Clothing Advice: How To Care For Cashmere

When purchasing any item made from cashmere, check the percentage amount listed on the care label. A sweater or other item of clothing made with cashmere should have a high percentage of cashmere. The higher the percentage, the softer the garment will be. Also, because of the dyes, lighter colored garments tend to be softer. Also, the more you wash cashmere, the softer it will become.

Before you put on any article of clothing made from cashmere, it's important to get a few details out of the way. Products such as deodorant, anti-perspirant, perfume, makeup and hairspray can cause staining. Apply all of these products prior to getting dressed and allow them to dry completely. If you'll be putting on makeup after you've gotten dressed, it might be a good rule of thumb to wear a robe or other covering to avoid messy mishaps.

When it's time to clean your cashmere, there are only a few simple rules to follow. In almost all cases, cashmere should be hand washed.Use a very mild soap or shampoo and wash and rinse in warm water. Don't wring the garment when you're done. This will not only cause it to wrinkle, but it will weaken the fibers (and you want your piece to last as long as possible.) Instead, roll the garment in a towel, gently squeezing. Let the towel absorb the water. Do this with a couple of towels until you've squeezed out as much of the water as possible, then lay your garment on a new towel until it's completely dry. Don't hang up anything made of cashmere to dry as this will cause it to stretch and lose its shape. Cashmere can also be dry cleaned. Check the instructions on the care label to make sure this is an option. You don't want your garment destroyed by harsh dry cleaning chemicals.

If your cashmere is wrinkled, place a towel over the garment and press with a cool dry iron until the wrinkles disappear.

It's important not to hang up any article of clothing made from cashmere; otherwise, it will lose its shape. Your best recourse for storing is to fold the piece and lay it on a flat surface such as a dresser drawer or shelf.

Do your best to keep your cashmere piece stain free. Cashmere attracts moths and moths are attracted to food stains as well as those stains caused by sweat and body oils. When placing your piece in long-term storage, use an air tight container or garment bag and throw in a couple of moth balls or other moth repellent. Sachets made of lavender oil are also recommended, as are cedar chips or cloves.

As you can see, it's really not difficult to care for cashmere. As long as you're gentle in the washing and drying process, remember to lay the garment flat when drying and keep it safe from moths, your cashmere should last a very long time.