5 Tricks To Prevent Your Sweaters From Pilling
The best part of fall is pulling out those cozy fuzzy sweaters of ours! It softens the blow of putting away the tank tops and shorts. But unfortunately, due to friction, pilling does occur on these sweaters, making for an unsightly appearance, making you feel like your outfit is as good as it could be. But not to fear! Here are 5 tricks to prevent your sweaters from pilling this autumn.
1. Avoid Dryers
Dryers are a pretty obvious no-no, even when it comes to issues outside of pilling, as your clothes are more likely to shirt or become damaged due to the high heat. However, regardless some people still think putting sweaters on a delicate will allow for a safe dry. This is false because while you may avoid shrinkage, you still get those little pill balls with fabrics rubbing together at the high temperature. So after you dry your favorite goods, just be sure to hang them out to dry. Even if it’s too cold to hang them outside or your running out of space in your laundry room, please invest in a drying rack. You’ll thank me later!
2. Hand Wash
Another way to avoid this fabric rubbing is to just hand wash your sweaters on cool. Just let the garment soak in a clean sink with a mix of detergent and water for about a half hour. You’re going to want to make sure that you rinse the sweater thoroughly. The last thing you want is the fabric to be pill ball free, but be crunchy from leftover soap. Also, be sure to hang these sweaters to dry after. Be sure to ring out all the water possible so that you don’t have a messy floor!
3. Use Razor Blade
Oddly enough, razor blades do an amazing job at removing pill balls. You’re going to want to lightly comb over the fabric with the razor blades, being sure not to scrape too harshly, as this could damage the sweater. This method works more effectively than lint rollers, as they only get rid of some of the lint on your clothes, and mainly are only efficient for pet hair removal. So don’t be afraid to start shaving your sweaters, as weird as that sounds!
4. Wash Inside Out
This one is a really easy and simple fix that shouldn’t prevent you from your typically washing routine at all. Simply turn your sweaters inside out, so that the piling only happens on the inside, if at all. While it is annoying to know that there is still some pilling on the fabric, at least you know it’s not visible to others, so your fall look is still as crisp and fresh as the day you bought the sweater!
5. Fabric Softener
Fabric softener not only makes your clothes feel more comfortable but look better as well. The enzymes soften the fabric, which creates an environment less likely for pilling to occur. This may be a trick you’re already doing anyway, so if you were to do this in correlation with some of the other tips your sweaters should be extra safe from pilling!
We all love to wear sweaters in the fall. But the unfortunate reality is it’s hard to keep these sweaters looking like you just bought them after you wash them. And when we are busier in the Fall, sometimes it’s hard to take the time to wash clothes properly and safely, so accidents do happens. However, if you follow these tips you can at least avoid the pilling that ultimately leads to your sweaters being forced into early retirement.
