How to wash cashmere

[Bimblebombzle]

I bought a Uniqlo cashmere jumper and put it on hand-wash in my machine with delicate liquid for wools.

When it finished it was absolutely soaking. I put it on a spin and I think it's shrunk. I've laid it flat and pulled it out - not sure how it will dry. I bought a slightly bigger size anyway so should be okay but just wondering what does everyone else do? Detailed instructions for idiots please as everyone has a different washing machine/process.

Thanks!

I hang mine on the line without washing on a damp day. Then do the same inside out. Then put it in the airing cupboard and it's done. I would spot clean any actual specks.

Try soaking it in fabric conditioner and then reshaping. I’ve bought a shrunken jumper back from the brink that way before.

I very rarely wash cashmere but my husband accidentally put one of my jumpers in on a normal 40deg wash with his work clothes...I nearly had a heart attack when I realised, but to my amazement, other than shrinking slightly around the neckline, it came out fine!

I agree that leaving them on the line does the job most of the time - how does it being a damp day help though, @Nevertrustacop ? Do you then dry it indoors e.g. near a radiator/on a (gently) heated airer or does the airing cupboard do the trick? I bloody wish we still had an airing cupboard!

I wash cashmere in the machine on a 20 degree wash. Comes out perfect.

As I wear my jumpers next to my skin I don't think dry cleaning cleans them properly.. I handwash my cashmere in cashmere washing liquid and warm water, wring gently then lie them flat to dry. .. never have any issues at all.

I've got cashmere that's 20 years old. It's always been washed in a delicate machine wash at 30° with a wool detergent. I tend to dry flat but have been known to tumble dry for up to 5 mins my heavy Cashmere. I've honestly never had an issue with it shrinking doing this. But I have accidentally shrunk some washing on a hotter cotton wash.

I also wash mine after every few wears. Far more than once a year. Unwashed cashmere attracts moths.

I’m an absolute expert at washing and I’ve washed many cashmere jumpers.

Wool wash. Washing liquid for woollens/cashmere. Low spin speed. But it absolutely needs to be spun.
Soaking wet cashmere is just asking for trouble.
Then I dry it flat on a doubled-up towel, reshaping it as I go.

I can put it over my bannister like this, SO LONG AS there is a double layer of towel underneath it.
Otherwise, it gets kinks/lines/dents.

If it’s very wet, DO NOT SQUEEZE IT!
Roll it up in a towel with a towel placed on top. GENTLY.
Do this several times with dry towels. Then put in on another dry towel, doubled up.

DO NOT wash it often and don’t wear it power-walking. Turn it inside out and hang it outside to air it.
Or hang it at an open window.

You would leave a baby soaking overnight? 😳🤣🤣🤣

Me too. I just don't have problems. In the wool cycle with wool wash. Lay it out flat on a thick dry towel until it's almost dry. I rotate the towel at some point so the dry side is against the knitwear.
Then I hand it over the back of a chair or heated drying rail to get the last traces of dampness

What do Love Cashmere do and how much do they charge? The

https://lovecashmere.com/pages/knitwear-repair-service-on-hold?srsltid=AfmBOoqWQnelyHNAOaskcjfOW5H8y_aycOKoRkJDjTEt4BIwXjWjmmY8
@tipsandtoes here's the link. The coat is about £40 per item. It looks like they are not accepting repair work at the moment though.

Personally I think the answer is to hand wash all wool.Thats what I do.

I have a couple of those jumpers too. I wash them with wool/delicates detergent (persil one I think) in the machine on the delicates cycle (rather than wool cycle). This is a wash at 20 degrees C and low or no spin. As much as I love cashmere, it always bobbles on me, particularly where my arms rub the sides.

Lol I'm having premenstrual flushes today so right now I despise all my cashmere 😂🤣 and don't know why I bought it, but this thread has been really helpful thank you.

It's never cotton I wear underneath. In winter it's thermals from M & S/Uniqlo. In summer I don't wear cashmere.

I bought one of these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CF2DJHFQ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

It's brilliant at getting rid of bobbles.

I have a bobble shaver from Lakeland. They are very good.

@OchonAgusOchonOh that's interesting. Was it the egg shaped one? I have the black Phillips one shown and I don't rate it much.

Yes, the egg shaped one. Odd that the one you have isn't great. You'd think they'd be much the same.

Are you putting it in a delicates bag? The mesh ones with the zippers?

I do that with all of mine and I’ve yet to shrink anything. I have a triple digit addiction erm, a fair amount of cashmere and I do find that some pieces wash differently than others. I have a couple that don’t really shrink but sort of contract a bit in the sleeves. Wearing them makes them relax again to their usual shape.

I hand wash mine in cold water with Woolite, rinse until the bubbles have gone then wrap it in a towel, change towel and wrap it again until it is nearly dry then hang it on a big hanger. I love cashmere but only have one item as it's such a pita to keep!

@OchonAgusOchonOh it was a waste of £15, and barely collects anything.

I recently bought a bottle of Soak. Apparently you don't need to rinse, just soak the item for 15 minutes and then squeeze gently.

I haven't tried it yet so can't comment.

I have done the same as others have mentioned woolite mild detergent and hand washed in coldish water and lay flat to dry and never had a problem. It's more work but cashmere really does last forever we received a cashmere baby blanket from https://willowandcole.com/cashmere-baby-blanket/ as a new baby gift 5 years on and it's still in lovely condition.

I have lots of merino clothing. It all goes into the machine, on the wool wash cycle (top loader machine) and always comes out just the same as when it went in. Nothing has ever shrunk, and I've been doing it for years.