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How To Wash A Cashmere Sweater

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Cashmere

Nothing says true luxury like cashmere. A cashmere sweater is often a special treat for that special someone in your life or for the someone who simply has everything. It will draw admirers with its beauty. However, if you own a cashmere sweater or are thinking about getting one, it is important for you to know exactly how to wash a cashmere sweater or you will get no practically no enjoyment from your luxury item.

The only safe way to wash a cashmere sweater is to hand wash it in cold water. This is a fairly simple technique. You will need to select a pan or sink big enough to hold the sweater, water and allow for some movement for agitation. Fill it with cold water and add the exact amount of detergent stated on the container. Be sure you are using a detergent that is formulated for delicate hand washing in cold water. Do not add too much detergent because it suds up very easily in cold water and it will take you quite a long time to get rid of all the suds if you use too much.

When the detergent is mixed into the water, add your cashmere sweater. If there were any stains or odors on it, you should have pretreated with a pretreatment product made for delicates. Move the sweater around gently to completely cover it in the water and to create agitation, so that the sudsy water will pass through the fabric and start to work on cleaning it. Rub stains, necklines and armpits with your hands to help along the cleaning process in these areas. Let the sweater soak for a while in the sudsy solution.

After a half hour or so has passed, come back to the sweater and agitate it throughout the water again. Then you will rinse it. Remove the soapy water and add clean water, agitating the sweater in it again. Keep repeating this process until no more bubbles are produced when the sweater is agitated in clean water.

Remove the sweater from the water and gently compress it to get as much water out as you can without damaging the garment. Do not wring or twist a cashmere sweater. When you have gotten some of the water out, lay the sweater on a dry absorbent towel. Gently roll the towel up with the sweater inside, in a jellyroll fashion. Compress the roll to get out additional moisture. Following this, lay the cashmere sweater flat to dry on a sweater dryer to allow air circulation. It may take a couple of days to completely dry but you will have saved yourself a pricey dry cleaning bill.

Don’t turn away from cashmere simply because it’s a little more work and extra care than most clothes. The feel of the luxurious softness is well worth the occasional investment of your time in hand washing what will quickly become one of your favorite things to wear.

Hand wash

How To Hand Wash Clothes

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Hand wash

Hand washing clothes is quickly becoming a lost art in today’s world. As wash and wear garments and more casual looks and fabrics have become more popular, more people than ever have wardrobes that are made up entirely of items that can be thrown in the washer and dryer. The big drawback with these types of clothing is that it limits you in the styles you wear and especially when it comes to delicate garments, fine fabrics and adorned outfits. Many such items need dry cleaning or hand washing in order to preserve their quality. With the high cost and inconvenience of dry cleaning proving to be stumbling blocks for many people, hand washing is the only remaining option. Knowing how to properly hand wash clothes will save you money and open up a whole new world of rich fabrics and clothing options that you’ve only dreamed of.

The true way to hand wash clothes is to start by spot treating any stains on the clothes, like you would if you were washing by machine. Fill up the sink, or a container big enough to hold your item and allow for agitation, with cold water. The cold water will prevent shrinking and color fading. Add laundry soap that is specifically formulated for hand washing in cold water. Be precise with the measurement as it will take a long time to rinse out excess suds if you add too much. When the soap is completely dissolved, add the item of clothing you wish to wash. If you have more than one item that needs hand washing, do only one at a time.

Move the clothing around in your soapy water gently in order to create mild agitation. This will allow the water to work through the garment loosening dirt. Pay particular attention to the underarm area, the neckline and any spots on it. Gently rub such areas with your fingers to remove stubborn stains and odors. When you are content that your clothing item is as clean as possible, you will need to rinse it. Using cold water only, rinse the item multiple times until no bubbles are produced when you add water.

With all the suds out of your hand washed item, it is time to dry it. Gently squeeze as much water out of the item as possible. Compress the fabric gently and do not twist it. Then using a heavy absorbent dry towel, lay the clothing flat and roll it up in the towel. Repeat gently compressing the rolled towel to get out excess moisture. Check the item’s label for further drying instructions. You may be able to put it in a cool dryer, hang it to dry or lay it flat to dry. Whatever the drying technique used, you will have sped it up considerably by getting the item as dry as possible before hand.

The alternative to true hand washing is to use your washer’s extra gentle cycle. It may even have a setting on it called hand wash. Be sure to use cold water and special detergent. This is a much more time efficient way to “hand wash” your items that need such treatment. However, one thing to keep in mind is that while the setting is very slow and gentle it is still a machine and the possibility for damage to your clothes still exists.

Learn to properly hand wash clothes now and enjoy the world of delicate clothes while saving money too.