How to Wash a Cashmere Sweater by Hand or in the Machine

To wash a cashmere sweater, check the care label first. Then turn the sweater inside out and soak it for 10 to 15 minutes in cool or lukewarm water with a spoonful of wool or cashmere shampoo (baby shampoo works too). Rinse in cool water, press the water out without wringing, roll the sweater in a towel, and dry it flat away from heat.

Washing by hand is the gentlest way to clean cashmere, and it usually works better than dry cleaning. A machine can also do the job if the label allows it and you set it up correctly. What shrinks and ruins cashmere is heat and agitation, not water.

What You Need to Hand-Wash Cashmere

• A clean sink, basin or tub. Rinse out any leftover cleaning products first.
• Cool or lukewarm water. Never use hot water. Heat combined with movement makes the fibers mat and shrink.
• A gentle cleanser. Use a wool or cashmere shampoo, a no-rinse wool wash, or a mild baby shampoo. Skip regular detergents, because many contain enzymes, and skip chlorine bleach. Both can damage protein fibers like cashmere.
• Two clean, dry towels. White or light-colored towels keep dye from transferring to the sweater.
• A flat drying spot. A mesh drying rack or a towel on a table both work.

How to Wash a Cashmere Sweater by Hand: 8 Steps

1. Read the label and test the color. Dampen a hidden spot, like an inside seam, with your soapy water and blot it with a white cloth. If color comes off, take the sweater to a professional.
2. Turn the sweater inside out. The outside face then rubs less, which cuts down on pilling.
3. Mix the wash water. Fill the basin with cool or lukewarm water and stir the cleanser in before the sweater goes in, so soap never sits undiluted on the fibers.
4. Submerge and soak. Press the sweater under the water and swirl it gently. Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes with a no-rinse formula. If the sweater is grimy, you can massage the cashmere as if you were massaging your hair to work in conditioner. Don’t scrub or twist it.
5. Rinse in cool water. Drain the basin and refill it with clean, cool water. Repeat until no suds are left. Keep the sweater out of a strong faucet stream, because the force of the water stretches wet knits. You can skip this step with a no-rinse wash.
6. Press out the water. Ball up the sweater and squeeze it gently, or press it against the side of the basin. Never wring it. Twisting stretches the knit out of shape for good.
7. Roll it in a towel. Lay the sweater flat on a dry towel and roll the two up together like a jelly roll. Press down along the roll so the towel soaks up the extra water.
8. Reshape and dry flat. Unroll it, move the sweater to a second dry towel or a mesh rack, and pat it back to its original size, straightening the cuffs and hem. Let it dry completely, away from direct sun and radiators. Turn it over once if the underside stays damp.

Can You Wash a Cashmere Sweater in the Washing Machine?

Yes, you can machine-wash a cashmere sweater if the care label allows it. Some cashmere garments are made to tolerate a gentle machine cycle, but many are not. If the label says hand wash only, don’t use the machine. Here’s how to do it safely:

1. Turn the sweater inside out and zip it into a mesh laundry bag. The bag keeps the sweater from snagging, stretching or tangling. A pillowcase works if you don’t have one.
2. Wash it alone or with similar delicates. Wash like colors and fabrics together so dye doesn’t bleed and nothing catches on zippers or hooks.
3. Pick the right cycle. Choose the delicate, wool or hand-wash cycle with cold water and the lowest spin speed available. Pick the shortest cycle your machine offers.
4. Use a wool or cashmere detergent in the amount the bottle gives for a small load.
5. Take it out as soon as the cycle ends. A sweater left sitting wet in the drum creases and stretches. Then press it in a towel and dry it flat, just as you would after hand washing.

Never put cashmere in the dryer. Dryer heat plus tumbling is the fastest way to shrink and felt it.

Hand Wash, Machine Wash or Dry Clean? Comparing the Options

Method	Best for	Notes
Hand wash (cool water, wool shampoo)	Most cashmere sweaters, scarves and hats	The gentlest method and the safe default. Soak 10–15 minutes.
Machine wash (delicate or wool cycle, cold, mesh bag)	Sweaters labeled machine washable and sturdier knits	Use the lowest spin and the shortest cycle. Never use the dryer.
Dry cleaning	“Dry clean only” labels, lined or tailored pieces, beaded or two-tone knits, heavy stains	A good choice when the risk is high. Not needed for a plain everyday sweater.
Spot cleaning (mild soap, blotting)	A small fresh spill between washes	Blot, don’t rub. Test on a hidden spot first.

Spot-cleaning a stain on cashmere

Treat a spill as soon as you can. Blot up as much as possible with a clean white cloth. Then dab the spot with a drop of mild wool shampoo diluted in cool water, working from the outside of the stain toward the center. For an oily stain, like salad dressing or makeup, a little gentle dish soap works the same way.

A few things make a stain worse:

• Rubbing hard. It pushes the stain deeper and fuzzes the yarn.
• Hot water or an iron. Heat can set the stain.
• Chlorine bleach. It damages cashmere and other animal fibers.

If the stain is still there after a careful try, or it’s red wine, ink or grease on a pale sweater, take it to a dry cleaner and tell them what caused it.

Do Cashmere Sweaters Shrink When Washed?

Cashmere sweaters shrink when you wash them in hot water or on a rough cycle. Cool water, gentle handling and drying flat keep them from shrinking. The real problem is felting, which happens when heat and friction make the tiny scales on each fiber lock together. Felted cashmere turns thick, stiff and smaller, and you can’t fully undo it.

A sweater can also go the other way and stretch longer when you wash it. That happens when it’s hung up wet or wrung out, because the weight of the water pulls the knit down. Shaping the sweater by hand while it dries flat fixes small changes in size.

How Often Should You Wash Cashmere?

A cashmere sweater rarely needs washing after every wear. Washing it after about three wears, or when it smells or has visible marks, is plenty. Wearing a cotton tee or camisole underneath keeps sweat and deodorant off the fibers so you can wear it longer between washes.

Between washes, air the sweater out overnight on a flat surface. Use a sweater comb or fabric shaver to take off pills, the little balls of fiber that form where the knit rubs, like the underarms and sides. Do it while the sweater is dry.

How to Store Cashmere Sweaters

• Fold them, don’t hang them. A hanger stretches the shoulders and leaves bumps over time.
• Wash before storing for the season. Moths and carpet beetles are drawn to body oils and food traces, so pack sweaters away clean.
• Use breathable storage. Cotton storage bags or lidded boxes let air through. Sealed plastic can trap moisture.
• Add a moth deterrent. Cedar blocks or lavender sachets help, but they don’t replace clean storage. Check stored knits now and then for small holes.

Common Mistakes When Washing Cashmere

• Using hot water. Heat is the main cause of shrinking.
• Wringing or twisting. It stretches the knit for good.
• Hanging it to dry. Wet cashmere grows longer under its own weight.
• Drying it in sun or near heat. Direct sun can fade colors, and radiators can scorch or shrink the fibers.
• Using regular or enzyme detergent. These strip and weaken the fibers, so the sweater feels less soft.
• Using the dryer. Even a few minutes on low heat can felt cashmere.

FAQ

– Can you dry clean cashmere?

Yes, you can dry clean cashmere, and it’s the right choice for “dry clean only” labels, lined or embellished pieces, and stubborn stains. For a plain sweater, hand washing at home is gentler and keeps it soft. If you dry clean, pick a cleaner that handles fine knits often.

– How do you wash a cashmere scarf?

Wash a cashmere scarf the same way as a sweater: soak it for 10 to 15 minutes in cool water with wool shampoo, rinse it, and press out the water in a towel. A scarf dries faster because it’s thinner. Lay it flat and straighten the fringe while it’s damp so it doesn’t tangle.

– How do you wash wool clothes?

Wool clothes take the same care as cashmere: cool water, a wool-specific detergent, no wringing, and drying flat. Merino and other wools can be a bit sturdier, but heat and agitation shrink them too. Always follow the care label, since some wools are treated to be machine washable.

– How do you clean a Ralph Lauren sweater?

Clean a Ralph Lauren sweater according to its care label and fiber content, because the brand’s knits come in cotton, wool and cashmere. If it’s cashmere or a cashmere blend, hand-wash it in cool water with wool shampoo and dry it flat. Cotton knits can usually take a gentle machine cycle. Still, dry them flat so they don’t stretch.

– Can you fix a cashmere sweater that shrank?

Sometimes you can partly fix a cashmere sweater that shrank a little. Soak it in lukewarm water with a little hair conditioner to relax the fibers. Then gently stretch it back toward its old size and let it dry flat. A badly felted sweater won’t fully recover, so it’s better to prevent shrinking with cool water and no dryer.