How to wash wool and cashmere jumpers without shrinking them?

[FlimsyMimsy]

I'm not sure if this is the right place or if there's a housework forum. Anyway I'm looking here at a pile of about 7 jumpers and a jumper dress all made of wool or cashmere or alpaca or similar. And I'm terrified of washing them in case they shrink and fit next door's cat. Would you dry clean, or what else would you suggest please?

If they are good quality cashmere avoid washing where possible. Hang inside out and air them is the best option.

Hand wash. Lay out on a dry towel and fold the towel or place another towel on top and dry by hand pressing the water out. Then lay flat out to air dry.
Felting and shrinking is caused by using agitation and hot water. This cause the fibres to knit together and shorten.
A bit time consuming but easy and cheaper than dry cleaning.
edit to add, hand wash gently. It’s not like pummelling whites in rocks at the lake edge! I’m sure there are YouTube videos showing how.

Gentle hand wash with wool
liquid fabric wash

dont let a stream of water to hit the fibers as blunts them

don’t wring just squeeze gently

then put into washing machine and spin gently for 10 m or so

then lay flat to dry and shape

enjoy your fabulous yarns cashmere is the fabric of the gods!

I use the handwash/wool cycle on my washing machine (30 degrees, 800 spin cycle, 50 min long) then lay them flat, smoothed out into shape, in front of a radiator to dry

All of the above.

I also avoid having to wash my good knits too often - so I always wear a thin layer underneath and air them. Spot clean very gently if I spill something.

I may be weird but I also have some older knits that are my “ wear around the house” knits and my “good” knits that I wear out.

i use a non bio powder and wash in the machine on a cold woollens cycle which takes about 40 mins. When they’re clean I smooth out and dry flat or on a decent hanger to air dry.

I love washing wool, it’s so slow and contemplative! And each piece is probably only washed annually, at most, so I feel they deserve my time and care and attention.

Tepid water in a bowl. I use Ecover Zero Delicate Laundry Liquid but anything similar should be fine. I prefer to wash only one, or at most two, things at a time. Dissolve the laundry liquid first, then add the garment. Swirl a bit then leave to soak. Few hours later squeeze out the water gently and decide if they need another soak. (Rare, but can happen.) Rinse in several bowls of cold water, adding a splash of vinegar to the final rinse. Squeeze gently. Press between layers of a clean white towel. Reshape. Dry flat, outside if possible.

Generally I iron wool inside out.

It’s very satisfying.

Love this! So zen:-)

Cold, hand wash cycle on the machine with no spin. I put mine in a delicates bag too (you can use a pillow case) and use liquid specialist detergent. Roll flat in a towel and then leave flat in the bath until dry enough not to drip everywhere. No shrinkage but I wash very rarely and one at a time as that somehow feels less time consuming!

My washing machine's wool setting can't be trusted, but I don't mind hand washing wool. I don't leave the wool to soak. After a few minutes of a "kneading dough" kind of motion in cool/Luke water and wool wash, I then do a series of rinses. Followed by a squeeze, and then I layer the jumper between two towels, roll the combo up, place it on the floor and walk on it. Then the item goes on the slats in the airing cupboard.

I'm enjoying the number of us on this thread who really love taking care of our wool!

And I agree with this too, mine rarely get washed.

I agree with hand washing, as per dudsville.

I lay out flat to dry on a towel, shaping the garment as I lay it.