Sweaters are the base item for styling from fall to spring. Many of you probably own several of these sweaters, but doesn’t it seem a bit much work to have them all sent to the cleaners? Some sweaters do not need to be cleaned depending on the type of stain, so hand washing at home should be an option. Mr. Yamazawa, the president of Yamasawa Press, Inc., taught us how to wash sweaters at home.
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How to tell which sweaters can be washed at home?
You should check the laundry label! Sweaters with this mark cannot be washed at home.
Sweaters with this symbol are not suitable for home laundering because they are “not washable in cold water. These are often found on items made of delicate materials such as wool, cashmere, silk, and rayon, and even acrylic and cotton items often have this mark, depending on the design. Incidentally, if you wash a sweater with a non-washable mark, it will shrink, lose its shape, form a furball, or lose its texture, among other disadvantages. When washing a sweater with this mark, send it to a dry cleaner.
What kind of washing labels are on sweaters that can be washed at home?
Clothing that can be washed at home has either a picture of a hand in a washbowl or a picture of a number on a washbowl. The former means that the garment can be washed by hand with a temperature limit of 40°C. The latter indicates that the garment can be machine-washed with a temperature limit of ____°C in accordance with the number on the garment. In addition, only marks that can be machine-washed may be underlined, with no line indicating normal strength, “-” indicating weak strength, and “=” indicating very weak strength.
Even though sweaters can be machine-washed, they are basically delicate items, and in any case, it is recommended to wash them carefully using the hand-washing method introduced here.
Depending on the type of stain on the sweater, home laundering may suffice!
There are four main types of stains on clothing. These are oily stains such as sebum from the body and exhaust gases, water-soluble stains such as sweat and beverages, insoluble stains such as sand and dust, and special stains such as blood and mildew. Water-soluble stains can be removed by home laundering, so if beer or coffee is spilled on a sweater, home laundering is sufficient to take care of the stain if it is handled promptly. However, the longer the stain is left untreated, the more difficult it becomes to remove, so it is best to take the stain/stain to a dry cleaner if it has been too long.
A professional teaches you how to wash sweaters at home! Including tips and precautions!
Mr. Yamazawa, president of Yamasawa Press Co. Please also check out the video in which Mr. Yamazawa explains the tips and precautions for removing stains without losing shape.
How to wash a sweater at home (1) “First, hand-wash with mild detergent and water
To thoroughly clean a sweater, first fill a tub (or bathtub) large enough to hold a sweater folded in half with hot water and mix in a mild detergent. Make sure to use hot water of the correct temperature according to the laundry label. When ready, place the sweater folded in two and leave it soaking for 10 minutes, then wash it by pressing it down. When washing, use a gentle, light pressure so as not to damage it by pulling or rubbing. After the entire surface is cleaned by turning it over about 4~5 times, move on to the next part of the process.
How to Wash a Sweater at Home (2) “Change the Water and Rinse”
The next step is to thoroughly remove the detergent from the sweater. After preparing new water (or hot water), remove the detergent from the fibers by pressing gently from above in the same manner as when washing. First, the entire surface is thoroughly rinsed, then the sweater is turned over to the reverse side and rinsed, and then the water is changed again and the rinsing process is repeated three times, and then rinsing is complete.
How to Wash a Sweater at Home (3) “Put it in a laundry net and put it in the dehydrator.
After rinsing thoroughly, put the garment in a laundry net and put it through dehydration. Basically, it is preferable to use a laundry net of a size that fits a sweater folded in two perfectly, because the sweater may lose its shape if it is folded too many times or if it moves inside the laundry net. In this case, the sweater was folded twice and placed in a 40cm*30cm laundry net. If the sweater does not fit snugly, you can tie up the excess portion. If the sweater fits well in the laundry net, put it in the washing machine and dehydrate it for one minute.
Here’s the laundry net we used this time!
Click here for details and purchase.
How to wash a sweater at home (4) “Hang it on a flat drying net and dry it in the shade in an airy place!
After finishing dehydration, dry the sweater. Knitwear becomes heavier when it contains water and will stretch if hung on a hanger, so it is an ironclad rule to hang it flat. Therefore, it is best to prepare a flat drying net, which can be found at 100-yen stores. If you don’t have one, you can also dry the sweater by laying newspaper and a towel on the lid of the bathtub and placing the sweater on it.
How to Wash a Sweater at Home (5) “Iron the Finish! Apply steam to fluff up the fabric.”
The last step is ironing. Steam from a steam iron not only fluffs up the fabric and makes it more comfortable to wear, but also restores any stretching that has occurred. Since low temperature requires more frequent application of steam, set the iron at a medium temperature and apply steam over a cloth. There is no particular order for ironing, but it is recommended to start with the ribs of sleeves and hems, which tend to stretch easily. When ironing, avoid rubbing and apply steam by pressing lightly from above. Iron the entire garment, and when it is in good shape, it is ready to be worn.
This is the knit I used this time! ” Gentleman Projects DUO NOIR
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