Keep your knits cozy with proper care at home.
Hand-washingis usually the safest choice for cleaning natural fibers.
If there are stains, pretreat before washing.
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Many sweaters made of synthetic fibers, as well as some cotton knits, can be washed by machine.
However, use caution when machine-washing cotton sweaters, as natural fibers are more prone to shrink or stretch.
Rinse thoroughly (repeat the process if necessary), and then wash as normal.
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You’ll need to fill the vessel once for the wash and then again for rinsing.
Detergent residue can cause fibers to feel stiff and scratchy.
Never wring or scrub, which can cause stretching andpilling.
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Let the sweater soak in the suds for about five minutes.
Rinse
Rinse the sweater thoroughly until it’s free of detergent.
It may take several rinses for the water to become clear and free of suds.
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Let Water Drain
Squeeze as much water as possible from your sweater without wringing.
Support the sweater from underneath as you transfer it to lay it flat on an absorbent towel.
Absorb Excess Moisture
Roll the sweater and towel together, pressing firmly as you go.
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Place the sweater on the dry towel and reshape the sweater into its original form.
Reshape the Sweater
Push the sweater’s ribbing together at the neckline, wrists, and waist.
If the sweater has an attached belt, extend it flat away from the sweater on each side.
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Dry removable belts separately from sweaters.
Allow the sweater to dry for 24 hours.
Also, avoid putting it in the wash with any bulky items, such as jeans or towels.
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Pre-treat any stains on the sweater depending on thespecific jot down of stain.
Place Sweater in Mesh Laundry Bag
Turn your sweater inside out.
Protect your sweater by washing it in a mesh bag to help prevent snags and reduce pilling.
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Set Water Temperature to Cold
Usecold water.
Warmer water will fray knits, and hot water can make them shrink.
Set the Cycle
Choose thegentle or permanent press cyclewhen washing knits.
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If using a top-loading machine, start the cycle and let the water fill the basin.
Pour a small amount of detergent into the water before adding the sweater.
To avoid additional stretching, take care when removing the sweater from your washer.
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Try flushing the stain with water, and then blotting it with white vinegar.
Let the vinegar sit for a few minutes, and then flush the area with water to rinse.
Then hand-wash or machine-wash as you prefer.
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To tighten the cuffs, dip the stretched area in hot water, and blot slightly.
Place the wet cuffs on a white towel, and dry them with a blow-dryer set on hot.
This will slightly felt the fibers and tighten the cuffs.
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For a more permanent solution, stitch some knitted elastic tape inside the edge of each cuff.
Learn more on sweater repairshere.
Storing Sweaters
Sweaters store well and should be neatly folded in drawers.
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Avoid fabric storage bags because moths can eat through themand your clothes.
You should never put a sweater in the dryer.
If you are washing a sweater in a machine, always turn your sweater inside out.
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Always read the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning method first.
Test a hidden seam with water to see if it sheds color.
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