpers in the machine. I use a wool wash, either Tesco or the Co-op, ( pink top bottle) & the “ wool wash” cycle on my machine, it’s 30 degrees & gentle, an old Bosch machine. Never had any shrinkage or pilling.

Am I correct in thinking that it is, for wool products at least, the temp that does the damage less so than the spin speed?

I use woolite and the gentle cycle with no shrinkage or piling issues.

So natural fibres can normally take heat OR agitation - not both, that's when they felt/shrink/shred.

In a washing machine, there is always agitation - therefore always wash them in cold water.

Buy a proper detergent such as woolite.

Fold them (soiled bits on the outside) and put them into a snug fitting delicates bag.. you don't want to pack them in, but equally, you don't want them so loose it's as if they weren't in a bag.

Gentle spin (or no spin and wring them yourself).

Then dry flat.

I have several pairs of mohair socks and they get washed in a non-wool, regular 30 cycle with bio laundry liquid. They're fine.
Jumpers and cardigans get done on a wool cycle with wool wash.

My cashmere jumpers go on the wool cycle (20. degrees, gentle spin) with Woolite, then pegged on the line on a breezy, sunny day so they dry quickly.

Mind you, they get washed infrequently, and are well aired between wears.

I hand wash all my wool and cashmere. I also hand wash all my bras. I quite like doing it!

Some wool and cashmere has been treated to remove the microscopic scales from the hair fibre that bond together with heat and agitation to felt, so you can wash those things without too much concern. Non treated wool and cashmere is best washed by hand, but you can spin it to dry if your machine has a spin cycle like the old style drum spinners because the fibres are not rubbing against each other, just being flung around at speed to get the water out.

I thought piling was more to do with how the yarn has been spun, with loose twist resulting in more piling but I'm not a knitter so not sure.

I soak mine in a tub with wool washing up liquid if I have any (or hair my shampoo) and then put it on a 'rinse only' cycle (15 mins) and then hang to air dry. Never any problems (touch wood).

Okay so a few things to try then! And what about silk?

I machine wash my wool and cashmere on a 30 degree wool cycle AND I tumble dry it on a wool setting - anything to avoid filling the house with damp wool in winter. Never had a problem so far and I have a lot of wool items!

Silk for me is handwash only - I find just the action of agitating the machine can damage the fibres enough to cause tears.

You have to be so careful with silk. Gently squeeze soapy water through collars, under arms in particular. DO NOT WRING out. I just rinse several times and hang - dripping wet on a line. Alternatively lay item on bath towel. Arrange arms and so on. Roll up towel and squeeze gently to remove most of the water before line drying.