As we race towards winter, our wardrobes are becoming filled with knitwear in all styles, colours, and materials. To maintain the quality of our knitwear, it is essential to understand how to properly care for it. 

• General knitwear care 
• Cashmere 
• Merino wool
• Lambswool

General knitwear care 

Before delving into how to care for specific types of knitwear, here are 5 general knitwear care tips. 

• Be aware of how you store your knitwear. Before hanging all of your knitwear in your wardrobe, be mindful of its material and evaluate whether hanging is the best option. For example, you should never hang wool or cashmere as this will result in the fabric stretching, and your garment becoming misshapen. 
• Shave away the bobbles. Bobbling occurs when two pieces of fabric rub together for an extended period of time, and can also occur when washing. To maintain the quality of your knitwear, regularly shave away any bobbles using an electronic bobble remover or an electric razor. 
• Brush regularly.  You should be brushing your knitwear regularly with a soft clothes brush. This will remove any lint and hairs lingering on your clothing.
• Rotate. Make sure that you are rotating your knitwear regularly. If you wear certain items excessively without giving them time to re-shape themselves, your garments will end up losing their shape forever. 
• Invest in cedar balls. Moths love to nibble away at knitwear. To keep the moths at bay, store your clothing with cedar balls.

Cashmere 

Cashmere is an extremely soft, luxurious, and delicate fabric, which is made from the hair of Kashmir goats. Only a limited amount of cashmere is harvested each year, which is why it is considered a luxury fabric that must be taken care of when washing. 

Machine washing 

Despite some washing machines having a special knitwear/wool cycle, NEVER wash cashmere in the washing machine. The material is much too delicate and your clothing will end up misshapen and damaged. 

Hand washing 

To hand-wash your cashmere, mix a basin of warm water with a gentle detergent. To be extra precautious, you can buy cashmere specific laundry detergent. Submerge your garment in the water and soak for 10-15 minutes. After this time, carefully rinse the detergent from your item using warm water. Once you are satisfied that all of the detergent has been washed out, remove your clothing from the water and press out or squeeze as much excess water out as you can. Do not wring out your item as this will cause unnecessary damage. 

Drying cashmere  

To dry your cashmere, do not put it in the tumble dryer as this will cause it to become misshaped and can result in irreparable damage. Instead, lay out a clean, dry, towel and place your knitwear, flat, on top of it. Keep it away from direct sunlight, and leave it to completely air dry. 

Merino wool 

Merino wool is a type of sheep’s wool. It is known for being extremely soft and naturally resident to odours. 

Machine washing 

Sheep’s wool, in general, is strong and has a great deal of elasticity. This makes it acceptable to put in the washing machine without damage being caused. Of course, before putting your item in the washing machine, always check the care label for specific washing instructions. 

To machine wash your merino wool, always use a gentle, or wool and knit, cycle at 30 degrees. Any other temperature or cycle could shrink your clothing. For detergent, it’s best to use a milder option with a neutral PH.

Hand washing 

To hand wash merino wool, begin by filling a basin with warm water and a mild detergent. Submerge your knitwear in the mixture, and leave it to soak for around 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, carefully rinse your garment in warm water. Once you’ve rinsed your item, squeeze as much of the water from it as you can without wringing or twisting the clothing.

Drying merino wool 

To dry your merino wool wrap it in a clean, dry, towel, and gently squeeze your garment to remove as much water as possible. Unwrap your clothing from the towel, and lay it flat on a fresh dry towel. Leave it to air dry in a cool location. 

Lambs wool 

Lambs wool is taken from a sheep at their first shearing and is naturally soft, smooth, and elastic. It is the highest quality sheep’s wool you can find. 

Machine washing 

Even on a gentle cycle, lambs wool is far too delicate to machine wash.

Hand washing 

To hand wash lambs wool, mix a mild detergent, with a PH level below 7, with cool water. If you need hot water to dissolve your detergent, you must leave the water to cool before you submerge your knitwear. After submerging your item in the water, swirl gently, remembering not to twist or wring the garment as this will result in it losing its shape. 

Drying lambs wool 

Never put lambs wool in the tumble dryer. This will result in your knitwear becoming misshapen and, potentially irreplaceably, damaged. Instead, once you are satisfied with the cleanliness of your garment, remove it from the water and place it on a dry, clean, towel. Make sure to stretch your item out to its original shape, before leaving it to air dry. 

If you want to ensure that your knitwear is adequately cared for when being washed, then leave it with us. We will pick up, dry clean, and re-deliver your knitwear to you, completely contactless. 

To book your Laundryheap service, head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.