How do you wash sweaters...and keep their shape?
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
October 25, 2010 9:50pm CST
I can't find a better catagory for this question, so I hope those here can help me. I bought some nice sweaters. They say machine wash, but even on delicate, that aggitator works pretty hard and "beating" up the clothes. However, I dont' have the space to dry them if I hand wash them. So... my question...any suggestions on how to wash sweaters so they don't get pulled and stretched while in the washing machine?
2 people like this
4 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
26 Oct 10
Dry clean them.If you can't use your delicate cycle or wash by hand and have them lay flat to dry then have them dry clean after the season ends.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
27 Oct 10
Thanks, but these sweaters are not that expensive...$20 each on sale. I would hand wash them but I just don't have the space/area to lay them flat to dry. Dry cleaning is expensive out here.. maybe before I pack them away for summer, but other than that, I can't afford dry cleaning.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
27 Oct 10
I saw a sweater rack in a catalog once but for the life of me I can't remember which one! It was about the price of one of your sweaters! The two that come to mind are Harriet Carter and Miles Kimball.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
27 Oct 10
I've checked into those.. cheaply made and I have no where to store the screen. and the way this tub is shapped in this apartment... it wouldn't hold the screen.
1 person likes this
@sender621 (14889)
• United States
26 Oct 10
I own a lot of sweaters and i like to take good care of them. washing them csn be a hassle at times. i wash my sweaters on a delicate cycle in the washing machine. Sometimes i will even hand wash them instead. I lay them flat to dry. They usually keep their shape for me this way. hope this helps you out.1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
27 Oct 10
I'd like to do that, but just don't have the room to deal with the screen and such to lay them to dry. They aren't expensive sweaters...$20 each but I'd still like them to last a season or so! I was thinking, maybe hand wash them, then tumble them in the dryer.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
26 Oct 10
I remember when we used to have to hand wash sweaters and lay them out on a screen to dry, but now I have a newer washing machine of the type that does not have an agitator post so the clothes do not get beat up or stretched out of shape. On the gentle cycle it is possible even to wash nylon stockings.
1 person likes this
@buggles64 (2709)
• United States
10 Dec 10
I would hand wash a delicate sweater and then put it out flat to dry. They have those dryers that you can use with your tub. My mother in law bought me one at one time and I used it often. Sometimes, even though the tag says it's okay to machine wash...it really isn't
