How to Wash Wool and Cashmere Clothing at Home — Toronto Home Guide

Wool and cashmere can be washed at home successfully — but both shrink and felt (become matted and stiff) if exposed to hot water, agitation, or tumble drying. The critical variables are cold water and minimal agitation. Done correctly, hand washing is gentler than dry cleaning and equally effective for routine maintenance.

Hand Washing

1. Fill a clean sink or basin with cold water — not cool, not lukewarm: cold, as cold as the tap will go
2. Add a small amount of wool or cashmere-specific detergent (such as Woolite, Eucalan, or any detergent labelled for wool/delicates) — use less than you think; excess soap is hard to rinse out
3. Submerge the garment and gently press it into the water — do not wring, twist, rub, or agitate
4. Allow to soak for 10–15 minutes
5. Gently press the water through the garment 3–4 times
6. Drain and refill with cold water
7. Press the garment gently to rinse — repeat until no soap residue remains (the water runs clear and not sudsy)
8. Press the garment against the side of the sink to remove water — never wring or twist; wringing distorts the shape

Drying

1. Lay a clean dry towel flat and place the garment on top
2. Roll the towel up with the garment inside to absorb excess water — press; do not twist the roll
3. Unroll and transfer the garment to a fresh dry towel or a mesh drying rack
4. Reshape the garment to its original dimensions while still damp — pull gently to restore the shape
5. Dry flat at room temperature, away from direct heat and sunlight — never hang wool or cashmere to dry; hanging a wet wool garment stretches it out of shape from its own weight

Machine Washing (Some Wool)

• Some merino wool garments are labelled machine washable — use a mesh laundry bag, cold water, and the delicate or wool cycle; air dry flat as above
• Cashmere is never machine washable unless specifically labelled — always hand wash

Removing Pilling

• Pilling is caused by fibres working loose and tangling — use a cashmere comb or fabric shaver to gently remove pills; run across the fabric surface with light strokes