How To Choose The Best Laundry Detergent For Your Cashmere And Wool

There's nothing like bundling up in cozy wool in cold weather. It's warm yet breathable, soft, and stink-resistant. Plus, wool items don't need to be washed as often as other laundry. But anyone who's accidentally thrown a wool sweater into the dryer knows that you can't wash wool the same way you wash everything else. The right way to wash your wool is to hand-wash (or use the hand-wash setting on your machine) with a gentle laundry detergent that's formulated for wool and cashmere items.

Wool is a natural fiber made from the coats of sheep or other mammals, while cashmere is a softer and lighter type of wool made from hair from a specific kind of goat. Any laundry detergent that's safe for wool is also safe for cashmere — as well as mohair, angora, alpaca, or any other type of specialty wool for that matter. All of them consist of fragile natural fibers that can easily shrink, stretch, pill, or otherwise experience damage in the laundry without special care. That includes not using regular detergent.

So what should you look for in a wool and cashmere detergent? It should be free of enzymes, which can break down wool fibers. It should also be free of other ingredients that are too harsh for wool, including chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach, synthetic brighteners, synthetic softeners, and sulfate surfactants. Lastly, it should have a neutral pH that is gentle on wool. Some wool and cashmere detergents contain natural ingredients that help keep moths out of your closet as well.

Wool and cashmere detergents are often suitable for hand-washing as well as gentle machine-washing. Woolite Delicates Hypoallergenic Liquid Laundry Detergent ($4.97) is the most popular and easy-to-find option, and it's hypoallergenic and enzyme-free. On the other end of the spectrum is The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo ($30), which is pricey but has a lovely woody scent and comes in a more concentrated, longer-lasting formula.

Another effective option is Kookaburra Wash ($22). This formula contains lanolin, which sheep naturally produce in their coats as waterproofing. It softens and protects wool items. In a pinch, you can even use a regular mild shampoo or baby shampoo, since wool is just another form of hair. Because wool is so delicate, some detergents come in a no-rinse formula that allows you to clean without manipulating the fibers much. Two popular, highly-rated options include Eucalan No-Rinse Delicate Wash ($19.99), which is also lanolin-enriched, and Soak Laundry Soap ($15.99), which is versatile enough for all delicate fabrics.

A common recommendation is to look for a certification from Woolmark, an Australian organization that tests laundry products for wool care. Only one detergent is available in the US with the Woolmark certification, however: Ecover Delicate ($20.06), which you can find on Amazon.