Best way to wash dress socks?

[The_Foxx]

I have a lot of fine wool over the calf dress socks, thought I'd poll the troops to see the best methods to wash (and thus increase wear time). Socks are the one thing I keep buying and buying, always looking for the perfect pair to match this suit or that sportcoat.

I have been washing the socks in cold water (in the washing machine), then hanging on the wood drying rack-- is that recommended? Am I risking excessive wear and tear or shrinkage? I sort of prefer the cotton blends Pantharella puts out, as they seem fine in this process, but the more socks I buy, the more seem to be very lightweight virgin wool (with a small amount of nylon or other fibers for stretch)

 

[STYLESTUDENT]

I wash in cold and use low heat in the dryer for both cotton and wool OTC socks. Have never had shrinkage, bleeding, or problems with the elastic. Cashmere socks, which pill immediately, are another matter, but I've stopped buying them.

 

[Manton]

Wash cold, hang to dry. I find that wool socks dry amazingly fast.

 

[j]

I use Stylestudent's method. Haven't had a problem with shrinking, fading, etc.

 

[bengal-stripe]

I wash them in the machine at a wool setting with wool detergent and let them air dry.

I have quite a few socks that look similar but are not the same (slightly different colour, different ribs etc.) It used to take me ages to work out which were the correctly matching pairs. Now I have a few safety pins on my bedside table and after I've taken the socks off, I pin them together (only the problem ones). They go with the safety pins through the wash cycle.

 

[BjornH]

This is an infuriating problem, and an excelent solution. Unfortunately, my wife would commit me if I did this.

My future solution to this is to find a good source of socks, and standardize.

B

 

[Drinkwaters]

I wash my socks with my dress shirts and hang them to dry. We found this great device to dry our socks and found it in an Asian market that sold items for laundry, kitchen etc. It is a hoop that hangs from a hook with plastic chains attaching it. Around the hoop is small clips to hang your socks from. Its been a great space saving device.

 

[globetrotter]

I standardized my socks and underwear years ago, saves a huge amount of time.