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How to care for your sweaters

March 23, 2016

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It was mid-October, I believe, when you first laid eyes on her. She was on the arms of a co-worker, but it was love at first sight. You couldn’t resist. You had to know where she came from and how you could make her your own. Later that afternoon, you went straight up to that co-worker and just blurted it right out: “I love that sweater – and need one of my very own! Where can I find it?”

It’s been over four months now and you’re still just as happy with your sweater as you were the first day you bought her! But, if you were to be honest with us, you would admit that you haven’t taken as good of care of her as you should have and you would also admit that it’s starting to show. Your noble fear of mishandling your favourite sweater has caused to you to neglect it instead.

We can all relate; we all have that beloved piece that we wear over and over again, but just can’t bring ourselves to throw in the washer (or don’t have the patience to – gasp – hand wash). Visions of shrunken garments dance through your head or you convince yourself that somehow holes will start to appear with more frequent washing. You and I have both heard the horror stories, but avoidance is probably not the best reaction. Instead, let’s choose to be proactive, treating our favourite sweaters with the TLC they deserve.

While some sweaters can be cared for at home (they won’t all shrink!), with the huge variety of fabrics and wools out there in the market it can be difficult to know just how to care for each one. Angora, cashmere, acrylic wool, chenille, cotton…they all have their own needs, wants, and desires. Okay, at the very least, they have their own needs.

We always hesitate to encourage anyone to wash their best sweaters at home, but if you’re feeling ambitious, check your clothing care label and if hand washing is an option, here are a couple of helpful hints.

3 Quick Sweater Care Tips:

1. The less handling the better

Even if you’re hand washing, the less you’re touching the sweater’s fibres, the better. Avoid a lot of rubbing or swishing and instead of soaking, do some quick dunks in soapy water.

 

2. Cold water

Ever had a sweater come out of the wash looking a few sizes smaller than you remember? Heat is the culprit. Stick to cold water!

 

3. Zero hang time

Your sweaters aren’t Michael Jordan (wow, my basketball references are a little dated), so don’t give them any hang time. Lay your sweaters flat to dry.

If your sweater is dry clean only or if you don’t want to take the chance with your favourites, we would love to help. Our professional clothing care experts will ensure that your favourite sweaters receive the special care and attention they require to keep their shape, size, colour and to minimize pilling.

Our fabric care specialists will ensure that during colder months, your sweaters lay right, keep you warm and hug you in the right places to keep you looking your best. For more details and a complete pricing list, visit the Parkers Custom Clothing Care website or give us a call!

Skip The Hassle

Of Dropping Off and Picking Up Your Clothes

With Parkers free pickup and delivery service, you can enjoy the convenience of dry cleaning at your fingertips. Simply schedule your pickup online or by phone, and we’ll handle the rest.

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