Guides & garment-care know-how
Practical, no-nonsense advice on caring for, repairing and getting more life out of your clothes.
Inherited Bunad – Care, Assessment and Gentle Renewal
Inherited a bunad? How to assess its condition, gently freshen it, polish the silver and refit it to a new wearer – with respect for the original.
Black Clothes Fading? How to Keep the Black Deep
Black clothes going grey and dull? Learn how to wash and dry darks so the black stays deep – and when a garment is better left to a pro.
How to Block a Stretched Wool Sweater Back Into Shape
Has your wool sweater grown, gone baggy or long in the arms? How to block it back into shape with wet-blocking, step by step.
Burn Holes in Clothes – How to Judge and Repair Them
Burn hole in clothes from a cigarette, spark or iron? How to tell a scorch from a real hole, why the edge must be cleaned first, and what can be saved.
Bunad After 17 May – Refresh It and Store It Right
Bunad after 17 May: treat the day's stains while fresh, air the wool and store the bunad properly for the year. Clean storage is the best moth defence.
Getting a Bunad Ready for Confirmation
Using the bunad for a confirmation? How to get it ready in time: the right fit, airing and cleaning, the silver – and when pros are needed.
Relining a Jacket – When and How
Worn or torn jacket lining? How to tell whether the lining should be repaired or fully replaced – and which lining fabric to choose for a reline.
How to Replace a Trouser Zip the Right Way
Broken zip in your trousers? Learn how a fly zip is built, whether a new slider or a whole new zip is needed – and when to leave it to the pros.
Replacing an Invisible Zip in a Dress
Invisible dress zip failing? How it's built, what you can rescue yourself, why replacing it is precision work – and when to send the dress in.
Replace Worn Elastic in Cuffs and Waistbands
Slack or wavy elastic in a waistband or cuff? Learn to replace worn elastic step by step, pick the right type and length – and prevent it perishing.
How to Replace Snaps – Step by Step
Replacing snaps is a different job from sewing a button. How to remove an old press-stud without wrecking the fabric, and set a new one that holds.
'Dry Clean Only' – Can You Cheat It and Wash at Home?
Can you cheat a 'dry clean only' label at home? Often yes, sometimes never. The risk map, the dye test and the garments you must never gamble with.
DWR vs. Membrane – What's the Difference?
What is the difference between water repellency (DWR) and the membrane in a jacket? They do different jobs. Here is what each is, and why your jacket needs both.
How to Pick Up a Dropped Stitch and Fix a Ladder
A dropped stitch has run into a 'ladder' down your knit? How to pick the stitches back up with a crochet hook, step by step, so it stops running.
How to Reattach a Belt Loop
Belt loop torn off? How to bar-tack it back with strong thread, what to do if the waistband tore, and how to make a new loop from scratch.
How to Remove Tar and Asphalt Stains from Clothes
Tar and asphalt are oil-based and shrug off water. Learn why – and how to dissolve the stain correctly, without rubbing it deeper in.
How to Remove Berry Stains – Blueberry and More
Berry stain from blueberries? Rinse cold from the back before you use soap. How anthocyanin stains behave – and when to use a cleaner.
How to Remove Ink Stains from Clothes
Ink stain on clothes? Ballpoint dissolves in alcohol, water-based ink in cold water. How to lift it without spreading – and when to use a cleaner.
How to Remove Blood Stains Without Setting Them
Blood stain on clothes? Cold water is everything – heat 'cooks' blood in. How to remove fresh and old blood stains, and when to have the garment cleaned.
How to Remove White Deodorant Marks
White deodorant marks aren't yellow sweat stains. Learn how to lift fresh streaks and waxy build-up – and how to prevent them.
Colour Run in the Wash – How to Save Your Whites
A red sock turned your whites pink? Don't dry it – heat sets the dye. How to wash the colour back out, and how to stop a dye run happening again.
Grease and Oil Stains – How to Get Them Out
Grease and oil stains do not come out with water alone. How to draw out the grease, what works on fresh and old stains – and when the fabric should be cleaned.
How to Remove Grass Stains – Step by Step
Grass stains are dye and protein in one. How to lift both with an enzyme detergent and a dab of alcohol – what sets them, and when to use a cleaner.
Yellowed Stains on White Clothes After Storage – How to Remove Them
White clothes gone yellow in storage? Understand why fabric yellows in the wardrobe, how to bleach it back with oxygen, and how to prevent it.
How to Remove Hair Dye Stains From Clothes and Towels
Hair dye is an oxidative colour reaction – once dried, it sets. How to act fast on towels and collars, and when to send the garment in.
Removing Mud and Soil Stains from Clothes
Let mud and soil dry first – don't rub it wet. How to brush off most of it, clean the rest, and when the garment should be professionally cleaned.
Coffee Stain on Clothes – How to Get It Out
Spilled coffee? Act fast and with cold water. How to remove fresh and old coffee stains – and why milk and sugar make the stain a little worse.
How to Remove Curry and Turmeric Stains
Curry and turmeric leave one of the toughest stains – yellow curcumin. Learn why, and how sunlight can remove the rest after washing.
How to Remove Tomato and Ketchup Stains
Tomato and ketchup stains are colour, acid and a little grease at once. Learn why to rinse from the back, skip heat – and when to send it in.
How to Remove Pet Hair and Lint from Clothes
Remove pet hair from clothes: a damp rubber glove, lint roller, vinegar in the rinse and anti-static tricks that stop hair clinging in the first place.
How to Remove Paint Stains from Clothes – Water- or Oil-based?
Paint on clothes? First find out if it is water- or oil-based – that decides the method. How to remove both types, whether wet or dried in.
Removing Cooking and Fried-Food Smell From Clothes
Cooking smell clings because grease binds the odour to the fibres. How to air and wash it out with vinegar and baking soda – and when to send it in.
How to Remove Musty Smell From Clothes – Kill the Damp, Not Just the Odour
A musty smell means damp and microbes in the fabric. How to wash it out with vinegar and air – and why clothes must dry fully before storage.
How to Remove Nail Polish from Clothes
Nail polish on clothes needs a solvent, but acetone can melt fabric and strip colour. How to spot-test, lift it safely, and when to have it cleaned.
How to Remove Pilling from a Sweater
Remove pilling from a sweater safely: what pills are, which tool works (comb, fabric shaver, razor), the right technique, and how to prevent them.
New-Clothes Chemical Smell – How to Get Rid of It
New-clothes chemical smell comes from finishes and dye off-gassing. How to air and wash it out with vinegar and baking soda – and when to send it in.
How to Remove Vomit from Clothes – Stain, Acid and Smell
Vomit on clothes? Scrape off the solids, rinse cold from the back and soak with enzymes. How to tackle the protein stain, the acid and the smell.
How to Remove Red Wine Stains – Fresh and Old
Spilled red wine? Here is what actually works on fresh and dried-in stains, what is just a myth – and when to have the garment cleaned professionally.
How to Remove Smoke Smell From Clothes – Air It Out, Don't Perfume It
Smoke smell soaks into fibres and heat sets it in. How to air, absorb and wash the odour out of clothes – and when to leave it to professionals.
How to Remove Rust Stains From Clothes – Without Bleach
Rust comes out with acid, never chlorine bleach – bleach makes it permanent. How to use lemon, vinegar and sun safely, and when to send it in.
Removing Self-Tan Stains from Clothes
Self-tan on a collar, sheet or towel? How to lift both the bronzer tint and the brown DHA stain – and when the fabric should be cleaned instead.
How to Remove a Chocolate Stain the Right Way
A chocolate stain is grease, protein and dye at once. How to treat it in the right order on fresh and old stains – and when to have it cleaned.
Removing Make-up Stains – Foundation, Lipstick and Mascara
Foundation on the collar, lipstick or mascara? Almost all make-up is pigment in oil and wax – how to dissolve the binder and lift the colour out.
How to Remove Sunscreen Stains from Clothes
Sunscreen stains are grease plus a rust-like orange mark from UV filters. How to treat both – and why chlorine bleach makes it worse.
How to Remove Soot and Smoke Stains from Clothes – Lift, Don't Rub
Soot is dry carbon – rub it and it sets. Learn why you must lift the soot dry first, and how to remove the stain the right way.
Static Cling in Clothes – How to Get Rid of It
Clothes clinging and crackling with static? How to get rid of static cling with simple tricks – and how to prevent it in the wash and in dry winter air.
How to Remove Candle Wax from Clothes the Right Way
Candle wax on clothes? Let it harden, scrape it off, then melt the rest out through paper with a warm iron – plus the grease and dye left behind.
How to Remove Super Glue from Clothes
Super glue on clothes cures into hard plastic. How to dissolve it with acetone or freeze it off – safely for the fabric, and when to have it cleaned.
How to Remove Sweat Smell From Clothes That Still Smell After Washing
Sweat smell is bacteria and body oil bonded into the fibre, not dirt. How to shift set-in odour – and why fabric softener makes it worse.
How to Remove Marker Stains From Clothes
Permanent or water-based marker? That decides the method. How to lift marker with alcohol or a wash without spreading it – and when to send it in.
Removing Chewing Gum from Clothes – Freeze, Don't Pull
Chewing gum on your clothes? Don't pull it – freeze it hard so it turns brittle and lets go. The step-by-step method, and what to do with the residue.
How to Remove Urine Stains – and the Smell
Urine stain with a smell that keeps coming back? Rinse cold, use enzymes on the uric acid, and avoid hot water and bleach. Remove both stain and odour.
Remove Water Rings and Marks on Fabric – Without Making a New One
Ugly water ring after a spill dried? Learn why the ring forms, how to remove a water mark on fabric without a new one, and when silk needs a cleaner.
Stain on a Bunad – First Aid on the Spot
Stain on a bunad mid-celebration? Blot, don't rub – no heat, no bleach. Safe first aid on the spot, and when to let professionals take over.
Stain: DIY or Send to Cleaning? When Not to Try Yourself
Some stains you should not remove yourself. How to tell when a stain needs a cleaner or not – the warning signs in the care label, fibre, fabric and risk.
Removing Stains From Wool and Silk Without Ruining the Garment
Wool and silk are protein fibres that bleach and enzymes can ruin. How to lift stains gently – and when to leave it to the professionals.
Stain Types and Removal – Understanding the Categories
A guide to the most common stain types and removal: protein, tannin, grease and pigment – plus the one rule for all: never heat before the stain is out.
How to Prevent Clothes Moths and Protect Your Clothes
How to prevent clothes moths: store clean garments, keep wardrobes clean and use the freezer on the larvae. Know the signs and protect wool in time.
How to Shorten Suit-Jacket Sleeves
Working or fake buttonholes decide it all. How to check which you have, measure sleeve length – and when the jacket must be shortened from the shoulder.
How to Shorten Coat and Overcoat Sleeves
Coat sleeves are shortened with the lining as the key. How to measure over your layers, sew a deep hem and handle the lining – and when to use a tailor.
How to Shorten Shirt Sleeves
Shirt sleeves are shortened from the cuff, not the bottom. How to measure the right length, detach and reattach the cuff – and when to use a tailor.
How to Re-seal Seams on Rainwear and Stop the Leak
Rainwear leaking at the seams? How to re-seal peeling seam tape, find where it leaks, and know when to leave it to the professionals.
How to Refresh Clothes Without Washing Them
Refresh clothes without washing? Airing, steaming, brushing and spot-cleaning freshen garments without the wear. How to do it – and when to wash.
Zipper Won't Close – the Slider or the Whole Zip?
Zip not closing or sliding open? Often only the slider is worn – a quick fix. How to check what is wrong, and when the whole zip needs replacing.
How to Fix a Zipper That Unzips Itself
Zipper unzipping itself? The slider is worn, not the teeth. Learn to test the fault, temporary tricks and the lasting fix – often just a new slider.
Zip Catching on Fabric – How to Free It Safely
Lining or fabric caught in the zip? Don't pull harder. How to free it safely, why it keeps happening – and how to stop it for good.
Down Jacket Zipper Repair Without Losing Down
Down jacket zipper snagging or won't close? How to free trapped lining, when a new slider is enough – and how the zip is swapped without losing down.
How to Free a Stuck Zipper Safely
Zipper stuck? Don't pull harder. Learn why a zip jams, how to lubricate and free it safely with household fixes – and when it needs a repair.
Grafting Knits: An Invisible Join with Kitchener Stitch
Grafting, or Kitchener stitch, joins two rows of live stitches invisibly. How to graft knitting step by step – and when to get help.
Yellow Sweat Stains on Your Shirt – How to Remove Them
Yellow underarm sweat stains are not just sweat – it is aluminium from deodorant binding into the fabric. How to remove them, and what you must never do.
How to Keep Whites White – Stop the Grey and Dinginess
Want to keep whites white? Learn why whites go grey, how to wash and rescue dingy white – and when to leave the job to professionals.
Autumn Clothing Prep: Get Your Wardrobe Ready for Rain and Cold
How to get your clothes ready for autumn: wash and re-proof your shell jacket, down jacket and rainwear before the rain – and when to leave it to a pro.
Knee Holes in Jeans – How to Repair Them
Knee holes in jeans? How to stop a hole before it grows, choose between an invisible repair and a worn look, and patch the knee so it lasts.
Crotch Blowout in Jeans – How to Repair It So It Lasts
Hole in the crotch of your jeans? It's abrasion, not a clean tear. How to reinforce from behind so it lasts – and when to leave it to the pros.
What Really Needs Dry Cleaning – and What Can You Wash at Home?
What really needs dry cleaning, and what can you wash at home? Fibre and construction decide, not the garment type. How to make the call.
How Often Should You Re-proof Your Jacket?
Is there a set answer for how often to re-proof your jacket? No – it depends on use, washing and wear. How to know when, and how to make the proofing last.
How Often Should You Wash Clothes? Garment by Garment
How often should you wash jeans, a suit, a wool jumper or a bra? A garment-by-garment guide – and why washing less is often better for clothes.
Why Does a Membrane Stop Breathing?
Feeling clammy and sweaty inside your jacket? Usually the membrane is clogged with body oils and dirt – not wetting out. How to open it up again.
How to Re-proof Workwear the Right Way
Workwear no longer keeping water and grime out? Learn how to wash and re-proof it correctly – and when to leave the job to professionals.
Re-proof a Down Jacket – Shell and Fill
A down jacket needs water repellency on two levels – the outer fabric and the down itself. How to re-proof a down jacket so it keeps you dry and warm.
How to Re-proof Gloves and Mittens
Ski gloves and mittens lose water-repellency at the fingers and seams first. How to wash and re-proof them right – and when to leave it to a pro.
How to Proof a Winter Coat or Parka
Wool coat or winter parka soaking up water and salt? Learn how to proof it so rain, wet snow and road salt bead off – and when to send it in.
How to Re-proof Rain Trousers the Right Way
Rain trousers getting wet at the seat and knees? Learn how to wash and re-proof them so water beads again – and when to leave it to the pros.
Re-proof a Rain Jacket So It Beads Water Again
Rain jacket no longer keeping you dry? How to wash and re-proof it so water beads off again – and when to leave the job to professionals.
How to Re-proof a Shell Jacket the Right Way
Shell jacket no longer beading water? Learn why, how to wash and re-proof it correctly, the drop test – and when to leave the job to professionals.
Re-proof Ski Gear – Ready for the Ski Season
Wet ski gear is cold ski gear. How to re-proof a ski jacket, ski trousers, gloves and bibs before the season, so you stay dry and warm in snow and sleet.
Re-proof a Softshell Without Clogging Breathability
A softshell breathes through the whole fabric, so proofing must be done a little differently from a hardshell. How to do it without suffocating the breathability.
How to Re-wax a Waxed Cotton Jacket
Waxed cotton letting water in? Learn how to clean, re-wax and heat-set your jacket at home – and when it is worth sending it in.
How Long Does Proofing Last – and How to Make It Last Longer
Proofing has no fixed expiry date – wear, dirt and heat use it up. How to make DWR last longer, and when to send the jacket to a professional.
Jacket 'Soaking Up' Water at the Shoulders? It Has 'Wetted Out'
Does your jacket go dark and clammy at the shoulders in the rain? It's called 'wetting out' – and it doesn't mean the jacket is leaking. What happens, and how to fix it.
Ready for 17 May – The Bunad Guide
Your 17 May bunad guide: get the bunad ready for the national day – airing, cleaning, shirt, silver, fit and stain first-aid. Be early before 17 May.
Prepping Your Outdoor Gear for Autumn and Winter – a Complete Checklist
Get your whole outdoor kit ready before the cold: wash, re-proof and check zips and seams. A complete autumn checklist – and when to send it in.
Shrunk Your Wool Sweater? How to Rescue It
Wool sweater shrunk in the wash? You can often stretch it back out. How to soak and reshape it – and when to leave it to professionals.
Hole in a Down Jacket – How to Repair It Without Losing Down
Hole in your down jacket? Stop the feather loss first. How to patch small holes, tape vs sewn fix – and when to have it repaired professionally.
Letting Out or Taking Up a Child's Bunad – Sewn to Grow
A child's bunad is sewn to grow. How to measure how much can be let down and out, and why the alteration itself is specialist work.
How to Hem Suit Trousers the Right Way
Suit trousers have lining, a crease and often cuffs – hemmed differently from jeans. How to measure and hem them, and when a tailor is worth it.
Hemming Jeans – With or Without the Original Hem
Jeans too long? How to hem them – and how to keep the original faded edge so they still look like real jeans.
How to Hem Shorts the Right Way
Shorts too long? How to hem shorts at home: measure the right length, make a frayed denim edge, avoid the pitfalls – and when a tailor is worth it.
Moths in a Bunad – Prevent, Spot and Rescue It
Moths in a bunad? How to prevent them with clean storage, cedar and freezing – and how the garment is rescued when moth holes need reweaving.
When Does Your Jacket Need Re-proofing? Do the Drop Test
Not sure if your jacket needs re-proofing? The drop test takes 30 seconds and gives the answer. How to do it, what the answer means – and what to do next.
Storing a Bunad Correctly – Breathing Room for Wool, Airtight for Silver
Storing a bunad correctly: the wool must breathe, the silver must sit airtight. How to store textile, silver and moth-proof the bunad safely all year.
Polishing Bunad Silver – Three Finishes, Three Different Rules
Bunad silver has three finishes with three different rules. How to polish bright silver safely, and why oxidised and gilded must never be polished.
How to Clean a Wool Blazer Without Wrecking Its Shape
Cleaning a wool blazer depends on its construction. How to keep it fresh with brushing, steam and spot-cleaning – and why it should not go in the machine.
Cleaning a Bunad Before 17 May – Be Early
Cleaning a bunad before 17 May? How to freshen it yourself, when the wool truly needs professionals, and why it pays to be early.
How Often Should You Clean a Suit – and Why Less Is Better
How often should you dry clean a suit? Less than you think – over-cleaning ages the wool. How to keep a suit fresh yourself, and when it needs a clean.
Caring for a Wool Coat – How to Look After the Wool Between Wears
A wool coat needs cleaning less often than you think. How to brush, air and spot-clean it at home – and when the coat should go to a professional.
Cleaning a Dress at Home – or Sending It to a Cleaner?
Cleaning a dress depends on the fabric. How to wash cotton, jersey and silk at home – and when lined or embellished dresses should go to a professional.
How to Clean and Press a Shirt the Right Way
Cleaning and pressing a shirt is about the collar ring and a smooth press. How to pre-treat, wash and iron a shirt right – and when to send it in.
How to Clean a Tie – Gentle Spot-Cleaning, and When the Silk Needs a Professional
Cleaning a silk tie is tricky – it should never go in water. How to spot-clean a fresh mark safely, and why most tie stains belong with a professional.
How to Clean Vintage and Delicate Clothes Without Ruining Them
Vintage and delicate garments can't take normal washing. Learn how to test dye and fibre, clean gently – and when to leave it to professionals.
Cleaning a Winter Coat – How to Know When It Needs Professionals
Should you dry-clean your winter coat or wash it at home? How to decide which coats need professional cleaning, and how to freshen the jacket in between.
How to Repair a Bra With a Poking Underwire
Bra underwire poking through? Learn why it happens, how to sew the casing shut step by step, when to replace the wire – and when to send it in.
Replacing Worn Velcro – Revive or Swap?
Hook-and-loop no longer gripping? Often it is just clogged with lint. How to revive it, when to replace worn velcro, and how to sew on new.
Repair or Replace? How to Think About It
Is it worth repairing the garment, or should you buy new? An honest checklist: cost per wear, how much life the garment has left, quality, sentiment and the environment.
How to Repair a Frayed Buttonhole and Save the Edge
Buttonhole fraying so the button won't stay done up? Learn to diagnose the damage, hand-stitch the edge step by step – and when to send it in.
How to Repair a Hole in a Pocket
Hole in your pocket? How to patch the pocket bag, when to replace it entirely, how to fix a torn pocket opening – and when to send it in.
Repairing a Torn Jacket Lining
Torn lining in a jacket? How to tell an opened seam from torn lining fabric, repair a small tear invisibly, and know when the lining needs replacing.
Repairing Buckles and Cord-Locks on Gear
Brittle buckle or a cord-lock that won't hold? How to repair buckles and cord-locks – often without sewing – and match the right hardware.
How to Repair a Split Seam the Right Way
Split seam? Learn to tell a clean seam split (quick to sew) from a fabric blowout (needs reinforcing), step by step – and when to send it in.
How to Repair Hiking Trousers – Tears, Knees and Seams
Torn knee, worn seat or split crotch seam on hiking trousers? Repair them with the right patch and stitch – without ruining the water repellency.
Repairing a Tear in a Shell Jacket
Tear in a shell jacket? Why you can't sew it, how to patch small tears with a self-adhesive patch, and when the tear needs a sewn, seam-sealed repair.
The Right Wash Temperature – How to Choose
The right wash temperature depends on fibre and how dirty a garment is. A guide to 30, 40 and 60 degrees, cold vs warm by stain – and when to send it in.
Clean Clothes Before Storage – How to Avoid Yellow Marks and Moths
Invisible stains and sweat turn into yellow marks and attract moths in storage. How to clean clothes before storing them – and what needs a pro.
Ski Gear Prep: Get Your Kit Ready Before the Snow
How to get your ski gear ready before the snow: wash and re-proof your ski jacket, trousers, gloves and mittens – and when to leave it to a pro.
Worn Elbows on a Sweater – How to Save Them in Time
Worn elbows on a sweater? Act before it becomes a hole. How to reinforce thin knit from the inside, sew on elbow patches and prevent further wear.
Caring for a Bunad Between Wears – Air, Don't Wash
Caring for a bunad rests on one rule: you air and brush the wool, you do not wash it. How to keep the bunad fresh from one wear to the next, safely.
Ironing and Pressing a Bunad – the Gentle Way
How to iron and press a bunad safely: steam rather than iron, press from the reverse with a damp cloth, and never flat over the embroidery.
Iron and Press Clothes Correctly – Without Scorch or Shine
Iron clothes without shine or scorch marks: the right heat per fibre, steam and a pressing cloth – plus the difference between ironing and pressing.
How to Sew On a Badge or Patch That Lasts
Sewing on a badge, patch or appliqué? Learn when to sew rather than iron on, how to position it, and the stitches to use – step by step.
How to Sew On a Button – Step by Step
Loose or missing button? How to sew it on so it stays, build a thread shank on thick fabric, and what to do when the button is gone entirely.
Altering a Bunad After Weight Change – Taking It In or Out
Body changed? How a bunad is taken in or let out at the waist – what to check yourself, the seam-allowance limits, and when it is specialist work.
Two-Way and Separating Zippers on Jackets
Separating jacket zipper that won't close? Learn how the pin, box and slider work, what you can fix yourself – and when the whole zip needs replacing.
Dry Clothes Correctly – Air-Dry vs Tumble Dryer
Air-dry vs tumble dryer: dry clothes without shrinking or needless wear – and when a garment is better washed and finished by a pro.
Reactivate Water Repellency with Heat – Before You Re-proof
Sometimes a jacket just needs heat, not fresh proofing. How to reactivate the DWR with a tumble dryer or iron – and when that's enough.
How to Wash an Alpaca Sweater and Keep Its Shape
Washing an alpaca sweater differs from sheep's wool: little lanolin, stretches easily, heavy when wet. A full guide to wash, dry and keep its shape.
How to Wash Bras and Lingerie Without Wrecking the Shape
Washing bras and lingerie without wrecking the shape? Learn hand-washing, wash bags, temperature and gentle drying – and when to call a pro.
Does Cotton Shrink in the Wash? How to Prevent It
Does cotton shrink in the wash? Yes – mostly from heat. Learn how to prevent shrinkage, whiten without chlorine and when to leave it to a pro.
Washing a Bunad Shirt and Apron – the Safe Home Wash
A linen or cotton shirt and apron you can hand-wash at home – but never the wool bunad itself. How to do it safely, and what needs a professional.
Wash a Cap and Beanie Without Losing the Shape
Wash a cap without losing its shape: hand-wash the brim safely, treat a beanie like wool. Plus when your headwear needs a professional.
Wash a Down Jacket in the Machine – Step by Step
Dare you wash your down jacket at home? Yes, with the right method. How to wash and dry a down jacket so the down stays lofty and doesn't clump.
How to Wash Fleece and Avoid Pilling and Static
Fleece is plastic, not wool – so skip fabric softener and keep the heat low. How to wash fleece without pilling, static and needless microplastics.
Always Wash Before You Re-proof – Here's Why
Proofing does not bond to a dirty jacket. That is why you must always wash before you re-proof. How to do it right, step by step.
How to Wash Gore-Tex Correctly – Wash, Dry and Re-proof
Afraid to wash Gore-Tex? You actually should – dirt and body oils clog the membrane. How to wash and reactivate the water repellency correctly, and when to leave it to professionals.
How to Wash Jeans and Keep the Colour and Shape
Washing jeans right means washing rarely, inside out and cold. Learn how to keep colour and shape, avoid fading – and when to leave it to a pro.
How to Wash Cashmere – Caring for the Finest Wool
Washing cashmere is easier than you think: cool water, mild wool wash and almost no movement. The full method, de-pilling – and when to send it in.
How to Wash and Iron Linen the Right Way
Wash and iron linen without shrinking or stiff creases? Learn why linen is stronger wet, how to wash and press it – and when to leave it to professionals.
How to Wash Merino Wool – and the Superwash Myth
Washing merino? Much merino is superwash and takes more than you think. Learn superwash vs untreated wool, the right wash and dry, and when to send it in.
How to Wash Mohair & Angora and Keep the Halo
Washing mohair and angora takes extra care: cold water, no rubbing – and the freezer trick against shedding. A full guide to the halo, matting and static.
Washing New Clothes Before Wearing Them
Should you wash new clothes before wearing them? Yes – loose dye, chemical finishes and hygiene. How to do it right, and when to leave it to professionals.
How to Wash Silk at Home, Safely
Washing silk at home? Much silk takes gentle hand-washing. Learn the right temperature, detergent, drying and ironing – and when to send it in instead.
Activewear That Still Smells After Washing – How to Fix It
Activewear still smells after washing? Synthetic fibres bind oil and bacteria. Learn why, how to wash the smell out – and when to leave it to a pro.
How to Wash a Wool Sweater Without Shrinking It
Afraid to wash your wool sweater? Wool does not shrink from heat alone, but from agitation and temperature shock. How to wash and dry wool safely – and when to have it cleaned.
How to Wash a Winter Coat at Home, Safely, by Fill Type
Can you wash a winter coat at home? Often yes – if you know the fill. How to wash and dry down, synthetic and wool safely, and when to have it cleaned.
How to Wash Viscose Without Shrinking or Stretching It
Washing viscose? The fibre weakens and stretches when wet, and shrinks easily. Learn the right hand-wash, drying and ironing – and when to send it in.
Care Symbols Explained – How to Read the Care Label
What do the symbols on the care label mean? The guide to washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning – and what the circle really means.