In this article we explain how to wash cashmere properly without ruing this delicate and expensive fabric. Cashmere is of course a type of wool that comes from various types of goat. It is beautifully soft and feels luxurious to the touch. Cashmere also has 3 times more insulation than sheep's wool.
It is also worth knowing that you can buy 100% cashmere items, but you can also get items that have a percentage of cashmere added to normal sheep's wool just to make them a little more luxurious without dramatically increasing the price.
As you may likely know cashmere is very expensive to buy and you certainly don't want to ruin any garment in the wash.
How to wash cashmere by hand?
If in doubt it is much safer to wash cashmere by hand. This would be our best advice just to be on the safe side. It takes a bit of time and care but it means the garment will be clean and retain its original feel, size and shape.
Jumpers and sweaters are the hardest to wash but scarves are much easier. We have included a video below of exactly how to hand wash a cashmere sweater.
The Golden Rules
- Wash in cool water (less than 30 degrees Celsius)
- Use only a gentle shampoo or wool detergent
- Rinse in cool water until shampoo or detergent free (this may take a few rinses depending how much detergent you used.
- Never wring out cashmere - to remove surplus water gently squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Lay the garment out on a towel in its original shape
- Allow to dry naturally always in a warm place - never on a radiator and never in a tumble dryer
How to wash cashmere in a washing machine?
If you feel brave enough to wash cashmere in a washing machine, then it should be done on a wool or delicate cycle (short cycle around 30 minutes with a fast spin 1200 RPM) and using a shampoo or mild detergent at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius.
For items such as jumpers it is always best to turn these inside out as that will help preserve the softness of the cashmere.
Cashmere and wool detergents
There are a number of detergents on the UK market for delicate items such as Cashmere, Merino, Mohair and other wool blends. These work as a good alternative to dry cleaning. They don't contain any harsh chemicals or toxins so are a gentle cleaner and they contain natural products.
Cashmere combs
Pilling isn’t a sign of poor quality as small bobbles will form on all knitwear over time simply down to the friction of normal wear. Cashmere combs can be used to remove loose fibres.
FAQ
If you haven't washed cashmere before then we would recommend washing by hand at least for the first time. It is however perfectly safe to do this using a washing machine as long as it has a delicate cycle.
Yes cashmere will shrink, go baggy and even get out of shape if washed incorrectly. Never wash in a temperature above 30 degrees Celsius, don't put in a tumble dryer and don't wring it out.
Never ever soak cashmere in water and leave it for any length of time. You so have to wash it from time to time.
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Resources used to help research and write this article
Definition of cashmere - Wikipedia
