Best way to wash

17 Responses to “Best way to wash”

On March 4th, 2008 at 9:19 am Gale said:

Handwash. Most certainly. Just my opinion.

On March 4th, 2008 at 11:15 am thingwhatsqueeks said:

I wash all my handknit socks in the machine in cold water, because otherwise I’d never wear them since I won’t want to hand wash them. I have bought some mesh laundry bags so that I can keep them from getting as mangled during the process, and I rarely put them through the dryer even if they are superwash. (Although there are cases where I am either lazy or careless, and they end up in there.) The spin cycle seems to get enough water out that they will dry a lot faster than when I hand wash too.

On March 4th, 2008 at 2:32 pm Chrissie said:

I handwash all of my STR socks…the only socks I machine wash are my Regias

On March 4th, 2008 at 2:48 pm Sharon in Salem, Mass said:

I hand wash almost all of my socks. I will hand wash my RSC socks, but I have this nifty rack that came with my dryer so I can dry them flat at very low temperature. It only takes about an hour or so to dry them. The few pairs of machine washable socks I actually put in the machine, I put in a mesh bag and then pull them out and dry them on the nifty rack after I have dried the main load.

On March 4th, 2008 at 8:45 pm Tina said:

Here is my favorite washing technique for hand knits. All hand knits. Put like minded colors in the washer and fill with just enough cold or luke warm NOT HOT water and a very small dollop of a mild detergent.
Let it soak a wee bit (1/2hour) then drain and spin dry.
Dry flat. No dryer.

that is this dyers two cents.

On March 4th, 2008 at 8:47 pm Jeanne Michael said:

If they have superwash wool, I wash them in individual laundry bags in cold - I have a front loader washer. I air dry them (using blockers if they become misshapen, but clothespins otherwise). They’ve all had the unfortunate experience of tumbling in the dryer by accident - all survived but one.

On March 5th, 2008 at 12:39 am CurlyBrunette said:

I use the handwash setting thats on my front loader and I swear by it for all my handknits. When they come out of the washing machine I allow them to airdry or I place them on the flat drying rack in my dryer on low heat and they are dry in about an hour. If I let them lay flat to dry and its very humid outside they can take as long as 48-72 hours to dry as opposed to an hour on the dryer rack. The 1st time I washed my STR socks I did handwash for fear of ruining them but with the husband, kids and my socks that just to many socks to handwash!

On March 5th, 2008 at 7:20 am Lisa said:

I’m a handwasher. It take me 20-30 minutes from start to drip dry. The first time I wash a new pair of socks, they go solo. If the water comes out clear, they go in with the rest the next time.

I’ve heard that there is a fun little Octopus hanger (think lots of arms w/clips at the ends) available at IKEA. I’ve only seen it in red, but it seems to be a great solution in you hang dry.

On March 5th, 2008 at 7:55 am Sam La Tricoteuse said:

Do you have any insights with front loading washers?
Mine has tons of cycles and in comparison with my top load washers I use a lot of these i.e.: delicate, hand washables.. I just wondered if any of you had used this type of machines and if they have any recommendations.

On March 5th, 2008 at 8:39 am rabbitsknit said:

OK - I guess my answer is handwash. So handwash it is. I will just collect them and when I gather a grouping I will wash them and lay them out to dry. Thanks to all that responded.

On March 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am Ann Valdez said:

I have Knitpicks and Opal that run through the washer and dryer with regular laundry like champs. I washed Koigu KPPPM and Lorna’s Laces and they fuzzed up (KPPPM so badly that the cables are near invisible- basically ruined). First, I am not the laundry person in our family, and second- spending 30 minutes washing socks is NEVER going to happen for me. Funny, spending 5 hours straight knitting I have time for

On March 7th, 2008 at 3:15 pm Deb said:

Although I’m a self-proclaimed laundry nut, I wash all my handknit socks in my front-load washer on the delicate or handwash cycle in cold water. I too use a mesh bag and then either lay them on top of the dryer or hang them over a bar above my washer/dryer to dry. It’s worked fine. Like so many others have posted, I just do not have the time to wash anything by hand…but the handwash cycle is really gentl on front loaders….

On March 9th, 2008 at 12:33 pm Regina said:

I would hand wash them too. My very first pair of socks…ever…were STR. They came out a little large so I did put them in the washer and they did wash up just beautifully…didn’t even shrink. Next time they needed washing, my husband put them in the washer….AND IN THE DRYER….maybe one day I will have a little grand baby who will look just adorable in them!

On March 9th, 2008 at 5:10 pm Liesl said:

Here are my tips: handwash *inside out* using a delicate wool wash, squeeze them out, then put them in the washing machine on a low spin cycle to spin the rest of the water out - helps them dry much faster.

On March 10th, 2008 at 3:06 pm Heather said:

I handwash them and after I squeeze out as much water as possible I roll them up in an old towel and stomp on it to squish out as much water as possible.

On March 16th, 2008 at 9:03 pm Alana said:

I always handwash my STR socks. I found this out the hard way after my first pair which the husband put in the washer AND the dryer. The look adorable in their felted way on my 4 year old….

On March 17th, 2008 at 6:40 am Patricia Dixon said:

Tina, I with you on hand knits, only I use leftover shampoo. They come out so beautiful..smeel good!

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