How to Wash Fleece and Deal With Pilling

Decide what actually needs attention

This guide covers polyester fleece, including recycled polyester. Check the fibre label before choosing a routine: for a wool or merino sweater, use the wool-care guide.

• Dirty or smelly: follow the washing steps below.
• Clean but pilled: go to the pill-removal section. Pilling alone usually does not mean the garment has stopped working, as Patagonia explains.
• Flattened or worn thin: do not automatically treat the whole surface as removable fuzz. Check the limits in the pill-removal section first.

You do not need to wash a clean jacket just because you wore it once. Columbia advises avoiding unnecessary washing.

Prepare the load, then measure the detergent

Close fasteners and turn the fleece inside out. Keep denim and terry towels out of the load; Patagonia recommends this separation to reduce abrasive contact.

A mesh laundry bag is an optional way to separate the jacket from other items. Choose one sized for the garment rather than a small lingerie pouch. Brabantia describes laundry nets as protective separators, not a guarantee against pilling.

For machine-washable fleece, use the label's permitted settings. Cold water, a gentle cycle and mild laundry detergent without softener match Columbia's fleece instructions; they also exclude bleach. A suitable detergent you already own is enough.

Measure using the detergent package's directions for the load, soil and water hardness. Tide's dosing guidance supports adjusting for those factors, not automatically halving every dose.

Choose drying by the label

Prefer flat air-drying where the label permits it. If tumble-drying is allowed, select the permitted low-heat setting and remove the jacket when finished. Helly Hansen's fleece guide discusses these options; low heat is not permission to ignore a crossed-out dryer symbol.

Do not use an iron to flatten or fluff polyester fleece: Columbia prohibits ironing its 100% polyester fleece. Judge dryness before storing, rather than relying on a fixed number of hours.

Remove pills without shaving away the fleece

Attached balls of fibre are different from a generally flat surface. Friction from straps and fasteners encourages pilling, so check what repeatedly rubs that area. REI explains the abrasion link.

An electric fabric shaver is an optional tool for distinct pills, not a whole-jacket resurfacing treatment.

• Check compatibility: follow your device's instructions. For long-pile fleece or a surface you cannot confidently distinguish from pills, ask the garment maker before shaving.
• Try a hidden spot: take the jacket off, lay it flat and use light movements. Steamery's Pilo guidance warns that pressure can catch fabric in the blades.
• Avoid obstacles: keep clear of loose threads, embroidery and fasteners. These are explicit exclusions in Philips GC026/00 guidance; other models need their own instructions.

If you are unsure whether you need to remove loose lint or attached pills, compare fabric shavers and lint rollers before buying.

For a flattened jacket, finish appropriate cleaning and drying before judging its texture. Do not keep shaving, brushing or adding heat to chase an as-new finish. If it remains matted or thin, ask the maker about care or repair; this guide cannot promise restored loft.

Put it away dry, not freshly softened

Skip fabric softener even when the fleece feels rough: it can reduce moisture wicking. Rinse thoroughly after washing, and store the dry jacket somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight, following Columbia's fleece-care advice. If the fabric is still damp, leave it out to finish drying before packing it away.