How to Care for Knitwear
Whether you purchase a knitwear item, make it yourself or someone makes it for you, there are many, many hours of work involved in knitting. Many knitted items become family heirlooms and you will want to keep them in their best condition. In this blog I will discuss how best to clean and store you knitted items so they will last you for years to come.
It is important to note what type of fabric the item is knit out of. I use mostly natural fibers for many reasons. Natural fibers are made from things found in nature and in most cases have less impact on the planet because unlike synthetic fibers they aren’t made from chemicals and are therefore biodegradable. They are also renewable and great at regulating body temperatures. Synthetic fibers tend to be made of plastics which break down over time, depositing tiny pieces of plastic in the water and air (as I discussed in a previous post) and sometimes it has been shown that wildlife will eat these plastics, mistaking them for food. Having said that natural fibers sometimes (but not always) need extra care when laundering or storing. Even if labels say the knitwear can be laundered by machine, I tend to wash by hand just to be on the safe side.
Hand washing isn’t really as hard or time consuming as it sounds. Most of my hand washing would more accurately be described as hand “soaking” because I’m actually soaking the items for a period of time and then hanging them or lying them flat to dry. The steps to hand washing are easy and are as follows:
- Fill a sink or basin with cold or lukewarm water, enough to cover the knitted item you are washing.
- Put a SMALL amount of mild soap in the basin – or even better a wool wash such as SOAK or Eucalan (check out the KnitPicks link below).
- Place the knitted item in the basin and squeeze gently so the item will soak up the water.
- Leave item soaking for at least 10 minutes.
- Lift knitted item out of basin and squeeze excess water out – DO NOT RING.
- To help absorb more water, roll knitted item in a towel.
- Lie flat or hang to dry, depending on the item. (Larger items may do better when dried flat, so they won’t become misshaped.
I generally hang socks to dry).
And, that’s it
Storage
It is best to store your knitwear folded on a shelf or in a drawer and not hanging on a hanger. Knitted items hung on a hanger may stretch or become misshaped. For longer term storage use an airtight plastic bin but be aware that it’s a good idea to take the item out of the bin occasionally to inspect it and let it “breathe”. Beware of pests such as moths. Ways to prevent moths include making sure you store your knitwear clean. Never store dirty knitwear – even if you’ve only worn it once or twice before storing, clean it first. Any dirt or oils will attract moths. Also, a good tip is to put your knitwear in a Ziplock bag and place it in the freezer for a few days. It may sound crazy but this will kill any moths and larvae before you store the item.
Here’s to keeping your knitwear in great shape for years to come, and remember no matter what happens Stick to the Knitting 😊
