How to Wash Cashmere | Keep it Soft for Years

Cashmere is usually best washed by hand in cool water with a mild detergent, then laid flat to dry, which preserves the fibers and prevents stretching or felting.

A cashmere sweater feels incredible — until one wrong wash turns it into a doll-sized felt rag. The good news is that washing cashmere correctly takes about ten minutes of hands-on time and saves you from replacing expensive knits every season. The dominant recommendation across every major care guide is hand washing, and here’s exactly how to do it without ruining your favorite sweater. If you are shopping for a new cashmere sweater, our tested roundup of the best cashmere jumpers covers the brands that hold up best to regular wear.

Hand Washing Cashmere: The Step-by-Step Method

Hand washing is the safest and most widely recommended method for cashmere, regardless of the brand or garment color. Cashmere fibers are at their most fragile when wet, so the whole process is about being gentle — no scrubbing, no wringing, no hot water.

1. Fill a clean sink or basin with cool or lukewarm water — the water should feel neither hot nor cold on your wrist. J.Crew and Wirecutter both say cool water is the safe zone, and 30°C (about 86°F) is the maximum temperature cited in care guides.
2. Add a mild detergent meant for wool or cashmere. J.Crew recommends a soap with glycerin and a low pH — cashmere detergent or even baby shampoo works. Add about a tablespoon or a capful depending on the brand. Do not use regular laundry detergent with enzymes or bleach.
3. Submerge the sweater and press it gently underwater. Let it soak — J.Crew says about five minutes, while Wirecutter recommends 15 minutes with a no-rinse detergent like Soak. Soak times between 3 and 30 minutes are all reported across different guides, and a 15-minute soak is a safe middle ground.
4. Swish gently with your hands. Do not rub, scrub, or twist the fabric. If there is a stain, let the detergent work on it rather than rubbing it.
5. Drain the soapy water and refill the basin with fresh cool water. Rinse by pressing water through the sweater gently. Repeat until no suds remain.
6. Press out water without wringing or twisting. Lift the sweater out of the water supporting its full weight — wet cashmere stretches easily if it hangs.

Drying Cashmere the Right Way

Lay cashmere flat to dry on a clean towel away from heat and sunlight — hanging, tumble drying, or wringing will stretch or felt the fibers. Every guide agrees on this point without exception.

After pressing out the excess water, lay the sweater flat on a dry towel. Roll the towel up with the sweater inside and press gently to absorb more moisture. Then unroll and move the sweater to a second dry towel. Reshape it to its original dimensions — pay attention to the collar, cuffs, and hem. Let it dry for about 24 hours, flipping it over once half way through. Do not place it on a radiator, in direct sunlight, or near a heater.

When Machine Washing Cashmere Is Allowed

Machine washing is only appropriate if the garment’s care label explicitly permits it, and even then only on a wool or delicates cycle with cold water. The care label is if it shows a machine-wash symbol for wool, you can proceed, but if you are unsure, hand washing is always the safer choice.

Place the sweater inside a mesh laundry bag. Use the wool or delicates cycle with cold water and the lowest spin setting. Use the same mild cashmere detergent — never fabric softener. When the cycle finishes, remove the sweater immediately and lay it flat to dry. Do not put it in the dryer at any point.

What Not to Do With Cashmere

The most common mistakes that ruin cashmere are wringing, hot water, hanging to dry, and using harsh detergents or fabric softener. These errors cause permanent stretching, felting, or pilling that no amount of steaming or brushing can fix.

• No wringing or twisting — press water out gently or use the towel-roll method.
• No hot water — stick to cool or lukewarm, maximum 30°C.
• No hanging — gravity stretches wet cashmere out of shape.
• No fabric softener or bleach — these coat or damage the fibers.
• No regular detergent with enzymes — these can break down animal fibers.