Learn how to wash cashmere, jeans, leggings and socks with simple fall clothing care tips to keep your seasonal favorites looking their best.
The Right Way to Wash Your Fall Wardrobe
Fall wardrobes are officially back in rotation. Sweaters come out of storage, jeans become an everyday staple, and leggings, boots, and cozy layers start working overtime.
But your favorite fall pieces don’t all belong in the same wash cycle. Knowing how to wash cashmere, how to wash jeans, and how to care for other seasonal fabrics can help prevent shrinking, fading, stretching, and pilling. Before tossing everything into the washer, here’s how to give your fall favorites the care they need.
Cashmere is a fall favorite that requires a gentler approach. Before washing, always check the care label. If the garment is washable, hand washing is often the safest option.
Use cold water and a small amount of mild detergent designed for delicate fabrics. Gently move the sweater through the water without rubbing or wringing it. Rinse thoroughly, then press out excess water with a clean towel.
Most importantly, lay cashmere flat to dry. Hanging a wet cashmere sweater can stretch the fibers and change its shape.
Wondering how to wash jeans while keeping your favorite denim looking its best? Start by turning jeans inside out. This helps reduce friction against the outer fabric and can limit fading.
Wash denim in cold water on a gentle cycle and avoid washing it more often than necessary. For dark jeans, washing with similarly colored clothing can also help protect their appearance.
When the cycle ends, check the care label before drying. Air drying can help reduce heat exposure, shrinkage, and unnecessary wear.
Leggings become an unofficial fall uniform, but performance fabrics need special care too. Turn leggings inside out and wash them in cold water with similar fabrics.
Skip fabric softener unless the care label specifically allows it. Softeners can leave residue on some performance materials and affect their moisture-wicking properties. High heat can also damage elasticity, so air drying or using the lowest recommended dryer setting is usually best.
Fall means boots, sneakers, and plenty of thicker socks, so keeping them fresh without wearing them out is key. Before washing, turn socks inside out to help remove sweat, dead skin, and odor-causing buildup from the fabric closest to your feet.
Wash socks with similar colors according to their care labels, typically using cold or warm water. Avoid excessive heat, especially for wool socks or pairs containing elastic and performance fibers, since high temperatures can contribute to shrinking and loss of stretch.
For wool or cashmere-blend socks, use the same extra-gentle approach you would with other delicate fall knits. Choose cold water and a gentle detergent, then air dry when recommended. And if you’re dealing with stinky socks, washing them promptly instead of letting them sit at the bottom of the hamper can help keep odors from settling into the fibers.
You’ll see “tumble dry low” on plenty of clothing care labels. The tumble dry meaning is simply that an item can be dried in a machine. “Low” means using a lower heat setting.
Low heat is typically gentler on fabrics and can help reduce shrinkage and heat-related damage. If you’re unsure what a laundry symbol means, check the garment’s full care instructions before washing or drying.
Cold water is generally less likely to cause shrinkage than hot water, making it a useful choice for many fall staples. Heat can cause certain natural fibers to contract, particularly when combined with agitation or high dryer temperatures.
That doesn’t mean every garment belongs in a cold wash, though. The care label should always be your first guide.
A little extra attention can go a long way toward helping sweaters, jeans, leggings, and other seasonal favorites last beyond one sweater-weather season.
And when you’d rather leave the laundry to someone else, HappyNest provides professional wash, dry, fold, pickup, and next-day delivery in service areas across the U.S. We follow your selected laundry preferences and care instructions so you can spend less time sorting loads and more time enjoying fall.
Sweater weather is better without laundry day. Schedule your next pickup at HappyNest.com!