How to wash cashmere: all the steps to follow

Raise your hand if you've never broken into a cold sweat at the idea of washing your favourite sweater at home, let alone one in cashmere.

This guide is designed for all of you: if you follow every step properly, nothing will scare you again. Let's wash.

First of all, take this small and unusual piece of advice: for the typical qualities of a cashmere garment to stay unchanged, it shouldn't be worn several days in a row, or at least 24 hours should pass between one wear and the next, so as not to stress the fibres too much and to slow down the appearance of pilling.

Pilling is that particular phenomenon that can lead to the formation of small irregular balls of fibre, which form because of rubbing or friction, and which are not to be taken as a sign of lower-quality cashmere but as a natural consequence of wearing it, preventable with good maintenance and care of the garment.

This is why a cashmere sweater needs particular care in its upkeep: from the washing stage all the way to drying. Only then will it never show the signs of time, keeping all its noble qualities unaltered.

Hand-washing

If by hand, do it in a basin of cool water in which you have dissolved a very small amount of mild wool detergent, a neutral detergent, or a few drops of baby shampoo. Immerse only one garment at a time, and inside out, so as to ruin it as little as possible. Let it absorb the water thoroughly: cashmere is often called a living fibre that loves water, and a proper wash leaves it softer and loftier than before.

Massage the sweater, pressing it gently, but absolutely avoid twisting, rubbing or ironing it, so that it doesn't felt. After that, rinse gently and patiently under running water - always cool - or change the water in the basin until it runs clear again.

Warning: don't let the garment soak for more than 5 minutes, or the detergent could ruin the fibres and make the colour bleed.

Machine washing

Yes, cashmere garments can be washed in the washing machine. Watch out for these precautions, though:

• Put the garment in the machine inside out or, better still, in a mesh laundry bag made for washing delicates.
• Add a very small amount of mild wool detergent
• Select a short wool or delicate cycle at 30°C at most.
• Skip the spin cycle; if that isn't possible, set it to a low speed (400 rpm).

Drying

Once the wash is done, lay the sweater flat on a towel and gently roll it up on itself to remove the excess water.

Then leave the garment laid out to dry on a flat, horizontal surface, away from heat sources and sunlight.

Ironing

If the wash was done following the steps properly, ironing may not be necessary. In any case it's best to keep the garment inside out and use very low temperatures so as not to compromise the fibres. The greatest precaution calls for either a shot of steam from 2" (5 cm) away from the garment, or a cotton cloth placed between the inside-out sweater and the iron set to a low temperature.

Let the garment cool before you fold it.

Storage

Once the season of use is over, cashmere garments should be washed and put away thoroughly dry in a dedicated garment bag, kept in a cool, dry place. The bags holding the garments should be placed inside drawers or wardrobes with adequate moth protection.