Simple Sweater Care Tips You’re Gonna Need This Fall
Sweaters are an investment. We want to make sure that when we finally return to them after the warmer months (sigh), they’re in good condition and ready for action.
At the same time, summer is amateur hour, and we want to make sure that we don’t destroy our sweaters by treating them with the free-spirited carelessness with which we donned our favorite light tees.
It is a delicate cycle full of infinite mysteries (i.e. where are these holes coming from?), but at least you have Yahoo Makers here to guide you on your sweater-care journey.
Here are some basic tips and tricks to properly store and care for your sweaters:
Hang your sweaters so they don’t stretch
Fold them in half vertically, and place the hanger hook in the armpit of the sweater. Fold the arms over one side of the hanger, and the waist over the other. Voilà! No more poofy shoulders or sagging hemlines.
Fix a snag
It’s easy to snag your sweater, but impossible to travel back in time and undo your foolish actions. No problem! Turn your sweater inside out and use a crochet hook to pull the snagged wool through the sweater. Tie the wool in a few knots to keep it in place.
Dry your sweaters correctly
Never wring your sweater! Gently squeeze out the water. Lay it flat on a towel, and roll it up to remove excess water. Dry your sweater flat on a towel or a drying rack.
Shrink your stretched-out cuffs
Rather than shrinking your whole sweater in a dryer, dip your cuffs in hot water and blot them. Then place them on a towel, and blow-dry them using the hottest setting.
Stretch a shrunken sweater
Did you accidentally put your wool, cashmere, or angora sweater in the dryer and turn it into a Barbie boyfriend sweater? You’re not alone! Soak your sweater in room-temperature water that has fabric softener in it. Blot it dry, stretch it to the dimensions you want, and then pin it to a board. Once it’s dry, iron it to set the shape. Ya snooze, ya lose, Barbie!
Remove pills
Sweater pills are inevitable and seem infinite. To get rid of them, hold the sweater flat with one hand and slice off pills one at a time with a basic disposable razor.
Keep moths from munching on your favorite sweater
Moths breed in natural fibers. They also have pretty specific tastes: dirt, sweat, and dust. Prevent an infestation by:
Dusting and cleaning your closet regularly.
Never storing dirty knitwear.
Using cedar hangers or lavender sachets to repel moths.
Storing seasonal knitwear in sealed, airtight plastic bags during warm months.
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