Cashmere feels like a small luxury every time you put it on, but that softness disappears fast if you treat it like an ordinary sweater. Knowing how to wash cashmere properly is the difference between a garment that lasts for a decade and one that shrinks, pills, or loses its shape after a single trip through the washing machine. This guide walks through exactly how to wash cashmere at home, step by step, so you can keep your pieces feeling new for years.
Why Learning How to Wash Cashmere Matters
Cashmere comes from the soft undercoat of cashmere goats, and those fibers are far more delicate than sheep’s wool. They have less natural elasticity, which means heat, agitation, and harsh detergents can permanently damage the fabric. This is exactly why so many people ruin an expensive sweater the first time they wash it — they treat it like cotton or synthetic knitwear. Once you understand how to wash cashmere correctly, though, the process is actually quite simple and only takes about fifteen minutes.
How Often You Should Wash Cashmere
One of the most common questions people have about how to wash cashmere is how frequently it needs to be done. The honest answer: less often than you think. Cashmere is naturally odor-resistant and doesn’t need washing after every wear. Most experts, including the Woolmark Company, recommend washing wool and cashmere garments only every few wears, or whenever they actually look or smell like they need it. Over-washing is one of the fastest ways to wear down the fibers, so airing a sweater out overnight after wearing it is often enough to freshen it up.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
Before diving into how to wash cashmere, gather a few basics: a clean sink or basin, lukewarm water, a wool-specific detergent, and a flat, dry towel. Avoid regular laundry detergent entirely — it’s formulated for tougher fabrics and will strip the natural lanolin that keeps cashmere soft. A gentle, pH-neutral wool wash such as The Laundress’ Wool & Cashmere Shampoo is specifically designed for this purpose and makes a real difference in how the fabric feels afterward.
Step-by-Step: How to Wash Cashmere by Hand
Hand washing is the safest and most reliable method, and it’s genuinely not much extra effort.
Start by filling a basin with lukewarm water — never hot, since heat causes shrinkage. Add a small amount of wool detergent and swirl it gently to combine. Turn the sweater inside out and submerge it fully, then let it soak for about ten minutes. Resist the urge to scrub or rub the fabric; instead, gently press and squeeze the water through the knit, almost like you’re kneading dough very lightly. This is the core of how to wash cashmere without damaging the fibers — agitation is the enemy, not water.
Once soaked, drain the basin and refill it with fresh lukewarm water to rinse. Press the sweater gently again to remove the soap, repeating the rinse until the water runs clear. Never wring or twist the garment, since this stretches and distorts the fibers permanently.
Can You Machine Wash Cashmere?
Many people ask whether machine washing is ever acceptable when learning how to wash cashmere, and the answer is a cautious “sometimes.” If a sweater’s care label allows it, use a delicate or wool cycle with cold water, place the item inside a mesh laundry bag, and use a wool-safe detergent. Skip the spin cycle if your machine allows it, since spinning can stretch wet cashmere out of shape. That said, hand washing remains the gold standard, and most cashmere care guides — including advice from Real Simple — still recommend it over machine methods whenever possible.
Drying Cashmere the Right Way
Drying is where a lot of damage happens, even after a careful wash. Never hang a wet cashmere sweater, since the weight of the water will stretch it out permanently, and never put it in the dryer, where heat will shrink it. Instead, lay the sweater flat on a clean, dry towel, then gently reshape it to its original dimensions — smoothing the sleeves, straightening the hem, and easing the shoulders back into place. Roll the towel up with the sweater inside to squeeze out excess moisture, then unroll it onto a fresh, dry towel and let it air dry completely, flipping halfway through. This flat-drying method is a non-negotiable part of how to wash cashmere successfully, and skipping it is the single biggest reason sweaters lose their shape.
Removing Pilling and Stains
Even with careful washing, cashmere can develop small pills over time from friction against bags, seatbelts, or other fabrics. A cashmere comb or a fine-toothed sweater stone works well to gently lift these away without damaging the knit. For stains, treat them before washing rather than after — dab (don’t rub) the area with a small amount of diluted wool detergent, working from the outside of the stain inward so it doesn’t spread.
Storing Cashmere Between Washes
How you store cashmere affects how often you’ll need to wash it in the first place. Always fold cashmere sweaters rather than hanging them, since hangers stretch the shoulders over time. Store folded pieces in a breathable cotton bag or drawer, ideally with cedar balls nearby to deter moths, which are drawn to natural fibers like cashmere and wool.
Once you get the hang of it, how to wash cashmere stops feeling like a chore and becomes second nature — cool water, gentle handling, a wool-safe detergent, and flat drying. Treat each sweater with that same light touch every time, and it will reward you with years of softness rather than a single season. If you’re building out a small at-home laundry kit, it’s worth reading up on general wool care basics as well, since much of it overlaps with cashmere.
