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How to Keep Knitwear and Cashmere Looking Their Best, Season after Season

How to Keep Knitwear and Cashmere Looking Their Best, Season after Season. Knits, Wool and Cashmere Care Tips to prolong knitwear life.If you take a look into any Canadian girl’s closet, you are bound to find a large section of knits and cashmere items. Our long winters make these pieces essential go-to items for most of the year. As a busy mom there are more days than I count where I need effortless style. I love being able to just grab a sweater from my closet to pair with jeans for an easy and classic look.

 

 

 

My cousin, an avid knitter, is currently working on a We Are Knitters sweater kit which included some fabulously luxurious meriwool. The meriwool is specially treated merino wool that allows you to machine wash your finished piece and still retain all the softness. Don’t you just love the sprinkles of colour in this yarn?

In case you haven’t come across them before, We Are Knitters offers complete DIY knitting and crochet kits that are both modern and stylish. No matter your taste or experience, you’ll find a kit to match complete with amazing, high quality materials.

 

 

The Canal Sweater is going to be a beautiful knit piece, don’t you think?

The thing with knits though? They eventually need to be washed. So how do you care for knits so that they keep looking and feeling their best? Check out these tips from Downy for Knits, Wool and Cashmere:

 

Knits, Wool and Cashmere Care Tips:

1. Always check the care label before laundering as some items can only be dry cleaned.

2. Zip up the zipper and button all buttons (if applicable) to keep them from rubbing against fabrics and causing damage; then turn garment inside out to further protect the outside of the garment. Separate colours into lights, brights, and darks to avoid dye transfer.

3. For machine washable items:

a. Set your washing machine to gentle cycle on cold water wash temperature. Cold-water washing will help prevent fading and dye transfer, and help preserve the fit.
b. For particularly delicate items, put into a mesh bag to minimize rubbing against other fabrics.
c. Use a high quality detergent like Tide PODS, a convenient 3-in-1 laundry product that cleans, fights stains and brightens your garment. NOTE: As with all single use packets, add the Tide POD to the washing machine drum before adding the clothes.
d. Add Downy Fabric Conditioner to the rinse cycle to help prevent stretching, fading and fuzzing. When used with Tide detergent, Downy Fabric Conditioner can help keep clothes looking newer for longer – allowing you to get a whole extra season out of your garments!

4. For hand wash only items:

a. Fill a clean sink with cool water and add a small amount of delicates-friendly liquid detergent, like Tide Free & Gentle Liquid; then mix. Add your garment. Let soak for 15 minutes; then lightly agitate for three to five minutes. Rinse until suds are removed. Do not wring or twist.
b. Remove garment from sink. Fill sink with cool water and add a small amount of Downy Fabric Conditioner; then mix well. Add your garment to the sink and agitate lightly for three to five minutes. Rinse once. Just like a hair conditioner helps to protect hair and prevent frizzing, Downy Fabric Conditioner will condition your garment to help prevent stretching, fading and fuzzing.
c. Remove excess water from the garment by placing it flat on a clean towel and rolling the towel with the garment inside. Repeat as needed until garment is only slightly damp.

5. Check care label for drying instructions:

a. For tumble dry garments: Use the lowest heat setting available with Bounce dryer sheets to help prevent wrinkling and static.
b. For air dry only garments: Reshape garment; then lay flat to dry on a drying rack or on a towel away from heat and sunlight. Turn over as needed until dry.
c. When in doubt, lay flat to dry as heat from the dryer can damage some fabrics over time.

 

 

 

I know most people are leery when it comes to washing cashmere and knitwear because of the fear that they will lose their shape, softness and may begin pilling. The key is to condition these pieces with Downy Fabric Conditioner after washing them with a high quality detergent like Tide. Downy Fabric Conditioner works by lubricating the fibres, which makes them less likely to break which decreases pilling and prevents fit loss to help keep your favourite sweaters looking fabulous.

Think of it as the conditioner you use to protect your hair after shampooing. Downy protects clothes from damage right at the fibre level. You wouldn’t skip conditioner after you shampoo – same goes for your clothing.

In fact, We Are Knitters recommends Downy Fabric Conditioner asa must-have in the wash to care for knit garments. When a respected top-knitwear brand makes that kind of endorsement, it is that much easier to trust your own favourite knitwear in the hands of Downy.

I really was comforted after finding out that We Are Knitters trusts Downy so much.  You see, as a Canadian, I too have a large section in my own closet dedicated to sweaters.

In fact, I have a collection of beautiful wool and cashmere sweaters from England that I’ve been neglecting to wear as I have been worried about the effects of washing them too often. I didn’t want my favourite sweaters to start prematurely ageing! After washing with Tide PODS and Downy April Fresh Fabric Conditioner I was surprised by just how great my sweaters looked, felt and smelt. It was an immediately noticeable difference, and I love that the fresh floral scent lingers lightly for several days after washing.

I no longer have to worry about washing my favourite knitwear pieces. I trust Downy Fabric Conditioner to protect my knits against stretching, fading, and fuzzing because I’ve seen first hand how effective fabric conditioning is at protecting my knitwear. My sweaters almost look better now than they did when brand new!

Now I know that caring for my my knits with Downy Fabric Conditioner is a must. It will keep my knits looking and feeling their best so I can pull them out looking like new when the cold weather inevitably hits again in the fall.

Do you use Downy Fabric Conditioner to protect your knits?

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Downy. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

 

 

 

SHELLEY R ZUREK

Tuesday 28th of February 2017

Glad for these tips. I just bought a mohair sweater so I think I can use these with that too.

kathy downey

Tuesday 28th of February 2017

Thanks for sharing your tips,i love Downy and have been using it for years

melissa

Tuesday 28th of February 2017

thank you so much for sharing this information- I'm always looking for tips to keep my knitwear from getting all ratty looking! These are PERFECT!

Stephanie LaPlante

Tuesday 28th of February 2017

I'll definitely stick to Downy from now on. Thanks for the tips. I love keeping my sweaters new looking.

Toni | Boulder Locavore

Tuesday 28th of February 2017

These are awesome tips! I love my knitted sweater and I want it to last for years. I'll try your tips!