How To Wash A Sweater Without It Shrinking

Keep your knits in good nick with these easy steps.

Investing in cashmere and wool layers for the winter season brings up the annual quandary of how to care for these little beauties so they last the distance and, importantly, how to make sure they don’t shrink in the wash. When you’re adding a knitted jumper or cardigan you love to your cool weather collection, you want to know it’s going to be on rotation for years to come. The key to ensuring that? Tender loving care.

Here’s how to wash and dry your knitwear without ruining them...

Via Getty Images

STEP 1.
Fill a clean bowl or basin with cold water. It doesn’t have to be icy, but warm water will cause shrinkage and that’s never a good thing.

STEP 2.
Mix a natural or delicates laundry detergent to the cool water. Nothing beats Dr. Bronner’s Pure Liquid Castile Soap – it’s a one-and-done miracle product you can use in the shower, in the laundry, around the house, on your pets… leaving everything it touches so fresh and so clean.

STEP 3.
Gently submerge your knitwear and leave to soak for ten minutes. No need to agitate. Leave a little longer if it’s heavily stained, just don’t forget about it.

STEP 4.
Drain the water completely and give your knit a good rinse in clean, cool water.

STEP 5.
Gently press the knit inside a clean, dry towel to remove excess water. Step on it if you need to but you don’t want to wring this tightly or you’ll be left with a sad, stretched-out sweater.

STEP 6.
Dry your knitwear flat on a clothes airer. The latest TikTok cleaning hack suggests using a pool noodle to soften the surface but you can just use a towel instead. Resist any urge to hang it or clip pegs to it. If it needs a little reshaping, do so now – close buttons, straighten sleeves and pockets etc. If you leave it crumpled it’ll be almost impossible to reshape later.

STEP 7.
Wear and repeat. If you’re gonna put it away, it’s always best to store knitwear folded, unless of course you want visible coat hanger indentations sticking out on your shoulders…

Update your knitwear >