Knitwear care: how to wash, dry and store your sweaters
Knitwear rarely wears out. It gets stretched, shrunk or pilled long before the yarn gives up. Almost all of that comes down to how it is washed, dried and stored, which means it is easy to avoid.
One rule comes before all the others: read the care label inside your garment and follow it. What follows is general advice for when the label leaves you room to choose.
Wash less often
Knits do not need washing after every wear. Air a sweater overnight on the back of a chair and it is usually ready to wear again. Fewer washes mean less friction, and friction is what causes pilling.
Wash cool and gently
- Turn the piece inside out.
- Hand wash in cool water, or use your machine's delicate or wool cycle with the garment in a mesh laundry bag.
- Use a small amount of mild detergent and skip the fabric softener.
- Wash with similar colours, especially the first few times.
Never wring it out
Twisting a wet knit pulls it out of shape. Press the water out against the side of the sink, then lay the piece on a clean towel, roll the towel up and press down. The towel takes most of the water with it.
Dry flat
Reshape the garment while it is still damp and lay it flat on a dry towel or a rack, away from radiators and direct sun. Hanging a wet sweater lets the weight of the water stretch it, and a tumble dryer is the fastest way to shrink one.
Fold, do not hang
Hangers leave marks in the shoulders and slowly lengthen the body. Fold your knits and stack them on a shelf or in a drawer, heaviest at the bottom.
Dealing with pilling
Small bobbles appear where fabric rubs: under the arms, at the cuffs, where a bag sits. They are normal and easy to remove with a sweater comb or a fabric shaver. Lay the piece flat and work lightly in one direction.
Storing between seasons
Wash everything before you put it away, because moths are drawn to worn fibres. Store knits folded in a breathable cotton bag or a lidded box somewhere cool and dry.
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