How to Wash a Wool Sweater and Deal with Pilling

Decide whether to wash, air or remove pills

A sweater with a food smell may only need airing flat; surface pills need their own treatment. Check its condition rather than counting wears. Woolmark explains airing and everyday care.

Before getting it wet, read the label:

• Machine washable. Follow the stated temperature and programme.
• Hand wash. Use the hand-washing route below.
• Do not wash or dry clean only. Follow the professional-cleaning instruction.
• Missing or unreadable label. Ask the maker or a cleaner before experimenting.

The label applies to the finished garment. A “merino” description alone does not establish washability. Woolmark’s care-symbol guide explains the distinctions.

Match the wash to the label

Choose a mild, neutral wool detergent and follow its dose instructions. Avoid bleach and enzyme-based bio detergents; dissolve a wool-safe powder before use. Liquid is convenient, not compulsory. Woolmark’s detergent guidance.

• By machine. Turn the sweater inside out or use a laundry bag. Select the wool programme with settings permitted by the garment label and machine instructions. A bag does not make a non-machine-washable sweater washable. Woolmark’s washing guide.
• By hand. For a garment whose instructions allow it, EILEEN FISHER describes cold water, gentle movement and a soak of up to ten minutes, followed by fresh-water rinses until the soap is gone. Follow any shorter soak or different temperature specified for your sweater. Do not scrub or twist. Hand-washing instructions.

Remove water, then reshape and dry flat

Press out water gently, roll the sweater in a dry towel and press again without twisting. Transfer it to a fresh towel and arrange the body, sleeves and ribbing into shape. EILEEN FISHER’s drying method.

Support the whole sweater on a flat towel or garment-drying mesh, away from direct sun and heaters. Hanging wet knitwear can stretch it under its own weight. Tumble drying is an option only when the garment label permits it. Woolmark’s drying guidance.

Wait until it is dry throughout before folding it away. Reshaping here means arranging a damp garment, not forcing a shrunken sweater back to size.

Choose a pilling tool only where it helps

Friction encourages pills, especially where sleeves rub against the body. Their appearance does not tell you how often the sweater needs washing. Reduce repeated rubbing and treat the affected areas as needed. Woolmark’s pilling guide.

• Sweater comb. An option for gentle, controlled removal. Woolmark stresses careful use; do not assume that a manual tool cannot damage a knit.
• Fabric shaver. An alternative for removing pills. Check your tool’s instructions and the garment’s suitability first. Philips tells users of its listed models to work on a flat surface and avoid loose threads, embroidery, buttons and zips. Philips usage guidance.

Start in an inconspicuous area and stop if the fabric catches or changes. If you are unsure which tool addresses the surface problem, read the fabric shaver and lint roller comparison before buying.

Store clean and dry, without relying on cedar

Fold the sweater rather than hanging it. Before long storage, clean it as its label permits and let it dry completely; Woolmark recommends airtight bags or containers for clean wool garments. Everyday care and storage.

Cedar scent is not reliable proof of protection. Clothes-moth larvae eat wool, and UC IPM describes cedar’s effectiveness as limited. Its storage advice is to put clean, pest-free items in an airtight container. UC IPM’s clothes-moth guidance.

Before sealing, check folds and cuffs for holes, webbing or larvae. If you find signs of infestation, separate the item and seek a treatment compatible with its care label; an ordinary cool wash is not a moth-eradication method.