50 Tips to Take Care of Your Cashmere
Keep your cashmere in pristine condition with 50+ essential tips
Cashmere is a premium fibre that you can count on to keep yourself luxuriously warm during chilly days and evenings, and with the right techniques, you can keep your cashmere looking and feeling its best for decades to come. One of my favourite cashmere cardigans is 20 years old, and still looks new!
To help you care for your cashmere sweaters, cardigans, hats and scarves, we have put together a comprehensive list of over 50 simple tips and tricks for you.
In this article you'll find out:
- How to store your cashmere clothes
- Important tips to keep your cashmere in good condition
- Important don'ts
- How to wash cashmere
- How to dry cashmere
- How to deal with stains
Follow these guidelines to ensure your cashmere stays soft, clean, cosy and pristine for years to come.
How to store your cashmere
- Wash your cashmere before storing to make sure any moth eggs are removed.
- Only store your cashmere once fully dry to prevent mildew or mould.
- Fold your cashmere neatly instead of hanging to maintain its shape.
- Avoid storing cashmere in plastic bags, which damage cashmere over time by trapping moisture and causing mildew.
- Cashmere in storage needs air circulation to maintain freshness and prevent musty smells.
- Store cashmere in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to avoid colour fading.
- Keep cashmere away from rough surfaces and sharp objects to avoid snagging.
- Store cashmere separately from items with zippers or Velcro to prevent pilling.
- Avoid using mothballs, as they can leave a strong odour on your cashmere.
- Use quality cotton storage pouches to protect your cashmere from moth damage, while enabling the cashmere to breathe.
- Add cedar or lavender sachets to your storage area to repel moths and provide a pleasant aroma.
Essential guidance for cashmere maintenance
- Use an anti-pilling cashmere comb to gently remove any pills that may form over time.
- Brush your cashmere with a soft bristle brush to keep them looking fresh and free from lint.
- Avoid using harsh chemicals or bleach on cashmere, as they can damage the fibres.
- Keep your cashmere away from perfumes and other strong-smelling substances that can linger on the fabric.
- If you spill something on your cashmere, blot the stain gently with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Treat stains promptly to prevent them from setting in.
- If you're unsure about removing a stain, seek professional dry cleaning services.
- Regularly inspect your cashmere for any signs of damage or wear and mend them promptly.
- Consider rotating cashmere pieces to ensure even wear and prevent excessive stretching in specific areas.
- Avoid wearing heavy bags or backpacks over your cashmere, as they can cause unnecessary strain on the fibres.
- Avoid storing cashmere next to rough clothes or accessories that might cause snagging.
- Store your cashmere in a Breathable Cotton Anti-Moth Cashmere Protection Pouch to keep moths away and allow the cashmere to breathe. You can save £10 with a 5 pack bundle here
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Cedar balls and lavender anti moth sachets provide natural aromas that discourage moths. Place these in the drawers where you store your cashmere.
Do not:
- Hang cashmere, which causes it to lose its form.
- Keep your cashmere in plastic bags. This obstructs air circulation, allowing condensation and moisture to build up, attracting flies and moths.
- Store cashmere in humid or damp rooms, garages, or storage units. Why? Despite the fact that moths have two natural mating seasons, if a room's temperature is regularly maintained above 20 degrees, moths may breed all year. Instead, keep your cashmere in a cold, clean cabinet with a close door.
Should I freeze my cashmere?
A little time in the freezer can do wonders for a lightweight cashmere sweater. To remove odour-causing bacteria, place your sweater in a cashmere storage bag overnight in the freezer, and for up to 48 hours. This will kill any moth larvae, protecting your cashmere from moth eggs and ruinous holes. Once you have removed the cashmere storage bag from the freezer, allow its contents to recover to room temperature. Next, hand wash your cashmere and lay flat to dry.
How to wash cashmere
Knowing how to properly care for cashmere, from washing to drying and storing, can help them last longer. Knowing how to clean cashmere sweaters without shrinking or harming them will help you to get the most out of your investment pieces.
Washing cashmere by hand
Hand washing cashmere sweaters is almost always the best option. Cashmere softens with time, so the more you hand-wash it over the years, the softer the fibres will get.
Remember that hot water will shrink the cashmere fibres.
Follow these steps for an extra mild hand wash that will leave your cashmere clothes looking brand new.
- Fill a bucket or soak in with lukewarm water - never hot water. A critical tip for washing cashmere sweaters and other clothing is to avoid using hot water since this might cause the material to shrink.
- Mix a small amount of mild detergent into the water. A gentle laundry detergent, a small amount of wool-specific detergent or some baby shampoo are all excellent options.
- Turn your cashmere inside out and soak it in the solution. Allow it to soak for 5 minutes to loosen any dirt.
- Rinse the sweater at the same temperature to avoid thermal shock. Take care not to wring the fibre, as this could warp and stretch the shape.
- Gently squeeze extra water from the sweater gently without twisting. You may compress it into a ball and squeeze the water out, or you can roll your cashmere in the towel to absorb excess water.
Washing cashmere in a washing machine
If you can avoid machine-washing cashmere, hand-washing is always safer.
If the care label indicates washing in a laundry machine is OK, how can you wash cashmere without damaging it? Here are some tips:
- Put the cashmere garment in a mesh laundry bag. This will reduce friction and agitation inside the machine. Alternatively, a laundry bag, an old clean white pillowcase knotted at the open end can suffice.
- Wash on a gentle setting in your laundry machine. Select the lowest water temperature and spin setting.
- Add mild detergent like baby shampoo to the machine. Add any comfort perfume to your cosy cashmere garments for an added scent.
- Do not tumble dry. Lay your cashmere out to dry on a level surface.
How to dry cashmere
Your drying method is important if you want your sweater to preserve its original size and shape.
- Fold your cashmere into a ball. Press it gently without wringing to let the water seep out. Remember that any friction on your cashmere sweater can result in pilling.
- Roll the cashmere in a towel to remove excess water. Lay the cashmere flat on a towel and roll it and the towel together into a sausage form. Then, using your palm hands, push down on the towel to absorb the water off your sweater.
- Lay your cashmere out flat to finish drying. Cover a flat drying rack with an absorbent towel before laying your sweater down. If you don't have a drying rack, just place a towel on the ground and lay the sweater on it. Move the sweater about on the towel to the desired shape for wearing. Your sweater will keep its form after drying.
Dealing with stains on your cashmere
Stains happen. The trick is to treat any stain as quickly as possible; the longer you wait, the more difficult the stain will be to remove.
Makeup or grease-based on cashmere
- Blot the stain first, then cover it with baking soda to help remove the grease.
- Allow the baking soda to soak for an hour before lifting the clothing and shaking it off.
- After that, drop a squirt of cashmere shampoo straight over the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Wash according to the stated instruction.
Chocolate stain on cashmere
- With a spoon, shake or scrape away any extra chocolate.
- Dip a delicate cloth in cashmere shampoo and gently massage the chocolate stain, being careful not to scrape too hard since this might harm the cashmere fibres.
- Wash according to the stated instruction.
Red wine, tea, or coffee stains on cashmere
- Immediately rinse the cashmere garment with water.
- Dishwashing liquid, not cashmere shampoo, should be used to clean out red wine stains.
- Rub the stain lightly with the cloth, taking care not to scrape too hard as this might harm the cashmere fibres.
- Wash according to the stated instruction.
By following these essential tips, you'll ensure that your cashmere remains in pristine condition, providing you with warmth, style, and comfort for years to come. Take care of your cashmere investment, and it will reward you with its exquisite softness and timeless elegance.