Martha Stewart Wants You To Wash Natural Fabrics The Right Way - Here's How

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If laundry is your least favorite chore, you might skip the sorting and throw all of your dirty clothes into the wash together. But according to Martha Stewart in a clip from the Martha Stewart Show, if any of those items are made of more delicate natural fabrics, you're doing it wrong. Natural fibers often require more careful handling than synthetic fibers, such as polyester or nylon. While their materials may feel luxe, some natural fibers, especially wool and cashmere, are prone to shrinkage when exposed to heat and feature delicate fibers that may be damaged in a normal wash or dry cycle. The good news is that there's an easy process to get these materials looking clean and new again: depill, measure, wash, and dry.

To choose the best laundry detergent for your cashmere and wool sweaters, look for one specifically formulated for these materials, or opt for a gentle detergent. Aside from detergent, you'll need a measuring tape, some clean towels, and a fabric comb to properly wash and dry wool or cashmere.

Martha Stewart's four-step routine takes a little extra effort compared to throwing your sweaters in the washing machine, but it can leave your wool and cashmere clothing looking like it just came off the rack. The first step is to lay your sweater on a hard surface and depill it. The best way to get rid of pilling on clothes is with an inexpensive fabric comb like this Johnson & Smith sweater shaver. Lightly run the comb over the sweater to remove any bumps or fuzz. Next, measure your sweater and write the dimensions on a piece of paper. When you dry the sweater, you can lay it back in this exact shape.

To wash the sweater, fill a sink or basin with cool water. Add a little bit of gentle liquid detergent and skip the popular laundry products that aren't worth buying. Swirl with your hands to combine the water and laundry soap. Let the sweater soak for a few minutes, then rinse well with water. After rinsing, gently squeeze the sweater to remove excess water, but avoid wringing it.

For the final step, lay out an absorbent bath towel, place the sweater on top, and arrange it so that it matches the measurements you took before washing. Fold the towel over the sweater and gently roll it up in the towel to squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible. Finally, move it to a dry towel, recheck the measurements, and let it air dry. According to Martha Stewart, after it fully dries, you may need to dewrinkle it with a steamer, but you'll be left with a new-looking sweater.