How to Properly Care for Cashmere

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By Karen State
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Everyone has an indulgence. ...I could spend endless evenings watching old movies and I love a really, really good grilled cheese. Oh...and I also have a small cashmere addiction!

Cashmere is a wonderful, classic addition to your wardrobe but you want to be certain to care for it well. With proper washing and storage ... you'll enjoy your favorite sweater or scarf for seasons to come.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Cedar storage "balls"
Gentle detergent
A flat surface for drying

Step 1

Nothing feels as soft and cozy on a chilly morning as a luxurious cashmere sweater. Cashmere comes in a huge price range and quality cashmere is now very affordable. Diligent care is essential to keeping your sweater looking it's best. Here are ideas to help take care of your favorite cashmere pieces.
Step 2

When wearing cashmere, or any fine knits such as merino wool, angora or lambs wool, always be careful about your perfume application. I'm a big fan of using perfume daily but spritzing directly over your sweater can actually harm the fibers. Perfumes have an alcohol content that, as it sits for a prolonged period on the sweater, can slowly breakdown the knit. It won't be noticeable at first... but this continued daily habit can lead to many fine little holes.

No need to give up your favorite scent though... just spray directly on your skin and wait a moment for it to dry.
Step 3

When it's time to clean your sweater, dry cleaning has long been thought of as your only option. While dry cleaning is a wonderful way to care for cashmere, it's also quite expensive. I only dry clean my items at the very end of winter. All through the chilly months, I simply hand wash my cashmere in cold water. I use a gentle detergent. After washing and carefully rinsing, I blot the sweater dry in a large towel to get out as much excess water as possible. I then lay the sweater flat to dry. When one side is dry, turn the sweater over to air dry the other.

I never put my knits in the washer or dryer as the cycles tend to be too forceful at their gentlest settings.
Step 4

Never hang your cashmere sweaters as the shoulders have a tendency to stretch out of shape. Continued hanging, especially during the warm months where they may hang for a very long period of uninterrupted time, can wear down the fibers in the shoulder area as well. I fold them on shelf or in a drawer. I then put several cedar storage "balls" or "discs" in between my sweaters to ward off moths. Cedar storage items are not expensive and can be purchased in stores such as Target or online.
Step 5

I love the classic look of cashmere with my favorite jeans. I think it instantly makes an outfit look polished. With simple care ... these sweaters last for seasons to come!