Do you hand wash or dry clean your fine cashmere/wool knits before storing for the season?

[archetypal_yuppie]

I plan on hand washing with Forever New, since that is generally how I clean them, and I don't trust dry cleaners with my nicer things.

I assume that is sufficient to mitigate the risk of moths, etc.

 

[archetypal_yuppie]

Calling bourbonbasted...

 

[FillW]

I'd like to know too cause I'm going to be getting some wool turtlenecks. I just got a nice merino wool v-neck.

 

[sparrow]

how about space bag, or some kind of giant plastic bag for storage to keep out moths

 

[mymil]

Hand wash.

 

[MyOtherLife]

This is my procedure....

• Half-fill kitchen sink (or plastic tub) with cold water.
• Stir 2 Tablespoons of liquid Tide into water.
• Place cashmere (or any wool) garment into water. Let soak 15-20 minutes.
• Gently agitate garment in water for ~5 minutes. Do not excessively wring or squeeze garment.
• Drain water, gently pressing garment to remove excess water.
• To rinse, re-fill sink / tub with cold water. Let soak 5 min, gently agitating water for duration.
• Drain water, gently pressing garment to remove excess water.
• Do a second rinse. Drain water, gently pressing garment to remove excess water.
• Lay a thick towel on table.
• Take rinsed and drained garment and lay flat inside-out on table, shaping it to original shape.
• Lay on towel for 10 minutes or as needed to further remove excess water.
• Hang garment (inside out) on hangar. If sweater, drape arms over shoulders.
• Have a catch basin under hanging garment. Let dry several hours.
• When dry, make outside-out again, shape, then roll or gently fold garment for storage.

NOTE:
1) do not wash multiple garments colours together as some are colour-fast and their dyes may bleed into the others. Wash garments seperately.

This same procedure can be used to hand wash almost any garment.
Hope it helps.

 

[VinnyMac]

...directions on the care label?

 

[biged781]

...directions on the care label?

No, because the care label will likely say "dry clean only", which is poor advice (but safe advice to give to the general populus).

 

[VinnyMac]

No, because the care label will likely say "dry clean only", which is poor advice (but safe advice to give to the general populus).

...maybe...maybe not...only 1 way to find out.

 

[thinman]

I follow Man of Lint's basic procedure, except I clean my sink thoroughly first, I use Woolite, and I NEVER hang my sweaters. Instead, I roll them up in the towel, jelly-roll style, to dry overnight. Then a roll them up in a second towel for the day, then spread them out on the table to finish air-drying.

I would never send my sweaters to the dry-cleaner because the organic solvents they all use will strip natural oils from the wool. Mild soaps like Woolite will allow the wool to retain those oils through more cleanings.

 

[NukeMeSlowly]

For wool & cashmere sweaters, I swear by Eucalan.

No rinse necessary and maintains the lanolin count. I set my HE front loader to "Delicate" and "Rinse & Spin" and go to town. Lay flat on a towel covered ironing board to dry. No more crunchy dry cleaned sweaters.

While I do sort loads into similar colors I still always use those Color Catcher things to prevent disasters.

 

[FillW]

This is my procedure....

• Half-fill kitchen sink (or plastic tub) with cold water.
• Stir 2 Tablespoons of liquid Tide into water.
• Place cashmere (or any wool) garment into water. Let soak 15-20 minutes.
• Gently agitate garment in water for ~5 minutes. Do not excessively wring or squeeze garment.
• Drain water, gently pressing garment to remove excess water.
• To rinse, re-fill sink / tub with cold water. Let soak 5 min, gently agitating water for duration.
• Drain water, gently pressing garment to remove excess water.
• Do a second rinse. Drain water, gently pressing garment to remove excess water.
• Lay a thick towel on table.
• Take rinsed and drained garment and lay flat inside-out on table, shaping it to original shape.
• Lay on towel for 10 minutes or as needed to further remove excess water.
• Hang garment (inside out) on hangar. If sweater, drape arms over shoulders.
• Have a catch basin under hanging garment. Let dry several hours.
• When dry, make outside-out again, shape, then roll or gently fold garment for storage.

NOTE:
1) do not wash multiple garments colours together as some are colour-fast and their dyes may bleed into the others. Wash garments seperately.

This same procedure can be used to hand wash almost any garment.
Hope it helps.

I pretty much used this procedure but didn't hang it until it was dry.

 

[NORE]

Only small tymers wash their cash wears. Everyone knows that you wear it once, maybe twice then throw it away. Sheesh.

 

[add911_11]

Hand wash once or twice per year with hand wash gel. Natural dry

 

[FillW]

Only small tymers wash their cash wears. Everyone knows that you wear it once, maybe twice then throw it away. Sheesh.

Well, that's me...