Housekeeping · 의류 관리

Wool Sweater Washing in 6 Steps: Read the Label, Wash Gently, Dry Flat

Not all wool sweaters can be washed in the same way. Check the care label, select machine or hand washing only when permitted, and reshape knitwear to dry flat in the shade.

AI-edited · Human admin approved

Wikimedia Commons / Bevaringstenestene, Museumssenteret i Hordaland · Bevaringstenestene, Museumssenteret i Hordaland, 'NTMT.02086.jpg', The Textile Industry Museum, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Original Commons photo shown without additional changes. · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

This guide is based on official Woolmark garment-care guidance. Your garment's care label takes priority: do not try home laundering on items marked dry-clean-only or do-not-wash. The cover shows a historical wool sweater from a Norwegian textile museum; it is not a garment that this article recommends washing.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

0 / 6 done

1. Read the sewn-in care label before washing. If it says do not wash or dry-clean only, do not immerse the sweater or place it in a home washing machine; follow the garment's designated treatment.
2. For a wool knit that is washable, turn it inside out and separate similar colours. Secure snag-prone fasteners or details and choose a gentle, neutral detergent intended for wool.
3. Only if machine washing is permitted, follow the label's temperature limit and select an appropriate wool or delicate programme. A machine's wool cycle does not override a garment label prohibiting washing.
4. For items labelled hand-wash only, Woolmark advises gentle washing in lukewarm water around 30°C with a mild wool detergent, followed by thorough rinsing. Do not rub aggressively or wring the knit out of shape.
5. Press excess moisture gently between clean towels, reshape the body and sleeves and dry the knitwear flat in the shade. Hanging a heavy wet sweater can stretch it.
6. Fold the sweater once fully dry. Use a tumble dryer only if the garment label explicitly allows it; during long storage, periodically inspect for dampness and signs of clothes moths.

The Woolmark CompanyHow to wash a wool sweater ↗Official wool care advice: garment label before laundering, machine wool cycle only when permitted, hand wash with suitable wool detergent, flat drying for knitwear, tumble-dry only if labelled.The Woolmark CompanyHow to wash wool ↗Woolmark official guidance: cold/delicate programme or wool setting where garment label permits; hand washing near 30°C using mild detergent and gentle rinses; lay garments flat.The Woolmark Company Japanウール製品のお手入れ方法 ↗Japanese Woolmark advice: read garment labels; fold knitwear in storage rather than hanging to avoid stretching, dry away from direct heat/sun, check clothing before storage.Wikimedia CommonsFile:NTMT.02086.jpg ↗Specific museum sweater photo, Bevaringstenestene/Museumssenteret in Hordaland credit; CC BY-SA 4.0 on Commons file; this historical item is not a washing demonstration.Wikimedia CommonsCommons:Reusing content outside Wikimedia/technical ↗Official technical guidance permits hotlinking yet requires compliance with creator-specific file licence and attribution.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

Further reading

You may also like

Six steps to rotate—not flip—a Sealy Posturepedic mattress

Six steps to clean Andersen sliding patio-door tracks and rollers

Six steps to reduce kitchen-sponge cross-contamination