Can I hand wash a dry clean only sweater?

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Can I hand wash a dry clean only sweater?

I have two: one is cashmere, and the other is merino wool. Can either of these materials be handwashed?

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Yes. handwashing is actually better for cashmere and merino wool than the chemicals, like carbon tetrachloride, they use at the dry cleaners.

use cold water and a mild soap like woolite.

the trick is to not twist or stretch the sweater.

fill up the bathroom sink with cold water, add soap, then put the sweater in the water. gently squish the water through the sweater, it helps to kind of fold it and gently force the water through it. sort of like pizza dough. when you're done, hold the sweater above the sink until the water mostly runs out of it. gently squeeze it, but don't wring it, you'll stretch it.

lay out a large bath towel on a table or the floor and lay your sweater flat on the towel. pat your sweater into the the right shape to be sure there's no pressure on the yarn anywhere. be sure the arms aren't stretched out either. everything should be tension free. you can fold the arms at the

shoulders and cross them over the front of the sweater, or let them stick out to the side. your preference. depends on which way you position the sweater on the towel. good luck!