How to Hand-Wash Wool and Cashmere Garments

I used to refuse to by sweaters that needed to be dry-cleaned or hand-washed because, who’s got time for that? However, I remember when I was gifted my first cashmere sweater one Christmas, it improved the quality of my life! know that sounds dramatic, but hear me out! The quality was outstanding, plus it kept me warmer in the winter than sweaters made of synthetic materials, while still allowing my skin to breathe (there is Physics behind this, regarding principals of insulation, but I'll spare you). I was hooked. Since, I have opted for sweaters and garments that are made of natural fibers and decided to suck it up and learn how to hand-wash my items. 

Overtime, dry-cleaning can be quite harsh on natural fibers such as wool and cashmere, not to mention, costly. I want to preserve my timeless pieces for as long as possible, so hand-washing was the best option for me. 

As the weather continues to warm up and it’s time to pack away my winter wardrobe, I figured this was an opportune time to share how I cleanse my delicate items before stashing them away during the warmer seasons. 

I only use this method on my natural fiber sweaters, scarves and hats. I do not hand-wash blazers, skirts, dresses or coats. Those articles of clothing need to be dry cleaned to retain their structure and preserve the dyes used on those items. 

Materials Needed: 

• Plastic wash bin
• A gentle soap - Baby shampoo and Original Dawn work well. I now prefer The Laundress Wool and Cashmere Shampoo. It cleanses well without stripping the fibers of their natural oils, such as lanolin, that is found in wool. I find that it also keeps my items softer than baby shampoo or Dawn). 
• Towels
• Optional: The Laundress Wool and Cashmere Spray 
• Optional: Lemongrass, rosemary or cedar wood essential oil

Directions: 

• Fill the basin with tepid water (cool, but not warm or hot) with a capful of your cleanser of choice. Add your garments to the water, submerging them in the water. Let soak for 15-20 minutes. 

• Gently swish your garments around in the water. You do not want to agitate wool or cashmere too much; it does not take much for these fibers to shrink. 

• Pay close attention to the underarms and the neckline of sweaters, or any area on your garment(s) that soils the most. Gently rub those areas. I like to rub the sweater against itself to help remove makeup, deodorant, etc. 

• Dump the water from the basin and refill it with clean, tepid water. Let the garments soak again for 15-20 minutes. 

• Gently swish the garments in the water to help remove any excess soap.  

• Remove the garments from the water. They will obviously be soaking wet. Gently squeeze as much water as you can from each item. DO NOT WRING! You do not want to distort the shape of your clothing. 

• There are two ways you can remove the rest of the water. I like to put the items in the washing machine on a spin cycle. This has not caused my items to shrink. This is faster and less strenuous that doing so by hand. However, if your washing machine does not have a spin only cycle, you can press the water out with towels. 

• To remove the water using towels, lay a clean towel on the floor. Lay your garment flat on the towel. Slowly roll the towel up, pressing down as you go to absorb the water in the item. If you have multiple items to dry at one time, you may need multiple towels, as they get sopping wet quite quickly. 

• Once you have absorbed as much water as you can from your garment, lay flat to dry. Take the time to reshape your time, so as to not distort its size or shape. 

• Optional: Spray with The Laundress Wool and Cashmere Spray. This spray has natural oils in it that repel moths and other insects, helping to keep you clothes hole-free during storage.

• You can also make homemade moth balls to store with your clothing. Simply put a few drops each off an essential oil on a few cotton balls. Put the cotton ball in a clean sock and place the sock with your items. Lemongrass, rosemary or cedar essential oils work well; bugs hate these oils!

I hope this helped! Since learning how to hand wash my own items, I have saved quite a bit of cash not having to go to the dry-cleaners. I also feel like my more delicate fibers are in better condition, as this method is much gentler. 

- Alana