How to take care of your sweaters - an update
When I work with my clients, I always tell them the importance of caring for our clothes to make them last.
Cashmere or wool sweaters are especially very delicate. Although we can take them to the dry cleaners, specialists agree they can be hand washed at home if you follow some steps.
I wrote about taking care of sweaters, but it required an update.
I used to recommend and use The Laundress's delicate and cashmere soaps. Sadly, the company needed to recall its products due to bacteria.
To avoid the dry cleaners, I found a substitute product. I started to use Dirty Labs' delicate soap. I like it so far. You can purchase it on their website or through Amazon. Whole Foods carries this brand, but I didn't see it in my local store.
I will summarize how I look after my sweaters, but I suggest you read my previous post (see below) to see how I hand wash them. Here are my tips:
Have a bucket just for washing delicate clothes. If you don't have much space, get a collapsible one at Amazon.
As I said, an excellent soap is fundamental. It's not cheap, but very concentrated, so you use just a little.
Check for any stains. Treat them carefully. Leave the sweater soaking in the water with soap for about 20 minutes. Take it out, rinse it, and don't twist it. To remove excess water, use a towel. Read the post below for more tips.
Leave it flat to dry.
I use a steamer and remove pilling when it happens. Some piling is fine - it doesn't mean the sweater has poor quality. Too much piling means the quality is not OK.
Store your sweaters folded, never on a hanger. Use sachets to prevent moths. Avoid storing your sweaters for the next year before washing them, but I will explain more in a post about Spring cleaning.
Who doesn't love cozy and soft cashmere in the winter? If you have any questions, write them in the comment section below.
Here is a previous post for you to read:
Sweater photo by Katsia Jazwinska on Unsplash
Disclosure: Keep in mind that I link products and companies based on their quality, my personal opinion, my experience and professional expertise. Some of the links in my posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.