Six Tips: Knitwear Care

A little love goes a long way. When caring for your beloved knit sweaters less is really more. Here are a few simple tricks and easy practices that can not only save you time but can help keep your knits looking fresh and preserve the longevity of your garments.

1. Wash Sparingly

Did you know that wool garments are naturally odour resistant? Wool fibres can absorb a large volume of water vapour helping to prevent the build up of bacteria and unpleasant smells. Save your regular weekly washes for your everyday tees and base layers. When you need to freshen up your sweater, we recommend using a fabric freshener spray such as the Garment Groom. Turn your knit inside out and give it all over mist. Let the sweater air out for a few hours prior to wearing. Note, we recommend draping your sweater over a hanger rather than hanging if it's a heavier garment. 

2. Spot Wash 

Often we are quick to throw our garments in the wash because we notice a spot or stain. Rather than washing your entire sweater, we recommend spot washing when needed. Spot washing is a great way to remove dirt and stains without having to put your entire garment through the wash. For less severe stains, we recommend using a stain remover such as the Garment Groom. Spray spot liberally, let sit and use a cool, damp cloth to lift the stain. 

3. Use a Delicate or Wool Specific Laundry Soap

When your sweater needs a thorough clean, refer to the instructions on the care label first. If the care label specifies hand wash, wash with a delicate or wool specific laundry soap. Why? Many regular laundry detergents contain harsh chemicals or bleaching agents that can agitate the wool fibres and cause felting, shrinkage or damage to the fibres. The Unscented Laundry Bar or the Everything Laundry Soap are mild detergents that work well on delicates, hand washables and Bare Knitwear garments.  

4. Never Hang Your Sweater When Wet

Water adds weight to your sweater therefore avoid hanging knitted garments when wet. Hanging your knits when they are wet will cause the garment to stretch and lose its shape. Instead, gently press the water out of the garment, while avoiding twisting, re-shape, and lay flat to dry on a towel. 

5. Use a Sweater Comb to Remove Pilling 

With regular wear, nearly all knitted garments will generate some pilling on the surface as a result of abrasion. We recommend using The Cedar Sweater Comb to gently remove pills from your knitted garments.

6. Store Smartly 

Moths and insects are attracted to dirt in natural fibres and wool garments. If you are storing your wool garments for a long period of time we recommend giving it a good clean first! Always store folded to avoid stretch. Pack into a sealed, dry container with cedar balls or sticks. If you don't have cedar, other scents that moths detest are lavender, rosemary, mint and eucalyptus. We recommend adding a few drops of essential oil to a paper towel and storing with your garment.

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