The Complete Guide to Washing a Cashmere Sweater Without Damaging It
This publication is also available in: 
Français 
English (UK) 
Deutsch 
Italiano 
Español
Everything you need to know about the women’s cashmere sweater!
How to wash a cashmere sweater?
It is true that this seems like a rather delicate task. Unlike linen, goat wool is a very fragile fabric.
You are probably asking yourself the following questions: “How to wash a cashmere sweater without damaging it?” “Is it better to wash it by hand or in the machine?” “What type of detergent should be used to maintain the softness of the sweater?”
We then offer you actions to avoid and to embrace in order to prevent distorting your women’s cashmere sweater during laundry.
As a bonus, we provide you with tips for drying your sweater properly.
Should you wash it by hand or use a washing machine? We have the answers for you. Here are some gestures to adopt and to avoid to not damage your cashmere from washing to drying.
Is it possible to machine wash a cashmere sweater?
In winter, it is very convenient to have cashmere sweaters in your wardrobe. They keep us warm, they are soft and stylish. But a small downside, as you know, cashmere is a delicate material.
You need to know how to take care of it so that it does not deteriorate too quickly. The actions and materials used must be suitable for this delicacy.
Surprisingly, yes, it is machine washable! That said, there are a few rules to follow to maintain the quality of the fabric. Start by separating light-colored sweaters from dark ones, just like in a normal wash.
- Be careful with zippers!
For zippered sweaters, make sure to close the zippers tightly so they don’t snag on other fabrics. Unbutton the buttons of the buttoned sweaters and then turn your cardigan inside out so they don’t get caught in the holes of other sweaters. It’s best to choose a wool-specific detergent that is suitable for cashmere. Use a few drops and gauge the appropriate amount.
- Warning! One product to absolutely avoid: fabric softener.
Although its name sounds tempting, it tends to felt delicate fabrics and affects the softness of cashmere. To retain this softness, simply set the machine to the wool program.
- Use cold water to fill your drum.
A low temperature does not relax the textile fibers. Furthermore, it does not fade your clothes and perfectly retains their colors. Even lukewarm water is not highly recommended. Opt for water at 20°C, which does not distort the garments. Avoid using hot water.
Although heat is effective in killing bacteria, it degrades and wears out the fabric very quickly. Additionally, it has the property of shrinking clothing.
- Spin at around 400 revolutions per minute.
This is perfect for maintaining the delicacy of your laundry. Thanks to this slowness, your washing machine cannot pill the fibers of goat wool.
However, to avoid shaking the natural fibers of the fabric, place a pillowcase in the machine. Choose a gentle detergent suitable for silky fabrics like wool.
Do not exceed 40 minutes for a machine wash of your goat wool sweaters. Once this time is reached, remove your laundry directly from the washing machine.
Is it better to wash a cashmere sweater by hand, fact or myth?
If you want to take fewer risks, you can always wash a cashmere sweater by hand. This can provide a gentler cleaning for delicate fabrics.
Fill a basin or bowl with cold water, add wool detergent or Marseille soap. Separate dark sweaters from those in ecru color.
The hand-washing operation can begin!
- Soak your pullovers in cold water and gently rub. This way, the cashmere fibers do not break. You can also, instead of rubbing, press your laundry to drain it so that it does not stretch.
- Refill your basin with clear water.
- Then begin to rinse the garments either by gently rubbing them or by pressing.
- Refill your basin to rinse the sweater once more until the water runs clear.
- Repeat this process to obtain clear water after a final rinse.
Unfortunately, it turns out that this hand-washing method is less effective. Due to the need to gently rub, stains and dirt may not completely come out.
Indeed, the fiber will not be very clean if you gently stroke the fabric instead of thoroughly cleaning it. This is one of the downsides of washing wool by hand. Therefore, try not to be too gentle on the laundry, focus, and just avoid rough movements.
Conversely, too harsh hand-washing may also damage the fabric of the laundry.
Indeed, even manually, the fabric of your cashmere sweaters can risk deteriorating. In trying to remove stains and dirt, you may be tempted to rub too hard. However, this rubbing not only degrades the softness of your cashmere sweaters, but also that of your hands. This is not the desired effect.
Additionally, instead of rubbing gently, you will have to repeat the process. You will therefore have to rub for long minutes. Although done carefully, these rubs can cause irritation to your skin.
If you are not used to hand washing, you might even develop blisters or calluses.
This method is therefore less reliable for maintaining your sweaters. When you clean them, you must be careful not to rub too harshly or too gently.
Another obstacle for manual washing is the detergent used. If you don’t have Marseille soap or wool products, it is risky to use regular laundry detergent for your skin. It tends to dry it out and damage it. Moreover, being in contact with water for too long, your fingers become wrinkled.
Even though washing a cashmere sweater by machine and by hand both present issues, it is therefore preferable to use a washing machine. However, it is necessary to be cautious when using the latter.
Make sure that the water is cold and that the detergent is suitable for delicate fabrics. Ensure that the spin speed is set to 400 revolutions per minute and do not exceed 40 minutes.
Drying a cashmere sweater properly without fraying it.
In addition to washing your cashmere sweater, its drying is also a delicate task. For this, you need an ironing board and one to three cotton towels depending on the method you prefer.
For the first method, you only need one towel.
- First, spread this towel on the table.
- Then, lay your sweater flat without stretching it too much to avoid distorting it.
- Roll it up using the towel like a spring roll. By absorbing the water, it will act as a sponge on the sweater.
- After a few minutes, unroll it and let it lie flat until completely dry.
- Keep it out of the sunlight and heat.
This will take between two to three days but it is worth the wait. At least, you will keep a tight and intact weave.
For the second method, spread two towels separately on the table.
- Then, spread the washed sweater on one of them, making sure it’s wrinkle-free.
- Then, place the third towel on top.
- Press down with your hands to absorb well.
- Finally, take the laundry and lay it on the dry towel.
This method also takes a few days before the garment is completely dry. If you perform this operation well, you will no longer need to iron it and even less to take it to the dry cleaner.
Some actions should be avoided to maintain the quality of your goat wool sweaters. Absolutely avoid twisting them! This is the action to absolutely ban during drying. This action stretches the sweater and damages the sleeves as well as the collars, especially when you twist a round-neck, turtleneck, or boat-neck sweater. This causes the necklines to loosen, and you will end up with a hood.
To go further, we have created a complete guide for you on drying your favorite women’s cashmere sweater!
Make sure not to hang your laundry on hangers or a clothesline! Once wet, the sweaters become heavy. If you hang them vertically, they stretch and sag. This distorts your sweater and widens it. Your small cashmere sweater will turn into a dress or an oversized tunic!
Last forbidden device: the dryer! It can also distort your garment by shrinking it. You may end up with a ribbed sweater by using a dryer for your loose sweater. Now you know how to wash a cashmere sweater during laundry and drying.
Did you unfortunately mess up the washing and drying of your precious sweater? Don’t worry, we have thought of you! Read this guide designed to help you save your most beautiful piece by defuzzing your cashmere sweater;)
Don’t know which cashmere sweater to choose? Discover our guide to cashmere sweater brands for women!
Need to know the prices of women’s cashmere sweaters? Check out our complete guide on sweater prices :)
