Follow these simple recommendations, and your favorite sweater or scarf will last you a long time.
Cashmere items are ideal for the winter season. This soft, lightweight and breathable material keeps you warm without making you sweat. Another advantage is durability. If handled properly, a cashmere sweater will easily outlive half your wardrobe.
The material is considered difficult to maintain, because it is sensitive to water temperature and mechanical stress. In fact, once you figure out how to properly care for such items, washing cashmere at home will become a simple task that will save time and money.
What to consider before washing cashmere
Always check the care label before washing. If they are not followed, clothes can easily be damaged – they may lose color or shape.
When the manufacturer recommends leaving a cashmere item in the hands of specialists, you should not neglect the advice. Dry cleaning is much better at handling, for example, lined coats and jackets, items with a complex structure and an abundance of details.
But basic cashmere items – sweaters, scarves, hats, skirts and trousers of a simple cut – can be washed at home. You just need to follow a few simple rules.
How often to wash cashmere
Unlike other winter items, cashmere sweaters, dresses or scarves only need to be freshened once or twice a season, especially if you rarely wear them. Experts also advise washing cashmere after 7-10 uses and at the very end of the season. More often than not, it’s definitely not worth it, this can lead to the product shrinking or rolling up.
How to wash cashmere by hand
Pre-treat stains. Apply a small amount of a stain remover suitable for cashmere to food stains, sweat in the armpits, and dirty areas on the neckline and cuffs. Gently work the product into the fabric with your fingertips. Try not to rub the material to avoid damaging it, and do not use products with bleach.
Fill a suitable container with cool water. If you wash large items, such as a blanket, it is better to do it in the bathtub; For smaller ones, a sink is suitable. While the water is filling, add detergent to it, and when it is completely dissolved, carefully lower the cashmere into it. It is best to take special detergents for washing delicate fabrics or use baby shampoo.
Gently, without straining your fingers, move the item back and forth and up and down so that the soapy water passes through the fabric. For best results, leave the cashmere to soak for a maximum of 30 minutes.
Drain the water and rinse the product. If you have a faucet spray attachment, use it to rinse small items, such as a scarf or hat. For larger items, it is best to refill the sink or tub with cool water, dip the cashmere in, and gently shake with clean hands. Repeat this step until the soap scum is completely gone.
Squeeze out the water. It’s best to do this while the item is in the sink or bathtub. Lifting wet cashmere is not a good idea – it can stretch and lose its shape. It is also not worth twisting it, so as not to damage the delicate fibers. Instead, scoop the item into a ball and gently squeeze out the water. Or spread a white towel on a flat surface, place the item on it, and then roll everything together into a roll, gently pressing so that the towel absorbs moisture.
How to wash cashmere in a washing machine
Check the label on your clothing and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. In general, there are two important steps to take when machine washing cashmere items:
Turn the item inside out and place it in a mesh bag for washing delicate items. This will protect the cashmere from excess friction, which can stretch the fabric and cause pilling.
Choose the most delicate cycle with a water temperature no higher than 30–40 °C and a gentle spin mode, no more than 400–600 rpm.
How to dry cashmere
After hand or machine washing, cashmere items are dried equally. Find a flat horizontal surface, place a white towel on it, and a washed item on top. Give it an original shape and leave to dry naturally. When the front is dry, turn the item over and let the back dry.
Do not hang wet cashmere clothing or leave it in direct sunlight or near a heat source such as a radiator or heater. This may cause the item to stretch, shrink, or turn yellow.
How to care for cashmere clothes
If you need to get rid of wrinkles after washing, use a clothes steamer instead of an iron. The direct heat and pressure that the iron creates strips the delicate material of its natural elasticity, making it less soft and fluffy.
How to care for cashmere clothes
If you need to get rid of wrinkles after washing, use a clothes steamer instead of an iron. The direct heat and pressure that the iron creates strips the delicate material of its natural elasticity, making it less soft and fluffy.
In addition, even the highest quality cashmere will sooner or later develop pills. Over time, the fine fibers break from constant friction and form unsightly balls. To get rid of them, gently pull the dry material with one hand until the wrinkles go away, and with the other, carefully run a trimmer or clothes razor over it. This will remove the pellets without cutting the fabric.
How to store cashmere clothes
Cashmere clothing is best stored folded in a drawer or on a closet shelf. If you hang it on hangers, it will stretch out and lose its shape.