The best way to dry a wool jumper

Washing your wool jumpers has gotten easier over recent years because of dedicated laundry programs and even specialist detergents, but drying them remains a somewhat delicate task – especially if you don't fancy ending up with a tiny top that will only fit the cat. 

Read on for our tips on drying woollens without damaging them, as well as the best way to get them clean.

Can a wool jumper go in the tumble dryer?

Many tumble dryers now come with specific programs to dry wool clothing; some are even marked as Woolmark Approved, which means they shouldn't shrink or damage your items during the drying process.

However, we conducted a snapshot test on six tumble dryers and found that five of the programs shrank our jumpers by more than 5cm in at least three areas. The worst offender caused a shrinkage of almost 20%, essentially making it completely unwearable. 

Temperatures inside the drums of tumble dryers – particularly vented or condenser models – are just too high for wool to cope with. We found that some reached up to 85°C during the drying process, which is a recipe for shrinkage galore. 

For that reason, we'd always advise against using a tumble dryer for woollens, even if there will be the odd model out there that does a passable job. If you set your machine to dry with cold air, items are less likely to shrink, but they will take longer to dry.

For the full results of our snapshot test, read: can you ever tumble dry woollen jumpers without shrinking them?

How to dry a wool jumper

Drying your jumpers doesn't have to be a nightmare – read on for our top tips on getting your woollens ready to wear again with minimal shrinkage. 

Please note that not all of the below will apply to cashmere jumpers, as these need to dry 100% naturally (always read the care label). 

If you've hand-washed your wool jumper

• Ball up the jumper and gently squeeze it over a sink to remove excess water (don't wring it out, as this can damage the fibres).
• Lay it flat on a clean, dry towel, then roll the towel and jumper together, squeezing as you go to ensure excess water is removed. A microfibre towel is ideal as it's more absorbent than cotton.
• Transfer your jumper to another clean, dry towel, then leave it to air-dry flat on a clothes airer. You should never hang woollens on a hanger to dry or over a clothes airer, as this can cause the fabric to stretch and lose its shape.

Tip: The best place to dry a wool jumper is in a warm room, out of direct sunlight. You can buy hanging mesh dryers, which are designed to hold multiple jumpers flat while they dry, but they would likely produce results similar to just popping them onto towels on an airer.

If you've machine-washed your wool jumper

• There's no need to remove excess water if you've used a washing machine, as any model with a half-decent spin cycle should have done all of the hard work for you. 
• While a machine-washed jumper will be less soggy than a hand-washed one, you should still dry machine-washed jumpers or other knitwear flat where possible – whether that's on a clean towel or laid as flat as possible across an airer indoors. You might find that your garment dries fairly quickly, as the washing machine has whisked away a good amount of moisture.

How to speed up the drying process

As is the case when drying any clothes, ventilation will be your best friend for quicker drying. Open the windows of the room where you're drying your items to allow the damp air to escape. Woollens shouldn't be pegged out on the line outside as, again, they can stretch and lose shape. 

If the weather isn't great and you don't want to keep your windows open, you can also use a dehumidifier to dry clothes quickly. In our latest testing, we discovered that having a dehumidifier running in the room almost halved the drying time, and it helps to prevent condensation and mould in your home. 

Heated airers are another good option for drying woollies, as they don't get hot enough to cause damage or shrinkage. It's best to try to lay your jumpers across them rather than hanging them over the bars, though. 

Discover the best and cheapest way to dry clothes indoors

Should you use a dryer ball?

Given that we don't recommend using a tumble dryer at all, it's probably wise to avoid dryer balls if you decide to take the risk and pop your woollens in on a cool cycle.

Dryer balls – especially the hard plastic ones – have the potential to cause damage to your tumble dryer due to prolonged bouncing around inside the drum. You can buy woollen alternatives, too, which definitely have less of an impact, but using one is unlikely to prevent your favourite jumper from shrinking in the dryer.

If you decide to use dryer balls, check your instruction manual or warranty documents to ensure you don't void any guarantees.

From clogged filters to overloading, see the five things our tumble dryer expert would never do

How to wash a wool jumper

• First, check the care label to see how the manufacturer recommends washing it. If it's safe to go in the machine, you should wash it inside out (or use a laundry bag) to protect the fibres.
• Using a specialist wool detergent is preferable, as these don't contain bleach or any other substances that could degrade or damage the wool. If your machine has a wool-specific setting, use it; otherwise, the delicates cycle or any cold-water wash (30°C or less) will do.
• If your item is hand-wash only, you'll need to fill a clean tub or washing-up bowl with lukewarm water before adding a wool detergent. After soaking the garment for 10 minutes, rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water and then again in cold water before drying. 
• For heavily stained woollens, use a diluted solution of wool-safe detergent directly on the stain before washing as usual. Baking soda or white vinegar are good natural alternatives for stain removal, too, but don't use them together as they cancel each other out.

For more seasonal washing advice, see our guide on how to wash winter coats