You’ve invested in beautiful cashmere — now let’s make sure it lasts. With proper care, a quality cashmere garment can look and feel extraordinary for 15-20 years. Neglect it, and even the finest Grade A cashmere can deteriorate within a single season. This guide covers everything you need to know about keeping your cashmere in pristine condition, from washing techniques to long-term storage.
How Often Should You Wash Cashmere?
Less than you think. Cashmere has natural antimicrobial properties that resist odour buildup, meaning you don’t need to wash it after every wear. For sweaters, every 3-5 wears is typically sufficient unless there’s a visible stain or noticeable odour. Scarves and accessories can go even longer between washes — 5-10 wears for most people.
Between washes, air your cashmere out by laying it flat on a clean surface overnight. This allows any absorbed moisture and odour to dissipate naturally. A quick spritz of fabric refresher (choose an alcohol-free formula to avoid drying the fibres) can extend time between washes.
Hand Washing: The Gold Standard
Hand washing is the gentlest and most effective way to clean cashmere. Here’s the step-by-step process used by textile conservators and luxury garment specialists.
Step 1: Prepare the water. Fill a basin or clean sink with lukewarm water — roughly 30°C / 86°F. Water that’s too hot will felt the cashmere (causing irreversible shrinkage), while cold water won’t effectively dissolve detergent. Lukewarm — comfortable to the touch — is perfect.
Step 2: Add detergent. Use a cashmere-specific wash like The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo, Eucalan, or Soak. These formulas are pH-neutral and free from enzymes that can damage protein fibres. Add about a capful per sink of water — more is not better. Avoid regular laundry detergent, dish soap, or anything with bleach, enzymes, or fabric softener.
Step 3: Submerge and soak. Turn the garment inside out and gently submerge it in the soapy water. Don’t wring, twist, or agitate — simply press the garment gently into the water and let it soak for 15-30 minutes. The detergent does the work; you don’t need to scrub.
Step 4: Rinse. Drain the soapy water and refill with clean lukewarm water. Gently press the garment to release the soap — repeat until the water runs clear. Again, no wringing or twisting. You may need 2-3 rinse cycles.
Step 5: Remove excess water. Lay the garment flat on a clean, dry towel. Roll the towel and garment together, pressing gently to absorb excess water. Unroll and transfer to a fresh dry towel or a mesh drying rack.
Step 6: Dry flat. Reshape the garment to its original dimensions while damp — this is your opportunity to gently stretch or smooth any areas that may have distorted. Lay flat on a mesh drying rack or clean towel away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Drying typically takes 12-24 hours depending on humidity.
Can You Machine Wash Cashmere?
The short answer: yes, with significant caveats. Many modern washing machines have a “hand wash” or “delicates” cycle that uses minimal agitation and low spin speeds. If your machine has such a setting, you can use it for cashmere with these precautions.
Always use a mesh laundry bag to protect the garment from snagging. Select the coldest water temperature available (ideally 20-30°C). Use a cashmere-specific detergent at half the recommended dose. Run the shortest possible cycle. Remove immediately when the cycle ends — don’t let cashmere sit in a damp drum.
That said, hand washing is always safer. Machine washing introduces risks — even gentle cycles use more agitation than hand washing, and the mechanical action can cause pilling and fibre damage over time. Reserve machine washing for your more casual cashmere pieces and always hand wash investment-grade items.
Dealing with Pilling
Pilling is the single most common complaint about cashmere — but it’s actually a natural and unavoidable part of wearing any protein fibre. Those small balls of tangled fibre form when loose ends on the fabric surface are agitated by friction (from bags, seatbelts, jackets worn over cashmere, etc.).
The good news: pilling is most pronounced in the first few wears and diminishes significantly over time as the loose surface fibres are gradually removed. Here’s how to manage it.
Use a cashmere comb (not a fabric shaver). Cashmere combs, like those made by The Laundress or Gleener, gently lift and remove pills without cutting into the fabric surface. Fabric shavers can be too aggressive for fine cashmere and may damage the underlying weave.
Comb gently in one direction, working in short strokes. Don’t press hard — let the comb’s teeth do the work. Focus on high-friction areas: underarms, sides of the torso, and cuffs.
Reduce friction. Avoid wearing rough-textured bags across your cashmere (crossbody bag straps are notorious pill-causers). Be mindful of seatbelts, desk surfaces, and any repetitive contact points.
Storing Cashmere Properly
How you store your cashmere between seasons is just as important as how you wash it. Moths are cashmere’s greatest enemy — these tiny insects can destroy an entire sweater in weeks.
Always clean before storing. Moths are attracted to body oils, food particles, and perspiration — not the cashmere itself. A freshly washed garment is far less appealing to moths than one that’s been worn and put away.
Fold, never hang. Cashmere stretches under its own weight. Hanging a cashmere sweater on a hanger will create shoulder bumps and distort the shape permanently. Always fold and store flat.
Use cedar, not mothballs. Cedar blocks or cedar rings placed in your storage drawers or containers naturally repel moths without the toxic chemicals and unpleasant odour of traditional mothballs. Refresh cedar annually by lightly sanding the surface to release fresh oils.
Consider breathable storage bags. For long-term seasonal storage, place folded cashmere in breathable cotton garment bags or acid-free tissue paper. Avoid plastic bags or sealed containers — cashmere needs air circulation to prevent moisture buildup and mildew.
Check periodically. Even with preventive measures, check stored cashmere every few weeks during off-season storage. Early detection of any moth activity can save a garment from significant damage.
Removing Common Stains
Act quickly with any stain — the longer it sits, the harder it is to remove. Blot (never rub) the stain with a clean, damp cloth to absorb as much as possible before treating.
Red wine or coffee: Blot immediately with cold water and a clean cloth. Soak in a solution of lukewarm water and cashmere wash for 30 minutes, then hand wash as normal.
Oil or grease: Sprinkle cornstarch or talcum powder on the stain and let it absorb for several hours. Brush off the powder gently and hand wash.
Makeup or foundation: Dab gently with a small amount of micellar water on a cotton pad, then hand wash.
For stubborn stains, take the garment to a specialist dry cleaner who has experience with cashmere. Be specific about the stain type and avoid general dry cleaners who may use harsh chemicals.
Professional Dry Cleaning
While hand washing is ideal for most cashmere care, professional dry cleaning has its place — particularly for tailored cashmere garments (coats, blazers) that can’t easily be reshaped after wet washing. Choose a cleaner who specialises in luxury or natural fibre garments, and specify that you’d prefer a gentle solvent like liquid CO2 or GreenEarth over traditional perchloroethylene.
Limit dry cleaning to 2-3 times per season at most. The solvents, while effective at cleaning, can gradually strip natural oils from cashmere fibres, leaving them drier and less soft over time.
Quick Reference: Cashmere Care Do’s and Don’ts
Do: Hand wash in lukewarm water with cashmere-specific detergent. Lay flat to dry on a mesh rack. Use a cashmere comb for pills. Store folded with cedar blocks. Air out between wears.
Don’t: Use hot water or regular detergent. Hang cashmere on hangers. Use a tumble dryer. Wring or twist wet cashmere. Store in plastic bags. Iron directly (steam instead).
The Payoff
Taking proper care of your cashmere isn’t just about preservation — it’s about enhancement. Well-maintained cashmere actually gets softer and more beautiful with age. The surface fibres settle, the hand-feel deepens, and the fabric develops a subtle patina that new garments simply don’t have. Your oldest cashmere sweater should be your softest. With the care techniques in this guide, it will be.
