“How do you wash a sweater without shrinking it?”
How to wash a sweater without shrinking it
Short answer
Check the care label first: US clothing must carry a washing or dry cleaning instruction, and it beats general advice. For wool knits, Woolmark says to turn the sweater inside out, hand wash in lukewarm water with a mild detergent, rinse, and dry it flat. Machine washing is fine only when the label allows it, on a wool or delicates cycle.
Steps
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Read the care label
It overrides any general advice.
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Turn it inside out
Then hand wash in lukewarm water with a mild detergent.
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Soak for about 10 minutes
Woolmark's hand wash steps use a 10 minute soak.
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Rinse thoroughly
First in lukewarm water, then in cold.
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Dry it flat
Woolmark recommends flat drying after washing.
Read the care label first
The FTC's Care Labeling Rule says clothing labels must be attached permanently and legible for the life of the garment, and must carry a washing or dry cleaning instruction. If an item can be washed and dry cleaned, the label needs only one of them.
That makes the label the first stop. Woolmark says the same: check the care claim or sew-in label before choosing a method. If it says hand wash only, follow the hand wash steps below.
Hand wash steps
Woolmark's guide for wool: turn the garment inside out, then hand wash in clean, lukewarm water, about 86 F (30 C), with a mild detergent. Let it soak for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly, first in lukewarm water and then in cold.
When machine washing is allowed
Only when the label says so. Woolmark says to use the wool setting, usually a gentle action at 104 F (40 C), with a mild detergent. If the machine has no wool setting, it suggests a cold wash or a delicates cycle.
Drying flat
Woolmark recommends flat drying after washing. Lay the sweater on a clean towel and reshape it by hand. Sweaters that stay wet on a hanger stretch at the shoulders, so give the knit a flat surface.
What about other fibers and blends
Woolmark's guide covers wool. Cotton, acrylic and blended knits can have different instructions, so the care label decides. The fabric label guide explains where to find fiber content and care instructions.
Fall knits to care for
If you are shopping for knits this season, the fall sweater trends page shows what editors name, and the sweater dress guide covers styling.
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FAQ
How do I wash a sweater without shrinking it?
Read the care label. For wool, Woolmark says to hand wash inside out in lukewarm water with a mild detergent, rinse, and dry flat.
Can I machine wash a sweater?
Only if the label allows it. Woolmark suggests the wool setting, or a cold wash or delicates cycle if there is no wool setting.
How do I dry a sweater?
Flat. Woolmark recommends flat drying after washing.
What does hand wash only mean?
The label is telling you not to machine wash it. Follow Woolmark's hand wash steps: lukewarm water, mild detergent, a 10 minute soak and a thorough rinse.
What water temperature should I use?
For wool, Woolmark says about 86 F (30 C) for hand washing and usually 104 F (40 C) on a machine's wool setting.
Does every sweater have a care label?
US clothing has to carry a permanent care label with a washing or dry cleaning instruction, under the FTC's Care Labeling Rule.
Sources
- FTC: Clothes captioning, complying with the Care Labeling Rule (checked )
- Woolmark: How to wash wool (checked )