Top Tips for Hand-Washing Your Christmas Jumpers

It’s that time of year again. Whack out the Christmas knitwear, give it a wash and get Christmas photo ready. Even in this virtual age, there’ll be no avoiding National Christmas Jumper Day and the abundance of fair isle that it’ll bring. So to make sure you’re looking your best, and to make sure your knitwear is as soft as can be, Laundrapp has put together our top five tips for washing your festive fits!

1. Wash your jumpers, by hand, in lukewarm water

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so wash your knitwear by hand. Use lukewarm water, not hot, to ensure you do not shrink your knitwear, and to avoid stretching, make sure to squeeze or press your knitwear to remove the water. And one golden rule: never wring it out! This will also prevent bobbles.

2. Use a gentle detergent and soak for at least 10 minutes

Using a neutral, mild detergent is a necessity when it comes to hand-washing, or even machine washing, wool clothing. Heavy-duty detergents, ‘bio’ detergents, or any detergents that contain bleaches, will strip your knitwear of its softness, raise the scales and cause matting, and this is not a good look – or feel.

Soaking your knitwear will also help to remove stains, without the need for rubbing the fabric. Remember, work smarter, not harder.

3. Always finish with a cold water rinse

As already mentioned, heat is not your friend when it comes to washing knitwear. Rinse your knitwear in cold water and take the time to ensure it is free from any and all detergent. Rinse a second or third time, or even fourth, if needed. Trust us, you’ll thank yourself for it later.

4. Machine wash is a must? Use a mesh laundry bag

Time is money, and we don’t want to waste it. Sometimes you’re simply too busy to wash by hand, or perhaps you don’t have the facilities, but if you must use a washing machine, make sure to use a mesh laundry bag. This will not only protect your knitwear from tearing and bobbling when being spun around in the machine drum but it’ll increase its wear and longevity too. A mesh laundry bag ensures your knitwear comes out of the machine the same way it went in, only cleaner!

5. For best results, get your knitwear dry cleaned with Laundrapp 

Take the stress out of your knitwear washing, and let us do the hardwork instead. Here at Laundrapp, we’re dry cleaning experts and we always dry clean according to the care label. Visit our website now, or download the Laundrapp app to find out more.

And don’t forget, though these tips and tricks will generally work across the board, different rules may apply for certain (fancier) types of wool and knit. Always take the time to read the label before washing, and follow the given instructions. After all, we’re not sure shrunken and cropped Christmas jumpers are on-trend this year (nor will they be next year or the year after that!) so it’s probably best to just take care.