It's cashmere jumper season, which once again brings the seasonal headache of how you actually wash the things. We've all got at least one extreme shrinking story up our cashmere sleeves. To make your cashmere jumpers feel brand-new again for another year, keep scrolling to follow our tips to how to wash your cashmere like a pro.
First Up: The Detergent
Cashmere is very delicate, so you need to be careful to not wash it with anything too harsh that will damage the fabric. Either opt for a mild cashmere wash (The Laundress is the Byredo of the cashmere laundry world) or opt for a baby shampoo.
If you are happy to spend a little more, this cashmere shampoo is designed to preserve this sometimes tricky-to-wash fabric.
Our editor swears by this delicate cashmere wash.
Hand Washing Is Safest
No one wants to end up with a tiny cashmere jumper, so hand washing is often considered the safest method. The most important thing is temperature, so fill your bath or sink with cool (but not cold) water and add your detergent. The Laundress advises adding two caps for each wash.
Avoid Too Much Movement
Dunk your jumpers or cashmere items into the water, but be careful to not move them too quickly around the basin, or they might just look like felt. Not a good look. Gently move it so that it is covered in the soap/shampoo, and then leave to soak in the water. The Laundress advises that it can soak for up to 30 minutes. However, over 5 minutes will suffice.
The Golden Rule of Rinsing
Then run cool water over the item to remove the soap, but do not wring or pull the fabric to drain the excess water. Instead, press the item against the side of the bath or basin and gently press out the water.
When it comes to drying, avoid the tumble dryer, and iron at all costs as heat damages the fabric. Place your jumper flat on a towel, and to speed up drying, roll up the jumper in the towel by folding it over in sections.
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