How to Prevent Sweaters from Stretching
Read the care label., Hand wash your sweater., Avoid wringing out your sweater., Lay the sweater flat to dry.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Read the care label.
Always read the care label on the inside of your sweaters.
You should find out if the sweaters can be washed at home or if they must be dry cleaned.
The care label will also tell you how to wash the sweaters, although you should plan on hand washing them just to be safe.
If your sweater has to be dry cleaned, don't even consider hand washing it at home.
Your sweater should be professionally cleaned. -
Step 2: Hand wash your sweater.
Squirt a little gentle laundry detergent into a large sink or bucket.
Fill it with cool water and swish the water around so the soap bubbles a bit.
Add one sweater at a time and soak it completely.
Swish the sweater around with your hand to loosen any dirt.
Let the sweater soak for 30 minutes before rinsing it out with more cool water.You can find extra delicate laundry detergents.
These are designed to be gentle on your clothes and they're usually fragrance free. , Once you rinse the clean sweater with cool water, don't twist or wring the sweater to get the excess water out.
Lay the wet sweater on a clean, thick bath towel.
Roll the towel up so the sweater is rolled and the extra water is pressed out.If you have a large salad spinner, you can also place the wet sweater in it to spin the extra water out. , Take the damp sweater and lay it on another clean, dry towel.
Arrange the sweater so it's flat and the arms aren't folded over onto the sweater.
Leave the sweater to dry completely on the towel.While you can lay the sweater on a wooden drying rack, the sweater may develop bumps or ridges from the wooden dowels as it dries.
Never hang damp sweaters from hangers to dry.
This will make bumps and stretch out the shoulders. -
Step 3: Avoid wringing out your sweater.
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Step 4: Lay the sweater flat to dry.
Detailed Guide
Always read the care label on the inside of your sweaters.
You should find out if the sweaters can be washed at home or if they must be dry cleaned.
The care label will also tell you how to wash the sweaters, although you should plan on hand washing them just to be safe.
If your sweater has to be dry cleaned, don't even consider hand washing it at home.
Your sweater should be professionally cleaned.
Squirt a little gentle laundry detergent into a large sink or bucket.
Fill it with cool water and swish the water around so the soap bubbles a bit.
Add one sweater at a time and soak it completely.
Swish the sweater around with your hand to loosen any dirt.
Let the sweater soak for 30 minutes before rinsing it out with more cool water.You can find extra delicate laundry detergents.
These are designed to be gentle on your clothes and they're usually fragrance free. , Once you rinse the clean sweater with cool water, don't twist or wring the sweater to get the excess water out.
Lay the wet sweater on a clean, thick bath towel.
Roll the towel up so the sweater is rolled and the extra water is pressed out.If you have a large salad spinner, you can also place the wet sweater in it to spin the extra water out. , Take the damp sweater and lay it on another clean, dry towel.
Arrange the sweater so it's flat and the arms aren't folded over onto the sweater.
Leave the sweater to dry completely on the towel.While you can lay the sweater on a wooden drying rack, the sweater may develop bumps or ridges from the wooden dowels as it dries.
Never hang damp sweaters from hangers to dry.
This will make bumps and stretch out the shoulders.
About the Author
Scott Wright
Scott Wright has dedicated 9 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, Scott focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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