SWEATERS 101

SWEATER 101 – As seen on 3TV/Phoenix (Good Morning Arizona) – December 10, 2018 – 8:40am – VIDEO

**See Special VIDEO TIP at the bottom section of this post**

Winter has arrived in many areas of the country and we are all pulling out our sweaters. I want to share with you some easy ways to keep them clean, fresh and new looking and also how to take the itch out of wool sweaters.

CASHMERE: Cashmere should be cared for as you would care for your hair. Hand wash it in cool water with a good squirt of baby shampoo. Gently squeeze the suds through it and then squeeze it out but don’t wring. Put into a rinse of cool water and again squeeze it rather than wringing. Do a second rinse of clear cool water. Gently squeeze out the water you can and then roll in a towel to remove as much water as you can. Reshape and dry flat out of the sunlight. Cashmere can easily be devoured by moths so be sure to store at the end of the season with cedar chips or blocks.

BLENDS: These are sweaters with cotton, polyester and other fibers. If they say “washable” on the care label here is what to do. Turn them inside out and wash in cool water on a gentle cycle in the washer. Dry as indicted on the care tag. If you put them in the dryer, leave them wrong side out until you fold them.

EMBELLISHED: Sweaters that are washable with beading, sequins, etc. on them need special care. Always hand wash these and if you have a “hand wash” feature on your washing machine, put the sweater, turned to the wrong side, in a delicate or lingerie bag. Use a gentle detergent and a liquid fabric softener. Dry according to directions.

KEEPING WOOL ITCH-FREE: Many times sweaters containing wool can be itchy when it comes into contact with skin. To eliminate this issue wash as directed on the care label but use a rinse containing a few tablespoons of glycerin. Find glycerin in the hand cream section at the drug store. This will keep the garment soft and prevent itching.

FRESHENING SWEATERS: If you want to freshen a sweater without washing or taking it to the dry cleaner, try Woolite Dry Cleaners Secret or Dryel. It is used in the clothes dryer to freshen the sweater. It is not an actual cleaner or stain remover, but it will help you get more wear out of clothes. Use according to directions and buy at places like Walmart, Walgreens and Target and Amazon.

PILLS ON YOUR SWEATER: Use an inexpensive razor to gently shave off the unsightly pills.

Below is a bonus video tip on what to do if your sweater shrinks…YES…you can stretch it back to size if you do it correctly.

Watch the TV broadcast below: