How to Wash Fleece

Fleece can be made of several different materials though a common ingredient is polyester. Proper care will keep fleece smooth and soft; improper care will cause the polyester fibers to break down and lead to piling or bumpy fleece.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• mild laundry detergent

1. Check for the manufacturer's care label on your fleece. Follow instructions if available.

2. Turn your fleece item inside-out to prevent piling.

3. Machine wash the fleece in cold water on a gentle cycle with like colors. Use mild laundry detergent to keep the nape smooth.

4. Machine-dry your fleece at a low temperature, or hang it up to air-dry.

5. Remember that fleece should never be ironed, steamed, pressed or dry cleaned. These things may cause melting. Also, avoid using bleach or fabric softener unless specified otherwise on the manufacturer's care label.

6. Wash high-quality fleece such as Polartec or Polarfleece in the same manner as above.

Tips & Warnings

• Washing fleece in warm water will cause premature piling.
• Avoid washing fleece with towels or other items that produce lint. Fleece picks up lint easily and it is difficult to remove.
• To avoid any detergent residue, dissolve your detergent in the water before adding your fleece garment or use a liquid detergent.
• There are special cleaners made for fleece, such as Nikwax Tech Wash.
• It's worth repeating: No bleach, fabric softener, ironing or dry cleaning.

[dynasu]

on 4/10/2008 When fleece is overdried is there a method to make it soft again?