How to Clean and Care for Sweaters

How to Hand-Wash Sweaters

1. Pretreat Stains

   Before washing, start by spot-treating stains—sometimes that's all a sweater will need to look fresh again. You can try removing a stain with a very small amount of stain remover, just remember to dab the solution with a cloth instead of scrubbing with a brush. Rinse thoroughly (repeat the process if necessary), and then wash as normal.

2. Fill a Tub or Sink

   Use cold water—never hot—to fill a plastic washing tub or a clean sink. You'll need to fill the vessel once for the wash and then again for rinsing.

3. Add Detergent

   Use a small amount of gentle detergent (about a 1/2 teaspoon) or wool wash, following the label directions. If you use too much detergent, you'll have a very difficult time getting out all of the suds. Detergent residue can cause fibers to feel stiff and scratchy.

4. Agitate by Hand

   Put on your rubber gloves, and then gently squeeze the sweater in the water to be sure that it's completely soaked. Never wring or scrub, which can cause stretching and pilling. Let the sweater soak in the suds for about five minutes.

5. Rinse

   Thoroughly rinse the sweater until it's free of detergent. It may take several rinses for the water to become clear and free of suds.

6. Let Water Drain

   Without wringing, remove as much water as possible from your sweater by squeezing. Support the sweater from underneath as you transfer it to lay it flat on an absorbent towel.

7. Absorb Excess Moisture

   Roll the sweater and towel together, pressing firmly as you go. Next, lay another dry towel down on a flat surface large enough to hold your sweater with the arms extended. Place the sweater on the dry towel and reshape the sweater into its original form.

8. Reshape the Sweater

   Push the sweater's ribbing together at the neckline, wrists, and waist. If the sweater has an attached belt, extend it flat away from the sweater on each side. Dry removable belts separately from sweaters. Allow the sweater to dry for 24 hours. Lastly, flip the sweater over onto another dry towel, smooth into shape once again, and dry for another 24 hours.

How to Machine-Wash Sweaters

When machine-washing a sweater, it's best to put the garment in a mesh bag for extra protection from any friction or agitation. Also, avoid putting it in the wash with any bulky items, such as jeans or towels.

1. Pretreat Stains

   Pretreat any stains on the sweater depending on the specific type of stain.

2. Place Sweater in Mesh Laundry Bag

   Protect your sweater by washing it in a mesh bag to help prevent snags and reduce pilling.

3. Set Water Temperature to Cold

   Use cold water. Warmer water will fray knits, and hot water can make them shrink.

4. Set the Cycle

   Choose the gentle or permanent press cycle when washing knits. If using a top-loading machine, start the cycle, and let the water fill the basin. Pour a small amount of detergent in the water before adding the sweater. If using a front-loading machine, add detergent, put the sweater in the machine, and then start the cycle.

5. Skip the Spin Cycle

   Stop the machine before the spin cycle as it can be stressful to the yarns of your sweater and the movement can pull them out of shape. To avoid additional stretching, take care when removing the sweater from your washer.

6. Absorb Excess Moisture and Air-Dry

   Follow the same steps for absorbing excess moisture and air-drying as you would for hand-washed sweaters.

Storing Sweaters

Sweaters store well neatly folded in drawers. Never hang a knit garment—especially if it's heavy—as the weight will stretch out the shoulders very quickly. If you're ready to pack your knits for the winter, make sure they're clean and thoroughly dry, and then fold and place them in a plastic tub. Avoid fabric storage bags because moths can eat through them—and your clothes.

Repairs

Quite often, the cuffs of sweaters will get stretched while the rest of the sweater looks fine. To tighten the cuffs, dip the stretched area in hot water, and blot slightly. Place the wet cuffs on a white towel, and dry them with a blow-dryer set on hot. This will slightly felt the fibers and tighten the cuffs. For a more permanent solution, stitch some knitted elastic tape inside the edge of each cuff.

Treating Stains on Sweaters

When you spot an old, unidentifiable stain on a sweater, try eliminating it before washing with a stain remover, as mentioned above, or by using a couple of other methods. Try flushing the stain with water, and then blotting it with white vinegar. Let the vinegar sit for a few minutes, and then flush the area with water to rinse. If the stain remains, try blotting hydrogen peroxide (3 percent) on the stain, let it sit for a few minutes, and then flush it with water. Then hand-wash or machine-wash as you prefer.

Tips for Washing Sweaters

• Maintain your sweater's original shape by tracing around the unwashed sweater on kraft wrapping paper before washing. Now, you have a pattern to reference when you reshape the sweater. If you don't want to make a pattern, measure the sweater with a measuring tape before and after to make sure it remains the same size.
• Never mix colors when washing. It may result in dye transfer that's very hard to remove.
• Card tables are ideal for drying sweaters as they typically have a protected vinyl top. If you're not using a waterproof surface, always place plastic or a vinyl tablecloth under the damp sweater and towel.
• Don't put a sweater into the clothes dryer, even if the label says you can. Avoid the dryer to prevent shrinking and excessive static cling with acrylic fibers.
• If you want to cut your drying time in half, get a sweater drying rack. Their mesh shelves allow air to flow freely above, below, and through the sweater, decreasing drying times.
• If you accidentally shrink a favorite knit, you may be able to save your sweater by reshaping and pinning it on a cork bulletin board.