If you straighten a sweater incorrectly, you can face the fact that it will sit or stretch. This product, like all knitted items, requires a special approach. In order for them to please you for a long time, it is necessary to properly care for them. How to wash a sweater depends primarily on the material it is made of: acrylic, wool or cashmere. Each of these options has its own characteristics, which must be taken into account if you want your favorite clothes to continue to warm and decorate you in the cold season.
How to wash an acrylic sweater
The easiest to care acrylic version. This material is very popular, as it looks similar to wool, but is made on a polymer basis, so it is many times cheaper. Since it is an artificial material, it does not cause allergies, although it is somewhat less warm than natural wool.
Before washing an acrylic sweater, you should check the manufacturer’s recommendations. They are indicated on the clothing label, which is located under the neck or on the side seam. As a rule, acrylic items can be washed in a washing machine, but, for example, in the presence of decorative inserts and decorations, only hand washing is permissible.
Basic requirements for washing:
- Water temperature up to 30 degrees. High temperatures are contraindicated, as the yarn will begin to stretch, thereby deforming the clothes.
- Detergent is an ordinary powder. Use bleach only if you wash light acrylic, otherwise it will lose color.
- If machine washed, put the sweater in a laundry bag. So the loops will not catch on the drum or other clothes and will not stretch out.
- Wash carefully, do not wring strongly. Set the spin in the washing machine to 600 revolutions, or even less. The knitted item should be damp after washing, do not wring it out too much.
- Wrap it with a towel, then spread it horizontally on it. It is forbidden to hang it, as in this position it will stretch, shoulders and sleeves may stretch out.
- Ironing is prohibited.
Here are all the recommendations on how to properly wash an acrylic sweater. Everything is much more complicated when it comes to woolen things.
How to wash a wool sweater
In this matter, the tag on the clothes will help again. She will tell you how to wash a sweater: by hand or in a washing machine. The badges will clearly state that only hand wash is allowed, or that only dry cleaning methods can be used.
But if you look at the composition of the fabric, then in some cases you can resort to the washing machine. This refers to those products in which wool is less than 50%, and the rest is acrylic. You can try to throw such a product into the washing machine in the “hand wash” mode with detergent for wool and spinning and drying turned off.
In other cases, only hand washing is acceptable. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to wash a wool sweater:
- Turn the sweater inside out.
- Pour cool water up to 30 degrees, but not very cold, otherwise it will settle. Dissolve the detergent. You can use baby shampoo, but a specialized product for woolen products is better.
- Soak the clothes. Do not leave in water for a long time, maximum 5-10 minutes. As soon as you feel that it has started to cool down, drain and fill with warm, clean water. Avoid extremes of temperature, as this will cause shrinkage.
- Rinse, take out and let the water drain, slightly wringing the thing. Do not twist!
- Lay the sweater horizontally on a terry towel. Leave it in this position to dry.
Before washing a wool sweater, you can additionally sweep the loops so that they do not stretch. This is especially true for things with buttons.
How to wash a cashmere sweater
Cashmere is wool, so all the rules for washing woolen clothes are suitable for it as well. However, this material is even more delicate and demanding, so not only can you not deviate from all the recommendations, but washing in the washing machine is completely excluded.
Only by hand, without long soaking, without effort and twisting. Dissolve the detergent a little, otherwise it will be difficult to wash it off. Additionally, you can use conditioner to soften the wool. It will make the sweater softer and more pleasant.
If, despite all precautions, the sweater sat down after washing or stretched, then do not worry – there are some methods that will help to restore its shape. We will talk about them in the next article .