How to Wash Cashmere Without Shrinking or Pilling

Think of your favourite cashmere jumper as a soft, cosy friend that’s easily upset. Toss it in with the towels and it can come out smaller, stiffer, or fuzzier than when it went in.

The good news is that you can wash cashmere at home, by hand or on a gentle machine cycle, as long as you keep the water mild, avoid wringing, and dry it flat.

In this post, we’ll cover how often to wash, the drying and shrinkage questions most guides skip, and quick fixes for the stain on the jumper in front of you.

How to Wash Cashmere and How Often

Cashmere is delicate, so getting the care right matters. Here’s what to know about dry cleaning, how often to wash, and why cashmere can felt or shrink.

Washing compared with dry cleaning

Many cashmere pieces carry a dry clean only label, but don’t let that label decide for you. Check the care label first, then weigh your options. Harsh chemicals can weaken cashmere fibres, and dry cleaning can leave them brittle.

For delicate or embellished pieces, a specialist is the safer call.

How often cashmere needs a wash

Cashmere doesn’t need washing after every wear. Instead, plan on a wash somewhere between every 3-4 wears and every 7-10 wears.

According to a home-care guide from The Spruce, cashmere should be washed after seven to 10 wearings, or sooner if it’s stained. The real trigger is simple: wash it when it’s soiled or smells.

The goal is to wash less often rather than more. Research on garment lifespans from a wardrobe survey in five countries found that garments washed less frequently last longer, since over-washing can cause wear.

Think of a parent who tosses a cashmere jumper in the wash after every school run. Wait until it’s actually soiled, and the same jumper stays in good shape for far longer.

Why cashmere can felt or shrink

Cashmere is the soft undercoat of cashmere goats, and those fine fibres are what make it both luxurious and easy to damage. The main risks are felting, where fibres tangle and mat together, and shrinkage.

Get it wrong and the jumper can lose its shape and softness. Washing can actually soften cashmere, so aim for gentle care rather than skipping the wash altogether. Gentle wins.

Hand Washing Cashmere the Gentle Way

Hand washing is the kindest way to clean cashmere, and it’s easier than it looks.

What water and soap should you use?

Cold, cool or lukewarm water all work well, but avoid hot water. Heat and rough handling are what cause cashmere to shrink. Does cashmere shrink if you hand wash it? Not when you keep the water cool and your touch light.

Pick a mild pH-neutral detergent that cleans without stripping the fibres’ natural oils. These work too:

• Wool-specific wash: made for knitwear, so it’s gentle by default.
• Baby shampoo: plain and mild, a handy stand-in.

Skip ordinary laundry detergent. It’s built for tougher grime and can leave cashmere stiff. Choose gentle over powerful.

Is dish soap safe on cashmere? Not really, and that includes Dawn. It’s made to cut grease, which is far too harsh for fine fibres. Keep it for the washing-up, not the jumper.

Soak, swirl and rinse with care

Start with a colourfastness spot test. Dampen a white cloth, press it on a hidden seam, and check for colour transfer. If it stays clean, you’re good to go.

Keep vibrant colours in their own bowl so a bright dye that bleeds can’t spoil your neutrals. Submerge the jumper, let it soak briefly, then gently swirl.

Picture a flatmate who fills the sink with cool water and a small squirt of wool wash, then lets a navy jumper soak. The colour stays deep and the knit keeps its shape.

Never rub, wring or twist. Lift the jumper out with both hands supporting its weight, since rough handling is what misshapes the knit.

Drain the dirty water, then rinse in fresh cool water until no soap remains. Gentle wins every time.

Drying Cashmere Without Stretching It

Most cashmere isn’t ruined in the wash. The damage can happen next, when it’s wet and easy to stretch. Get drying right and it keeps its shape.

Squeeze out water without wringing

Getting the water out comes down to three gentle steps:

1. Gently squeeze the jumper, don’t wring it. Wringing twists the wet fibers out of line, and the shoulders and cuffs can end up longer than they started.
2. Roll it in a dry towel.
3. Press out the water, leaning on the towel rather than dragging the knit.

Think of a parent hand-washing a school jumper. Rolling it in a towel draws out the water without tugging at the sleeves, so it’s ready to dry without a single stretch.

Dry it flat, away from heat

Lay the jumper flat on a fresh dry towel, away from radiators and direct sunlight. Heat and sun both work against the fibers, so a sunny windowsill may look quick but it’s the wrong spot.

Gently reshape it as you go, easing the body, sleeves, and neckline back into shape. Lay it flat, not hanging. Hanging stretches wet fibers under their own weight, so never hang it to dry. Flat wins every time.

So can you put a dry cashmere sweater in the dryer? Never. Even when it already feels dry, tumble dryer heat and tumbling can shrink it, and that’s far harder to fix afterwards.

If a jumper has already shrunk, don’t write it off yet. While it’s still damp, ease it gently back toward its original shape on a flat towel, then let it dry. Patience beats pulling, so avoid tugging hard on the knit.

Using a Washing Machine on Cashmere

Sometimes the washing machine is the practical choice for cashmere, but only with the right setup. Here’s when it makes sense, and how to set it up so the knit comes out in one piece.

When a machine wash makes sense

A machine wash buys you convenience, not safety. It’s a good fit for busy people and for heavy soiling. Think of a parent who has worn the same cardigan through a week of nursery pick-ups, grubby cuffs and all.

A gentle machine cycle gets it fresh without a late-night session at the sink. Your evening stays yours. Hand washing is still the safest option, though, so use it whenever you have the time.

Prep and set the machine gently

Before you press start, work through these steps:

1. Pick the delicate cycle. Choose a delicate or hand-wash setting, not a standard one.
2. Go low and cool. Set a low spin and cool water.
3. Bag it. Pop the jumper into a mesh bag or a pillowcase so it stays contained in the drum.
4. Turn it inside out. This protects the outer surface of the knit.
5. Leave out the softener. Skip fabric softener, even if it’s part of your usual routine.
6. Don’t overload. Give the jumper room to move, and don’t cram the drum.
7. Use a wool cycle at 30°C maximum. If your machine has one, select it, and never go above 30°C.

Clearing Stains and Odors Between Washes

A quick fix between washes often saves the whole jumper, so you’ll want to act before the mark has time to settle.

Treating stains before they set

For example, a parent who spills tomato sauce on a child’s cashmere cardigan at lunch can often lift it before dinner if they act straight away. Work through these steps:

• Act quickly: Start the moment the spill happens, not when the jumper lands in the laundry basket.
• Cold running water for fresh stains: Rinse the stain under cold running water, never hot.
• Wool-safe stain remover: Use a wool-safe stain remover rather than an all-purpose cleaner.
• Soak 10 minutes for set stains: If the mark has already set, soak the spot for 10 minutes before you treat it.
• Blot stains, never rub: Press gently with a clean cloth. Blotting lifts the mark, while rubbing only spreads it.

Banish odors with vinegar or steam

Smells build up between washes too, and a few gentle habits can freshen the knit in minutes.

• Soak in white vinegar: For a stubborn smell, a short soak in white vinegar can help.
• Fabric-safe spray between washes: A fabric-safe spray handles quick touch-ups on your most-worn jumper.
• Gentle steaming kills bacteria: A light pass with a steamer refreshes the knit and kills bacteria.

Consider a flatmate who wears their favourite cardigan to a long night out. A quick steam before it goes back in the wardrobe means it’s ready to wear again without a full wash.

Your aim is to refresh the jumper rather than wash it, saving the full wash for when it really needs one. Refresh, don’t drown.

Keeping Sweaters Free of Pilling

Pilling, those fuzzy little balls on the surface, is the quickest way a cashmere jumper starts to look old. Here’s how to stop it forming and clear it when it does:

What makes cashmere form pills

Pills form when loose fibres rub, fray, and tangle into tiny knots. Friction from a bag strap or seat belt speeds this up. Think of a parent who wears a soft jumper under a rucksack strap all day, and by Friday the shoulder looks worn.

Wringing after a wash amplifies the problem, since twisting stretches the fibres. Even luxury knits pill, so a high price tag won’t protect you.

Getting rid of pills gently

Lay the jumper flat on a towel, then work lightly rather than firmly. Three tools do the job:

• Sweater stone or pumice: glide it across the knit to lift pills.
• Sweater comb or fabric shaver: a comb lifts pills out, while a shaver trims them, so use it with care.
• Pilling brush: a soft brush that sweeps loose fibres away.

Slow is safer. Stop as soon as the surface looks smooth.

Steam lightly and repair snags quickly

Use a gentle, low-temperature steam iron to freshen the knit. Hover it above the jumper rather than pressing down, since pressing can flatten the texture.

Address snags promptly. Don’t tug a loose thread, as pulling draws more yarn out. Ease the loop back to the wrong side with a fingertip instead.

If a snag is too big to handle, check whether the brand offers a repair service before you bin the jumper. Catch it early, and it stays small.

Storing Cashmere and Keeping Moths Away

Even perfectly washed cashmere can come out of the wardrobe worse for wear if it’s stored badly. Get the storage right, and your jumpers stay soft, dry, and free of clothes moths.

Storing it folded, dry and airy

Good storage comes down to a few habits:

• Fold it flat. Fold it, don’t hang it, so the knit keeps its shape.
• Pick a cool, dry, ventilated spot. Keep it out of direct sunlight.
• Air it out after wearing. Let each piece breathe before it goes away.
• Use breathable canvas bags. Keep pieces in them rather than in sealed containers.

Think of a host who packs her cashmere into canvas bags each spring, airs every jumper after each wear, and pulls them out in autumn ready to go, with no trip to the dry cleaner.

Keeping moths out of your closet

Moths are drawn to the traces you leave on knitwear, so prep matters as much as the spot you choose. Clean first, then store.

• Clean before storing. Body oils attract moths, so clean each piece before it goes away.
• Cedar, kept apart. Use it if you like, but never let it touch the knit directly.
• Skip mothballs. Leave them out of your closet altogether.
• Avoid plastic and cardboard. Stick with fabric bags instead.
• Vacuum storage areas. Clean drawers, shelves, and closet corners regularly.

Cashmere Items That Need Special Care

Not every cashmere piece belongs in the same bowl of water. Some pieces are fine at home, while others need a different approach or a specialist, so check the label and the fabric before you fill the sink.

Care for scarves, hats and outerwear

Smaller pieces are the easy part. Hand wash scarves, hats and gloves in lukewarm water with a cashmere-safe wash, then press the water out gently rather than wringing.

Think of a parent who’s dropped a cashmere hat into a muddy puddle on the school run: rinsing it that evening and laying it flat to dry means it’s ready to wear the next day.

Larger pieces and special finishes need more caution, and each has its own rule:

• Down jackets: send these to a specialist cleaner rather than washing them at home.
• Printed cashmere: follow the care label closely and handle these more gently than a plain knit.
• Mackintosh coats: spot clean only. Dab the mark rather than submerging the whole coat.

Careful handling now saves a shrunken favourite later.

Caring for cashmere comes down to a few gentle habits: washing it only when it needs it, handling it with care while wet, and drying it flat. Get those right and your jumpers keep their softness and shape for longer.

Stains and odours deserve quick, gentle attention, and storing knitwear well helps keep moths at bay. You don’t need a complicated routine, just a little care in the right moments.

Treat your cashmere kindly, and it will keep giving you that soft, cosy feeling every time you pull it on.

References

1. What Affects Garment Lifespans? International Clothing Practices Based on a Wardrobe Survey in China, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the USA — mdpi.com (2020)
2. How to Wash Your Cashmere Sweaters at Home Without Ruining Them — thespruce.com (2025)