Okay, so I’ve always been a little scared of cashmere. I mean, it’s so soft and luxurious, but the “dry clean only” tag always freaked me out. Too much hassle, too much money. But then I saw this article talking about machine washable cashmere, and I thought, “Why not give it a shot?”
First, I found a sweater that actually said “machine washable” on the tag. That was key. I wasn’t about to risk ruining a super expensive one on a maybe.
Next, I turned the sweater inside out. The article I read said this helps protect the fibers. Made sense to me.
Getting Ready to Wash
- Grabbed a mesh laundry bag. This is like a little safety net for delicate stuff.
- Found some gentle detergent. I used the stuff I normally use for my baby’s clothes, figured that was mild enough.
Then, I tossed the sweater in the bag and zipped it up tight. Into the washing machine it went! I selected the delicate cycle, cold water, and low spin. Basically, the gentlest settings possible.
I hit start and held my breath. Okay, maybe I didn’t actually hold my breath, but I was definitely nervous. I kept picturing a shrunken, felted mess.
After the Wash
When the cycle was done, I pulled the sweater out of the bag. It was damp, obviously, but it looked…okay! No weird shapes, no obvious damage.
I laid it flat on a clean towel, just like the instructions said. I gently reshaped it a bit, making sure the sleeves were straight and the collar wasn’t wonky. Then, I just left it alone to air dry.
It took a while to dry completely, probably a full day. But once it was dry, I checked that baby that it was still soft and fluffy. It looks great! I’m actually kind of amazed. I washed cashmere, in my washing machine, and it survived! So, yeah, machine washable cashmere? It’s a real thing, and it’s pretty awesome.