With autumn making its presence felt in the UK, it’s key to dress appropriately for cooler climes, and nothing screams essential like a snug jumper to stave off the chill.
Cosy knitwear becomes a must-have as the temperatures dip, and now is definitely the time to reintroduce those jumpers and cardigans into your wardrobe rotation.
If you’ve got a stash of jumpers or are contemplating adding new ones to your collection, knowing how to store them right is vital for their longevity. However, there’s a typical blunder that many commit with their cherished knits which could wreak havoc on these items, reports the Express.
Clothing company FatFace has roped in the expertise of their senior knitwear designer, Jan Yalchin, to give Brits top-notch tips on caring for knitwear to prevent any unwelcome damage.
You might tend to hang your go-to jumper or cardigan in the closet with the rest of your clothes when it’s not in use. But this is a big no-no and should be avoided completely as it can deform your knitwear and lead to costly replacements.
Jan has advised: “Where possible, always avoid hanging knitted garments on hangers as the weight of the fabric can cause it to pull downwards changing its shape – this is particularly important for wool, cashmere, or any heavier knits.”
Instead of overstuffing, neatly fold your knitwear and lay it flat in drawers to prevent creating fold lines or causing stress when searching for other items, prompting a word of advice from the specialist about not over-packing drawers as it can lead to uneven pressure and difficulty finding garments.
An essential piece of guidance the expert offered concerns avoiding excessive washing of knits, suggesting that spot-cleaning is preferable over routinely tossing them into the machine, preventing unnecessary damage.
The professional advised: “Hand washing is the safest option for preventing stretching or shrinking of a knitted garment, and can also help maintain its softness.”
Offering a step-by-step method, she detailed: “Place the item of clothing in a bowl of lukewarm water and mild detergent and leave to soak for 10 to 15 minutes, before gently massaging the soap out in a bowl of clean water.”
She continued with instructions to repeat the rinsing until the soap is completely gone and then recommended air drying the garment.
For those faced with shrunken jumpers or cardigans, the expert offers a reassuring solution, explaining that they can be restored.
But Jan has suggested a remedy for shrunken knitwear: “If an item of knitwear has shrunk from being in the washing machine, dryer, or by contact with sunlight, it doesn’t mean the garment has to be thrown away.”
To recover the original size of a shrunken piece, she instructs: “Start by submerging it in cold to lukewarm water with a tablespoon of fabric softener or hair conditioner, and leave to soak for 30 minutes before gently rinsing in clean water to remove the conditioner.”
She concluded by highlighting that a dash of fabric softener or hair conditioner can relax the fibres, allowing you to gently ease the garment back to its initial shape. She said: “Transfer to a towel and gently roll up with the garment inside to absorb any excess moisture, unroll, then lay flat on a dry towel.
“Once flat carefully and slowly stretch the item of clothing back to its original shape and size before leaving to air dry – if you have any round and heavy objects that can be used to pin the garment to the correct shape without puncturing the fabric then do so.”