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For a certain sort of person, nothing is better than sweaters: Fair Isle cardigans, sleek merino wool crewnecks, ivory cashmere, chunky cable-knits. But for a certain sort of that sort of person, nothing is worse than washing them.
Sweater-lovers must contend with pilling, shrinking, complex care tags, dry cleaning bills and, most daunting, the prospect of hand-washing. Experts say many people are wary of cleaning sweaters, but they needn't be. Stop over cleaning, stop avoiding cleaning, stop improperly cleaning: Here's how to clean sweaters the right way.
• How often do sweaters need to be cleaned?
The consensus: not very often, especially sweaters that are used for layering. Laundry influencer Zachary Pozniak says if you're caring for your sweaters the right way, you probably only need to clean them once or twice annually.
"People think their sweaters are dirtier than they actually are," says Pozniak, who, along with his father, Jerry Pozniak, runs luxury dry cleaning company Jeeves New York.
In the meantime, make sure you're folding your sweaters when you're not wearing them - either on your shelves or in half over the bottom bar of a sturdy hanger. Check for any stains or odors before putting them away in your closet until your next wear.
If you're worried about sweat smells or other odors, Pozniak suggests mixing 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and 30 percent water in a spray bottle and lightly spraying the sweater to remove any smell.
• Consider spot cleaning
A small stain on a sweater doesn't require that the whole thing be washed. Laundry expert Patric Richardson, known as "The Laundry Guy," suggests spot cleaning.
Any type of sweater can be spot cleaned. Take a dot of shampoo and slowly rub it into any spot as soon as possible, he says. As you blot the stain, avoid adding too much detergent or friction. Use enough water to remove all the soap from the area before letting it dry on a flat surface.
• Understand the care tag
Care tags often use symbols to indicate how to properly care for a garment. Disregard at your own peril. The most common symbols refer to various aspects of care:
• Washtub - Machine washing
• Hand on washtub - Hand washing
• Triangle - Bleaching
• Square - Drying
• Iron - Ironing
• Circle - Dry Cleaning
A machine washing symbol means you can wash your sweater in the machine, but a hand washing symbol means you must hand wash only. A washtub with a number in the center indicates the temperature your water should be for washing. This could also be shown by the number of dots on the washing symbol: The more dots that are listed, the hotter the temperature. Most sweaters should have 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit on the tag - shown by the numeral, or one dot - which means you should use the cold water setting. Two dots mean the sweater can be washed at a maximum of 105 degrees Fahrenheit - which means you should use the warm water setting.
The line or lines under the washtub symbol tell you what washing setting you need to use. No lines mean you can machine wash the item at any motion setting. One line means you need to use the permanent press setting; two lines calls for the gentle or delicate cycle.
A circle symbol means the sweater should only be dry cleaned; a circle symbol with a X over it means you should not dry clean it. It's risky to attempt to clean it at home. This usually means the garment is not designed to be submerged in water. Instead, you can spot clean and steam it at home.
Finding a reputable dry cleaning business that will treat your items with care is important, Pozniak said.
"It really depends on how much you value your time," he said. "While we charge a lot to service a sweater - about $50 - caring for a sweater at home is achievable but time consuming."
At Jeeves New York, they take measurements of a sweater and spot treat stains before sending it for dry cleaning. Sometimes, they go back to treat any remaining stains after cleaning. Then, they use a sweater board - like a table with steam coming from the surface - to reshape the sweater to its measurements.
• How to machine wash sweaters
The experts say not to throw your sweaters in with the rest of your dirty laundry. "The trick is don't treat them like everything else," Richardson said.
To properly machine wash your sweaters (including cashmere and wool!), sort items by color, washing light-colored clothing and dark-colored clothing separately. The experts also suggest washing sweaters made of protein fibers and synthetic material (acrylic, nylon and others) separately.
Put them in a mesh bag and wash with cold water only. The cold water will prevent any heat damage, like shrinking and pilling. Many laundry machines have a "wool cycle" setting, which will wash your sweaters gently and with cool water.
• How to hand wash sweaters
If you're nervous about putting your sweaters in the laundry machine, hand washing is the way to go. Sweaters made with protein fibers, such as cashmere and wool, require special treatment and can be pretty labor-intensive.
Start with room-temperature water in a bucket or sink, plus an enzyme-free detergent.
Cashmere and wool can also be cleaned with wool wash or a good shampoo because the sweaters are made with animal hair.
Fill your bucket or sink with water. Carefully swirl the garment around in water, but do not create any soap suds that can cling onto it.
Soak for 10 to 15 minutes. And avoid agitating material - rubbing can create pilling.
When removing the sweater from the sink, gently squeeze out the excess water. Avoid creating friction while wringing.
Rinse and gently squeeze to ensure there is no remaining soap or water left in the yarn, which can also cause the sweater to dry hard.
• How to air dry sweaters
To dry, lay the sweater flat on a towel and squeeze the excess water out. Pozniak says clearing the dining table to lay all your sweaters out could work.
Theresa Aberdeen, a self-described "clean freak" from Birmingham, England, who offers cleaning and gardening tips on her TikTok account, suggested an alternative that has helped her. If you can air dry your sweaters next to an open window, she says, the fresh air will make your sweaters smell nice, and it keeps them soft.
She said you can also use a handheld steamer to remove wrinkles and to reshape.
• How to prevent damage and pilling
Aberdeen says there are many affordable home devices that you can use to de-pill sweaters: They shave the sweater's surface to reveal an even layer of threads and appear brand new. Some people use a razor to get that effect, she says, which she admitted she's not bold enough to try.
It's critical to clean your sweaters thoroughly before putting them in storage for the warmer months, the laundry experts say.
If not, you're putting your sweaters at risk of permanent damage from any remaining invisible stains or body oils. Bacteria can grow and damage the knitted fabric, or moths can make its way to eat the bacteria in the threads.
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