How to Dry a Sweater

Co-authored by Robert Shapiro

Last Updated: November 15, 2021 References

Sweaters are essential, practical and fashionable. Cool weather is always just around the corner, and a warm sweater offers both comfort and style. But delicate fabrics like wool and cashmere are notorious for stretching and fraying if they’re not treated well. When you‘ve got wet sweaters but don’t want to ruin them in the dryer, you can squeeze out the excess water, lay out the sweater to dry, and even use household tools to speed up the process.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Squeezing Out the Excess

1
Place the sweater on a clean, dry towel. Make sure both the towel and the sweater are colorfast! Just drape the sweater onto the towel, ensuring the towel and sweater are both flat. ^{[1]
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2
Roll the sweater up. Do it like you’re rolling up a yoga mat or sushi roll, bit by bit, squeezing out as much water as you can along the way.

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3
Keep the sweater snug in the towel for a few minutes. Don’t squeeze too hard — the towel doesn’t need to be airtight over the sweater. Even at this point, the fabric can tear or stretch, so just hold the sweater relatively tight in the towel for a few minutes.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Laying Out the Sweater

1
Unroll the towel. Use the fingers of one hand to anchor the bottom of the towel, and then use the other hand to push the top of the towel away from you.
2
Rearrange the sweater on a new, dry towel. Make sure the towel is square, arranging each corner. Place the arms at their full length, straighten the collar and the cuffs, and make sure to avoid bumps or folds that could leave the sweater creased or weirdly shaped when it’s done drying.^{[2]
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3
Reshape your sweater as needed. Did your sweater shrink from a previous wash? Now’s your chance to reshape, or block, it back to normal. Just use your fingers to gently pull the sweater into shape, or re-stretch it.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Speeding Up the Drying

1
Lay your sweater out on a drying rack. Drying racks are convenient and portable. Lay your sweater on top of a mesh rack, arranging it neatly so it dries evenly.^{[3]
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- Make sure to flip the sweater at least once to keep it from getting a musty smell. ^{[4]
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2
Place the sweater near a nice breeze. Placing the sweater near an open window, a porch or patio will speed things up and you can also capture some of that fresh-air scent. Avoid direct sunlight, though, since that can discolor your item.^{[5]
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3
Speed up the process by using home appliances. Especially when the climate’s a bit moist, electric fans and dehumidifiers will speed up the drying process. You can even break out your hair dryer for some last minute, localized drying.^{[6]
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- Alternatively, you can get it dry cleaned by professionals. If it shrinks in the process, they can apply some steam to it and restore its size.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Robert Shapiro
  Laundry Specialist
  Expert Interview. 24 August 2021.}
- If it has stains, professionals can wash it and dry it at low heat.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Robert Shapiro
  Laundry Specialist
  Expert Interview. 24 August 2021.}