I love sweaters- argyle, fair isle, over sized…it doesn’t matter. They are all good/cozy/I feel like I’m in my pajamas kind of good, but you know what else they can be? Expensive. Well, the good ones usually are. I’ve cared/stored my sweaters a variety of places throughout the years and today I wanted to share with you what has worked for me in terms of keeping them in tip top shape.
1. Storage:
First and foremost is storage. Do not, I repeat do not hang them like you would hang a blouse. Hanging creates stretching which means when you go to put your sweater on, you can have that weird shoulder gap.. If you do want to hang them, fold them vertically in half and drape over the hanger (preferably with a piece of tissue to prevent creasing). I personally store my sweaters in a cedar chest (folded or rolled) my mom got me years ago. Cedar helps keep moths out (b/c yes, moths do in fact eat them), but you can easily store them in a cool, dry place and use a cedar or lavender sachet to keep them away. I plan to get some of these for summer storage.
2. Pilling
Try to prevent pilling. It’s going to happen- but you can slow it. You can use a razor to remove pills by laying a sweater flat, or buy a pill remover. I use this one and have been really happy with it. Plus, it keeps your sweater looking brand new.
3. Snags.
I hate them (who doesn’t)! I seem to get everything caught on my sweaters from jewelry to my husbands watch. Then, I get so angry when a big piece of yarn is hanging out. To fix this, simply turn the sweater inside out, pull the snag through and knot it.
4. Cleaning
I only wash my sweaters if they have visible dirt on them, if they have been exposed to serious germs or if I’ve worn it 3-5 times without washing. I typically dry clean my sweaters if applicable, but some are okay to be washed at home. When I do wash at home, I use a mild detergent and hand wash them in a bucket or sink. I start by soaking them for about 20 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with cold water. This can be time consuming, so I usually wash 5-6 at a time. To dry them, Lay them flat on a towel, roll it in the towel and squeeze to remove excess water- do not wring! Then, simply lay flat to dry.
5. Shrink/Stretching
One time I had this awesome sweater from J.Crew that Aaron shrank to my toddle niece’s size. I wish I would have known now what I didn’t know then. If you shrink a sweater, rinse in cold water and simply stretch. Be sure to stretch all areas, not just one side/top or bottom. However, sadly this only works with some fabrics- but no harm in trying.
If your sweater is stretched (I hate baggy sleeves/arm holes), I soak it in hot water, place a towel on it and blow dry on high. It usually helps!
Pretty basic, but I’ve found these things really help keep my sweaters in shape! Especially the nice ones! I believe that a good natural sweater can last for years and years if you just take a little extra time for care.
Thanks for reading!
Great tips!
xo, Lee