How to wash cashmere | C&A Care-Guide
Cashmere care – how to take care of cashmere clothes
Cashmere is one of the most luxurious and expensive types of wool in the world. It is well known to be cosy and silky soft on your skin. Cashmere’s light fibres have a luxurious look, which will be the highlight of your winter wardrobe. To ensure that you can get the most out of your cashmere clothing, it is important to look after this expensive and luxurious wool. We will show you how to wash and look after your cashmere clothes properly so that they are long lasting.
Washing cashmere – here is how you can easily wash cashmere in a washing machine
First things first: you can wash your favourite cashmere jumper in a washing machine. However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind before washing to keep your clothes nice and soft and to avoid any shrinkage. Firstly, you should check whether your washing machine has a wool or delicates wash programme. These wash programmes are best suited for cashmere. In addition, you should also use a wool or cashmere detergent that cleans and protects the fibres.
Checklist: washing cashmere in a washing machine
Use a wool or delicates wash programme
Machine wash max 30° C
Spin cycle max 600 rpm
Turn the cashmere clothes inside out
Only half fill the washing machine drum
Do not wash other items of clothing with cashmere, which have zips, buttons or the like
Use a laundry bag to protect the fine fibres
Warning: When washing cashmere never use fabric softeners or washing detergents, which contain lots of harmful chemicals. These can mat or even damage the fine cashmere fibres.
Does your cashmere jumper no longer feel luxuriously soft? Simply put any items of clothing made of cashmere into a freezer bag and then pop it into the freezer for two days. This will help the material to soften up and your cashmere clothes will be nice and soft again.
Hand wash – how to hand wash cashmere
If you would like to do a hand wash then prepare some lukewarm water and add a little bit of wool detergent or shampoo. Now, gently clean your cashmere jumper. Be careful not to rub too hard whilst washing it and afterwards rinse everything with clean water. Now gently squeeze the cashmere jumper and wrap it carefully in a towel to squeeze the excess water out of the fibres.
Cashmere care - when or how often should you wash cashmere?
Cashmere is not only a very fine type of wool, but the fine fibres also have some very unique properties in comparison to other materials used for clothes. Cashmere is naturally odour and dirt repellent, thus more hard wearing for everyday use. Therefore, you can just put your cashmere jumper outside to air after wearing it to remove any odours.
It is recommended to avoid washing cashmere too often as this will help make it longer lasting. You should wash cashmere clothes after you have worn them around four times.
After wearing cashmere clothes leave them for around 24hours as this gives the fine fibres time to go back to their original shape. This will help to keep your jumper feeling luxuriously soft.
Drying cashmere – how to gently dry cashmere clothes
After you have washed any cashmere clothes you should then handle it with care. Don’t wring or shake cashmere as the fibres become quite delicate after washing. The best way to dry cashmere is to spread it out on a towel and leave it at room temperature. You can turn the clothes over from time to time. Avoid hanging cashmere out in the sun or on a radiator to dry as this can cause cashmere clothes to lose their shape.
Storing cashmere – the best way to store cashmere
After having bought a fantastic new cashmere jumper, the important question is: where is the best place to store cashmere clothes? Cashmere prefers dark and dry places, for example, in a wardrobe. Make sure that you always store cashmere clothes on a flat surface so that they do not become warped. In addition, make sure to always fold cashmere jumpers loosely and do not try and squeeze them in between other items of clothing. It is best to put cashmere at the top of a pile of clothes.
During the summer your wardrobe will be full of summer clothes, hence you can put away your cashmere clothes until the autumn. The best place to store them is in an airtight storage box or a plastic bag. However, make sure to put the clothes loosely into the bag or box and then seal it. Moth paper or a lavender scented sachet or a long-lasting cedar moth repellent will help to protect your favourite clothes from insects.
Ironing cashmere – here is how to gently iron cashmere
Does cashmere need to be ironed? Most cashmere clothes do not crease and therefore do not need to be ironed. However, if you have cashmere clothes that need to be ironed, you should make sure that the iron is on a low heat. It’s recommended to use a wool or silk setting on the iron. In addition, putting a cloth between the iron and the garment will help to protect the fine cashmere fibres whilst ironing.
Keeping cashmere clean – the best way to remove any stains
A moment's carelessness and oops you’ve got a stain on your cashmere jumper. Having a stain on cashmere clothes can be frustrating, but it is usually quite easy to clean. To remove the stain from cashmere, you can put a drop of shampoo containing no harsh chemicals on it and then pop it into the washing machine on a suitable wash programme as described above. It is important to treat the stain as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can leave the stain removal to professionals and take your cashmere clothes to a dry cleaners.
Cashmere & pilling - how do I deal with pilling?
Cashmere is made from the undercoat of cashmere goats, and it is a delicate product made from real hair. Pilling is unavoidable and it is also a sign that your cashmere clothes are made out of a high quality and pure fabric.
You can use special cashmere combs to help prevent pilling. These carefully remove any bobbles without damaging the delicate cashmere fabric. Do not pull, cut or pluck off any of the bobbles on cashmere clothes as this could damage the fine fibres. Fabric shavers are also not a suitable alternative because they can cause ladders.
However, pilling in cashmere will become less and less after two or three washes.
Now you can enjoy wearing cashmere clothes without having to worry about how to store them and keep them clean!
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