How to wash and dry cashmere

Two hands roll up a cashmere sweater in a clean white towel

There are so many reasons to love cashmere! 🙌🏾 Not only is it soft and warm, but it's also a crease- and odor-resistant material. Airing it out in between wears makes it possible to wash it less frequently.

MACHINE WASH

When it's time to wash your cashmere, make sure to select the most delicate wash cycle. A 'Wool' cycle will be gentler than your standard 'Delicate' cycle, so definitely choose 'Wool' if you have the option.

When machine washing cashmere, don't fill up the drum. It's better to wash only 2-3 wool items at a time. Keep in mind that too much agitation, as well as hot or icy water, can shock cashmere and cause shrinkage.

HAND WASH

If you've invested in your cashmere and feel wary of machine washing, your safest bet would be to hand wash. To do so, follow these five easy steps:

⚪ Step 1: Turn cashmere inside out

Prior to washing, inspect your cashmere for stains. Use a gentle stain spray to pre-treat stains, then turn the garment inside out.

Gif of someone turning a sweater inside out

⚪ Step 2: Measure out your delicate detergent

Fill a sink or tub with lukewarm water and add some delicate detergent for wool, like this yuzu detergent from Tangent GC. Always follow dosing instructions (a little goes a long way).

If you don't have delicate detergent on hand, you can also use a pH neutral shampoo. Cashmere is the hair of goats, after all! Submerge the garment in the sudsy water.

Pouring liquid detergent from a bottle cap into the sink

⚪ Step 3: Soak & gently massage

Soak for 10 minutes, then stir or massage your cashmere. Be very gentle in order to avoid damage and shrinkage. Continue by soaking for up to 30 minutes. Drain and refill your sink with lukewarm water and repeat this step until the water runs clear.

Gif of hands washing a cashmere sweater in a sink

⚪ Step 4: Roll in a fresh towel & squeeze

Lay your cashmere on a clean white towel (dark towels might result in color transfer). Roll up the cashmere in the towel and gently squeeze to remove excess moisture.

Gif of hands rolling a cashmere sweater in a clean white towel

⚪ Step 5: Reshape & lay flat to dry

Reshape the cashmere with gentle pulling (don't forget to remove any jewelry from your hands that could potentially snag on the material).

Lay your cashmere flat to dry on a clean towel. Do not tumble dry with heat or hang dry—these actions can cause your cashmere to shrink or become misshapen.

Gif of hands reshaping a freshly washed cashmere sweater

Enjoy wearing your freshly washed cashmere! You can find our favorite products for keeping winter clothes and accessories looking their best here.


Words and gifs by Team Clean
Cashmere by Vince

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