How I Take Care of My Sweaters
I have a large collection of sweaters, vintage and contemporary, all precious to me. Dry cleaning them all is impractical for many reasons: it’s expensive, bad for the environment, not good for the longevity of the sweaters, and takes too long. Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time researching and testing different products, and I wanted to share how I take care of my sweaters with you. (Yes, it may still be summer, but fall is on its way!)
The Laundress makes really products, and I am so glad they are back! The two items I use religiously are the Wool & Cashmere shampoo and stain solution. The scents are lovely and the shampoo is safe for HE machines and septic systems. The bottle is small, but it lasts a long time. The shampoo provides measurements on how much you should use if you have a regular washing machine, HE machine, or choose to handwash. It’s incredibly effective and the shampoo has a lovely cedar scent that also helps repel insects.
The stain remover solution is a true lifesaver in getting out even stubborn stains. It’s a huge relief when I don’t have to worry about the stains I pick up from commuting, being a mom, or just daily life–especially when I don’t have to run to the dry cleaner every week, too!
How do you keep your sweaters clean?
I will second the suggestion of the Laundress! I love their wool and cashmere wash for my sweaters, and also use their Delicate wash on my silk scarves.
I am a fan of hand washing, as it reduces stretching and shrinking, but it is convenient that the Laundress can also be used in the machine.
Hi Kim, thank you so much for chiming in 🙂 I haven’t tried the delicate wash yet for my silk scarves but it is in my cart (along with more of the scented vinegar which is lifechanging for cleaning!)
I generally handwash my more delicate sweaters, but for some of my older ones that have already been machine-washed many times, that’s less of a concern for me, which is very helpful when I have to do a large batch at once!
I’ve been using the laundress W&C shampoo for years. I’ve also heard of people using baby shampoo as well, which is more versatile since it can be used to wash silks as well.
I haven’t been brave enough to wash silk as opposed to bringing it to the dry cleaner’s, but when I work up the courage I have heard good things about baby shampoo as well!