Washing knitwear. How to wash knitted items. How to wash so that the material shrinks

Knitwear is warm and pleasant to the touch. Clothing made from this material is resistant to mechanical stress, but is prone to change in shape.

Made by machine from fabrics containing cotton, linen, wool and silk.

Knitted products require proper care and certain washing rules. The duration of wear and appearance depend on this.

Rules for washing knitwear so that they do not stretch and there are no pills

Knitwear is a delicate material. If textiles are not cleaned correctly, the item will lose its shape.

To prevent clothes from stretching and pilling from forming on your dress, you need to know a few tricks to prevent these troubles.

6 rules to avoid pilling and 5 tips to prevent products from stretching:

  1. Before the procedure, turn the clothes inside out. The friction will affect the inside of the garment.
  2. Buy the right product. Abrasive detergents increase the likelihood of pilling.
  3. It is recommended to use liquid powders.
  4. There is a higher chance of pilling in the washing machine. If possible, wash by hand.
  5. Set to delicate mode. The less time the clothes are washed in the machine, the less pilling is formed.
  6. Wash without twisting, dry on a clean towel.
  7. You can avoid the appearance of pellets by using foil balls. Do not use on white laundry.
  8. To prevent the product from stretching, use a gentle mode, without pre-soaking.
  9. After washing, do not hang it on the dryer, it will stretch.
  10. The edges of the sleeves and collar are treated with light thread, the stitches are made wide so that they can be easily removed after drying.
  11. Friction, squeezing and twisting are prohibited.

Buttonholes also stretch. Therefore, it is recommended to coat the inside with colorless varnish, dry it and then put the item in the machine.

Pills cannot be avoided if the material contains synthetics + natural fibers, acrylic, loose thread with long fibers, or the fabric constantly rubs against a T-shirt, belt, sweater or bag.

By following simple washing rules, the item will remain attractive for a long time and retain its original color.

Wash by hand


If the question arises of how to wash a jacket or coat, sweater or dress, this indicates that there is little experience in caring for such material.

This means removing dirt manually.

Without fear, you are allowed to send the product to the automatic machine if the item is made from yarn with superwash treatment.

Fabric types and temperatures:

  1. Soak colored items and boil them. To avoid changing the flowers, pour 1 tbsp into the water. l. vinegar. Temperature: less than 40°C, can be washed in cold water. Do not place it in hot water; the product will fade.
  2. It is recommended to process woolen and half-woolen fabrics at a temperature no higher than 40-50% in a rich soap suds.
  3. For items made of artificial silk, the recommended temperature is 35-40 °C.

Choosing the right temperature for knitted fabrics is important. Because washing in hot water will cause the product to deform. The fabric will shrink or become matted.

The process of hand washing items takes no more than 40 minutes. This procedure is not very tiring, since the material is easily cleaned of dirt.

It is carried out in several stages:

  • clothes are soaked in warm or cool water for 20 minutes;
  • remove dirt by carefully squeezing and unclenching, and do this only along the length;
  • rinse several times, constantly changing the water.

If difficult-to-remove stains are discovered, they are removed using gentle means. Do not wash. Soak the stain with concentrated soap solution and leave for 15 minutes.

Washing in a washing machine

Washing things in an automatic machine is easier than by hand. The procedure is allowed if the fabric contains artificial fibers.

Machine washing instructions:

Always choose a gentle procedure. Modern technology allows you to process things in modes: delicate, manual, for wool or silk.

  1. Temperature no higher than 40 °C or cold water.
  2. Spin at minimum speed, it is advisable to disable this mode. Compression hosiery must not be wrung out. Even minimal speeds will damage the fabric and destroy the frame threads that ensure proper distribution of pressure on the leg.
  3. Rinse twice.

How to wash without shrinking the fabric

It is not difficult to remove dirt from knitted fabrics; the main thing is to follow the rules to prevent the fabric from shrinking.

This material requires careful care. The main element of the fiber structure is a loop consisting of a core and a connecting broach. Positioned horizontally.

Important! The larger the loops, the more careful the item is treated.

  1. To soak, dilute the gel in a bowl of cool water.
  2. Prepare a concentrated soap solution.
  3. Wash clothes in warm and soft water.
  4. To soften, add a pinch of baking soda.

A sweater with 70% cotton content is processed at temperatures up to 50 °C. Rinse in water at the same temperature. Knitwear does not like strong changes.

Remember that hot water treatment will cause clothing to shrink. It is especially destructive for natural fibers. To prevent things from shrinking, you should not turn the temperature on above 40 °C.

How to wash so that the material shrinks

You need to wash viscose knitwear before cutting. It must be soaked in warm water at 30-40 °C, then lightly squeezed and dried. This must be done so that after the first wash the item does not become even smaller.

Before cutting, textile fabrics made from synthetic fibers or with a high wool content must be treated with care; it is better to take them to the dry cleaner. Fabrics shrink a lot.

Washing for shrinkage:

  1. The hat, jacket or dress is placed in water with a temperature exceeding 10 °C from that indicated on the tag.
  2. Leave in hot liquid for 20 minutes.
  3. Do not twist it, place it on a towel, blot it, and shape it into the desired shape.

Dry clothes on a horizontal surface. Drying with a hairdryer will help shrink the material more.

Detergents for washing knitwear


The use of powdered products is not recommended. They dissolve poorly, clog fibers, leave streaks and make the fabric rougher.

Knitted items are washed exclusively with gel-based products. They dissolve and rinse well, are economical, and wash gently. The gel is suitable for any delicate fabrics, but does not remove stains as well.

The best detergents for knitwear:

  • Purox Color;
  • Perwoll Care and Restoration 1 l;
  • Frosch;
  • Sonett Neutral series Concentrate 1 l;
  • Barbuda with silver ions for washing delicate linen made of wool and silk 1 l;
  • Royal Powder Delicate 500 g;
  • Persil Gel;
  • Wellery;
  • Synergic;
  • Domal color;
  • Eared Nanny;
  • Ariel.

You can prepare the gel at home. The product is environmentally friendly, does not contain surfactants, and is safe. You can also wash children's clothes with homemade liquid gel.

  • Take 200 grams of soda and soap, 3 liters of water.
  • The soap is grated and melted.
  • Then add soda and stir. It is important that it completely dissolves, otherwise things will be in streaks.
  • The prepared mass is left for a day, poured into containers, and used if necessary. To wash colored clothes, add 1 tsp to the homemade gel. fine salt.

Bleaching knitwear

To maintain the normal appearance and quality of the product, you must follow some rules for washing and bleaching the material. It is important to use only approved products and not experiment, so as not to get disastrous results.

Products for bleaching knitted items:

  1. One of the most gentle and effective methods of whitening is German salt for stains Sil. Valid at 20°C. Active oxygen removes stains from fruits, red wine, coffee, lipstick. Directions for use: dissolve 50 g of powder in 4 liters. Place the laundry and stir. Leave overnight. Rinse.
  2. Wet the clothes with water, rub with 72% laundry soap to create a rich, dense foam. Leave to soak for 20 minutes. Water temperature 30-40 °C. Rinse things several times.
  3. Resuscitate with ammonia. Mix a bottle of ammonia with 10 liters of water at a temperature of 20-30 °C. Place the faded knitted item in the solution for 10 minutes. Wash, rinse twice.
  4. Use Vanish for white, but with caution. Using a measuring spoon, apply the gel to the stain and rub in with the dispenser. Leave for 10-15 minutes. For soaking, add 100 ml of Vanish to 4 liters of water, water at a temperature of 20-40 °C. Soak for no more than 30 minutes.
  5. Amway is a universal bleach for all types of fabrics. Dissolve the liquid product in hot water, add cold water until the temperature reaches 30 °C. Soak dirty knitwear overnight. Wash as usual, rinse well.
  6. With the help of mustard powder you can rid knitwear of grayness and stains. 4 tbsp Dilute the product in 1 liter of hot water and wait until dissolved. Add cold water until the temperature is no more than 40 °C. Place the product in the solution, wash after 30 minutes and rinse twice.

For severe stains, when home whitening does not help, seek professional help. In-salon dry cleaning will remove any stains without damaging the fibers of the material.

Drying

Delicate items require more than just careful washing. They need to be dried properly. When trying to quickly dry an item, do not forget about safety precautions and the specifics of the fabric.

  • Do not dry near open fire.
  • Do not hang near heating devices or near radiators. Accelerated drying leads to deformation.
  • Limit exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The fabric shrinks and fades.
  • Dry knitted clothes on a towel. When it gets wet, change it to something else.
  • You can't hang it on a clothesline, it will stretch.
  • You can use hangers for sweaters and dresses. The trempel must match the size of the item, otherwise the product will be deformed.

In an emergency, you can use an electric dryer and hang things next to the oven that is on. It is allowed to use a hairdryer, holding it at a distance of 20 cm from the item.

Ironing


When the product is completely dry, iron it. Here, too, you need to follow some rules so as not to spoil the thing.

Knitted items must be ironed immediately after drying; creases and folds on overdried items are difficult to handle with an iron and steamer.

Correct implementation of the procedure:

  1. Temperature – 110 °C or less.
  2. Iron from the inside out. Do not touch the front side of the fabric with the device.
  3. Apply a damp cloth on top if the fabric is too dry.
  4. Do not move the iron over the item. Carefully and consistently apply the sole to the fabric. Don't press too hard.
  5. Move the iron in the direction of knitting.
  6. Iron the sleeves starting from the wide part towards the narrow part.
  7. To ensure that clothes last longer and do not lose their shape, it is recommended to steam them. That is, it is not the weight of the iron that influences the item, but the generated weight. Steam generators and hand steamers are suitable for this. Sweaters with embossed patterns cannot be sent with the front side turned out. They will be more convex if done from the inside out.

If there are decorative elements made of leather, suede or fur, use dry cleaning services.

Leave ironed knitwear on the ironing board. Place only cooled and completely dry items in the closet.

If, after storing in the closet, the item turns out to be wrinkled, moisten it with water from a spray bottle, place it on the table and straighten it. After the moisture evaporates, folds and creases will disappear.

Knitted clothing always attracts attention. The main thing is to provide proper care. In order for the product to always please you with its appearance, it is important to know the rules of washing, drying, ironing and storage.

For washing such delicate material as knitwear, the best product is soap shavings (2 g per 1 liter of water).

There are also a large number of special powders for knitwear on sale now. The powder must first be diluted in water and never poured directly onto the knitwear, as it can ruin the color of the product. If you are going to start washing immediately, without pre-soaking, soak the most contaminated areas with a detergent solution. Leave the item for 15 minutes and then wash as usual. It is not recommended to soak knitted items for more than 20 minutes. The water for soaking should be cool, as in hot water the knitwear will shrink and fall off.

It is advisable to wash any knitwear by hand and squeeze it rather than rub it, otherwise pilling may appear. Knitted items should be washed in soft water. If the water is hard, add 1 tsp to the washing solution. baking soda. For the first rinse of knitted items, the water must be at the same temperature as when washing. You need to rinse thoroughly so that no detergent remains in the fabric fibers (during drying, detergent residue can ruin the color of the product). You can add rinse liquid to the rinse water, which removes static electricity and makes the product soft.

If the knitted item fades, before washing, soak it in cold water with a little vinegar added. When rinsing, glycerin is also added to the water (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).

It is better to spin knitwear in a centrifuge - to do this, wrap it in a towel and squeeze it until semi-dry. But it is better to lay it out on a clean sheet - this way you will allow the water to drain and will not damage the knitted fabric by compression or stretching. Never hang knitted items to dry: they will stretch and lose their shape. If the product is small, then by pulling it out you will not be able to make it larger; after a while it will again take its original shape.

The dried product can be lightly steamed with an iron. If the knitwear has a print on it or the product has a high pile, then the product must be ironed from the wrong side. Colored embroidery will become bright again if, before ironing, dip the front side of the product in water with vinegar and place it on a clean cloth. After drying, remove the pellets with a special machine or brush.

The modern woman's wardrobe contains many knitwear items. But they, like any other clothing, get dirty over time. To make stylish looks with these products delight you and those around you, you need to wash the knitwear correctly.

Features of the material

Before turning to the rules for washing items made from knitwear, you need to find out which items are classified as knitwear. Knitwear refers to products made using a special knitting technique on a machine. The secret of the strength and aesthetic appearance of the fabric is in the special weave of the threads.

The characteristic features of the canvas are:

  • the ability to quickly restore shape after deformation;
  • fabric can change shape;
  • knitted products are stretchable;
  • the canvas does not wrinkle;
  • The products do not require delicate care.

Knitted products can be made from a variety of raw materials: from wool and cotton to linen and combinations.

Due to the fact that natural materials are combined with synthetic components, knitwear products are very durable and can maintain an attractive appearance for a long time.

It is worth paying attention to knitwear products if you need to preserve their aesthetics. When washing, it is important to strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations located on the item's tag or label.

Proper care of knitwear will protect you from pilling.

Features of washing knitwear

Before you start washing the product, you must carefully read the information on the label. As a rule, it contains all the information on the care, drying and washing of a particular product.

The composition of the fabric requires special attention.

  • If your knitwear consists exclusively of natural fibers, then it must be washed by hand.
  • If, in addition to natural fibers, the fabric contains synthetic components, you can wash such knitwear in an automatic washing machine.

Handwash

Knitwear adds softness, flow and femininity to your stylistic decisions. It is important to provide the product with proper care.

If the item is made of knitwear with a natural composition, then hand washing is recommended.

Any housewife can perform the procedure. To do this you need to follow simple recommendations:

  1. The water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees.
  2. Powder can ruin the item, so it is recommended to use liquid detergents. If you don’t have such a product at home, you can replace it with regular shampoo.
  3. In a convenient container, dissolve the detergent in water, then lower the product into the solution. Soaking is necessary, since you cannot rub, and soaking will ensure the removal of complex contaminants. Soaking should last no more than 30 minutes.
  4. The product must be rinsed several times.

Take proper care of your knitwear!

Machine washable

You can wash knitwear in a washing machine if the fabric contains synthetic components.

To machine wash a knitted item, you need to follow simple recommendations:

  1. Set the washing machine to a delicate wash mode; it can be replaced by a care mode for items made from wool.
  2. It is recommended to use a laundry bag.
  3. The number of revolutions should be minimal.
  4. Use the rinse function several times.
  5. When washing knitted items, it is not recommended to completely fill the washing machine drum.
  6. Knitted items should be washed at a water temperature of no higher than 40 degrees.

Machine wash will make caring for knitwear easier.

Drying

Drying knitwear on a dryer or line is not recommended; drying in a horizontal position is suitable.

  1. After washing, you need to allow excess moisture to drain.
  2. After this, you need to straighten the product on a horizontal surface and leave it in this position until it dries completely.
  3. It is recommended to lay the product on a towel; it will absorb any remaining moisture.
  4. It is forbidden to dry products on a radiator or near heating devices, as this will lead to shrinkage and deformation of the fabric.
  • In case of shrinkage, you can use a steamer.
  • If pellets form, use a simple razor.

Knitted items always attract the attention of fashionistas, as they are beautiful and warm, comfortable in contact with the body. To enjoy stylish looks with knitwear, you need to wash it properly.

Knitwear today is one of the most popular materials for sewing products. Comfort, warmth, elegance – these are the distinctive qualities of this material. Probably every fashionista has at least one knitted item that she loves. That is why it is important to understand how to wash knitted items and not worry about their deformation and loss of qualities and properties. In this material we will talk about how to properly wash knitwear.

Every family has enough knitted clothes

Characteristics of knitwear

Before you get involved with washing, you need to understand what knitwear is and what its distinctive features are.

Knitwear is a fabric knitted on a knitting machine. One of its qualities is the ability to deform and change shape, since knitted loops of fabric have this ability. The larger the knitting, the more delicate the product. This fabric is very vulnerable to friction, twisting and stretching.

Both natural and artificial fibers are used to weave threads. Therefore, you can find both pure wool, cotton, linen items, and products made of polyester, viscose, and nylon. Mixed knitwear, when synthetic threads are added to natural threads, have proven themselves well in everyday use.

When starting to care for such products, you should coordinate your actions with the manufacturer’s advice indicated on the label or label of the item. After all, improper washing can lead to stretching, shrinkage and pilling.

If the item contains decorations in the form of appliqués made of fur, suede, leather or other decorative inserts, then cleaning it at home without losing quality will not be easy, so it is better to trust dry cleaning.

If you want to do everything yourself, then you will need certain knowledge. Let's look at the basic preparatory steps and general recommendations for washing such items.

To prevent the edges of the sleeves, hem and collar from changing shape, you can baste along the edge of the item, making sparse stitches with a thick thread of a neutral color. The basting is removed on the dried product.

Knitted items for every taste

Several detergent options are suitable for washing:

  • shavings of laundry soap at a ratio of 2 g of product per 1000 ml of water;
  • neutral granular powder or loose detergent for delicate washing;
  • liquid analogues of powders: gels, shampoos, etc.

Whatever product is used, it should not contain bleaches or chlorine-containing substances.

If necessary, you need to soak. To do this, the detergent is diluted in water at room temperature. The clothes are immersed in this solution, after first turning them inside out and treating any existing stains with laundry soap. Soaking time – 20 minutes. Now you can start the main wash.

The ideal washing option is manual.

Every person's wardrobe contains more than one item of knitwear, because it is beautiful and inexpensive. But you can preserve the original attractiveness of a particular wardrobe item made from this material only if you know how to wash knitted items. You will learn about this, as well as other secrets of caring for such clothes, from this article.

What is knitwear?

Knitted fabric is usually made from natural wool fibers. Modern manufacturers often add synthetic fibers to extend the life of the product and make it more practical and comfortable to wear.

Important! If you have already fully appreciated all the benefits of clothing made from this material specifically in relation to your body type and personal comfort when wearing, you may be interested in experimenting with your own looks using our simple master classes:

You need to wash knitted items correctly for the same reason that you need to know how to wash knitted items - if not properly cared for, clothes made from this material can lose their shape (shrink or stretch), as well as develop unsightly pilling.

Important! To avoid such problems, the easiest way is to refer to the label on the product - there, usually, manufacturers indicate in symbolic or written form all the recommendations for caring for clothing. If for some reason this is missing or you cannot figure out the symbols on your own, read below all the rules for washing and drying knitwear.

Washing knitwear

In order to properly wash knitted items, it is still advisable for you to know the composition. This will determine how much effort you personally will need to remove dirt from the item and return it to an attractive appearance. The recommendations in this regard are very simple:

  • if the item is only made of natural fibers, use hand washing;
  • If the fabric contains synthetic threads, feel free to load it into the washing machine.

Important! If you haven’t been able to find out the composition of the fabric, and you don’t want to take risks and spoil your clothes, then there is only one way out - hand washing. It doesn’t matter here whether you need to wash a knitted dress, jacket, T-shirt or tank top.

Hand wash - features

Despite the fact that you will have to work with your own hands, you will not need any special difficulties or hard physical labor in order to wash knitted items.

You just need to follow these tips:

  1. Water temperature - no more than 30-40 degrees.
  2. Laundry detergent - preferably in liquid form, preferably special gels or concentrates for delicate laundry or wool. For example, . If you don’t have one at hand or don’t want to spend a lot of money on purchasing it, then your regular hair shampoo is the ideal option.
  3. Dissolve the laundry detergent in water before placing clothes in the basin.
  4. The washing itself involves gentle squeezing movements, no intense rubbing or twisting. If there are complex stains of dirt on the fabric, only gentle soaking is allowed for no more than 20 minutes.
  5. Be sure to rinse several times until the remaining detergent is completely removed. Change the water to clean water several times, but be sure to keep it at the same temperature. If you rinse knitwear in cold water, it will shrink or lose its shape.
  6. To freshen clothes and remove the smell of sweat, add a good pinch of soda to the water during the last rinse, and if you need to make the product soft, your option is glycerin (1 teaspoon is enough).

Important! If you need to wash a knitted dress or a long-sleeve sweater, first hem the sleeves and hem with thick thread. In this case, the product will be gently fixed in one shape and will not stretch or deform. The main condition is that the thread should not shed.

Washing in a washing machine

If the care label is machine washable, your job will be much easier. But this does not mean that you can clean knitted items from dirt with clothes made from other fabrics and in any mode. Some rules will still have to be followed. They are as follows:

  1. Be sure to set the delicate mode or the “wool” function.
  2. Place knitted items in a special laundry bag.
  3. Do not use the spin mode or set the speed to minimum, but set the double rinse.
  4. Fill the equipment drum only halfway.

Important! Some problems may arise with knitted items when worn. But you will quickly cope with them if you take note of our selections of effective methods:

Drying knitwear

Drying knitwear on a linen thread as usual is unacceptable. To prevent the item from losing its shape, do this:

  1. After washing, leave the item of clothing in the basin for a short time - this is necessary so that excess water drains out.
  2. Lay out a thick terry towel or absorbent fabric on a flat surface.
  3. Place a knitted item on top, straighten it well.
  4. Wrap carefully in a towel.
  5. Leave in a horizontal position on a flat surface for several days to dry at room temperature.

Important! Never place knitted clothing in direct sunlight or on radiators. This will ruin your favorite dress or jacket forever.



gastroguru 2017