Russell Athletic sweaters survive the test of time, and careful care for your collection may add even more years to the longevity of each one you own. From the Inventor of the Sweatshirt, here are the do's and don'ts when it comes to properly caring for cotton and wool sweatshirts and hoodies. Become a master at keeping and folding your favorite items with the following care techniques.
How Many Times Can You Wear A Sweatshirt Before Washing?
A typical rule of thumb is roughly five or six wears before it’s time to wash your sweatshirt. Thankfully, sweatshirts are very low-maintenance, which assures their endurance. This is especially true if your sweatshirt is being worn as a pullover.
How To Shrink A Sweatshirt
If you bought a sweatshirt and then found it’s too big, you’re in luck. You can easily shrink the cloth so it fits better.
Sweatshirts are already made to be form-fitting. When shrinking cotton sweatshirts especially, the material tends to shrink upward and closer to the body. To achieve maximal shrinking, a hot dryer will do the work. When making a sweatshirt smaller, take the following steps:
Wash the sweater at the highest temperature.
Dry the garment on high heat in a dryer.
How To Make A Sweatshirt Bigger
-
If a hot dryer shrank your sweater down, this technique can assist. Making a cotton sweatshirt larger takes a combination of moisture, heat, and stretching. When stretching a cotton sweatshirt, apply the following steps:
-
Completely soak a sweatshirt in lukewarm water, putting some conditioner into its fibers. The sink or a bucket will function as a container for the lukewarm water.
-
Let the garment rest in water for 30min or an hour.
-
Drain the container and replace it with cool water to rinse the conditioner. Submerge the sweatshirt beneath the water again and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the cloth.
-
Lay the sweater on some bath towels to dry it. Lay it down as flat as you can, extending as you go to obtain the appropriate length.
-
Air dry the clothing.
How To Get Stains Out Of Sweatshirts
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Cotton is constructed of fibers, making stains a struggle to remove if you’re not cautious. Follow these procedures to clean the stain out of a cotton hoodie with ease:
-
Once stained, treat the place shortly after it happens or as soon as you see it.
-
Identify the cause of the spot and prevent more stains.
-
Rinse the place with lukewarm water if possible. This may necessitate removing the clothing, especially for heavier stains.
-
Pour a little amount of white vinegar on the stain to moisten the area and loosen the discoloration.
-
Let it sit for an hour.
-
Run the cotton sweatshirt through a cold-water wash cycle.
-
Inspect the sweatshirt to check if the water cycle removed the stain.
-
If the stain remains, dab the area with hydrogen peroxide. If it begins to bubble, the chemicals are reacting to the stain.
-
Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before washing with lukewarm water.
-
Sweatshirt Stain Removal Tips: Hot water is the enemy, as they make stains worse and can even shrink the clothing. Don’t simply toss a garment in the washing and expect everything to wash away.
Read Also: Style of the Original Use Sweatshirt
How To Wash Sweatshirts Without Pilling
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While most of our sweatshirts now are constructed with anti-pill technology, some pilling may still occur after years of usage. Here’s how to keep sweatshirts from pilling in the wash:
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Turn the sweater inside out.
-
Wash on gentle or hand wash your sweatshirts.
-
Avoid using a dryer and lay your sweaters out flat. If you’re in a haste, use a low heat setting.
How To Remove Pilling From A Sweatshirt
While this isn’t as big of a concern with modern sweatshirts, you may have vintage ones in your collection that require pilling removed. There are numerous processes, and the least detrimental to the material include:
-
Fine toothed comb: Lay the sweatshirt on a flat surface and carefully comb against the grain of the pilling.
-
Scissors: Simply cut off the pilling without coming too near to the sweatshirt itself. This may take the longest depending on how much pilling the sweatshirt has gotten.
-
Duct Tape: Dab the sweatshirt material with the adhesive side of duct tape. The pilling will attach to the duct tape, detaching it from the sweatshirt itself. If any little pilling is remained, grab your scissors and snip them off by hand.
Should I Fold Or Hang My Cotton Sweatshirt?
Should you fold your clothes or hang them? It’s a crucial distinction to make. For shirts, consider about the material and weight. Crew neck sweatshirts tend to be on the hefty side, and pool weight to particular locations when hanging. This may deform forms, which might shorten the longevity of an old favorite. Try folding the sweater instead.
How To Fold A Sweatshirt
-
When folding cotton sweatshirts and other heavy items, take attention to prevent the possibility of wrinkles and creases using these tips:
-
Fold the sweatshirt in half, and smooth out any creases.
-
Now tuck the sleeves into the body of the sweatshirt, so the sleeves are looking downward.
-
Fold the sweatshirt in half so that the sleeves are now at the crew neck sweatshirt line.
-
You’re done!
Aside from materials, the longevity of your sweatshirt directly depends on how well you care for your clothes. If your sweatshirts are at the end of their existence, discover your new favorite from our selections below.
Ola Hansen 
Russell Athletic sweaters survive the test of time, and careful care for your collection may add even more years to the longevity of each one you own. From the Inventor of the Sweatshirt, here are the do's and don'ts when it comes to properly caring for cotton and wool sweatshirts and hoodies. Become a master at keeping and folding your favorite items with the following care techniques.
How Many Times Can You Wear A Sweatshirt Before Washing?
A typical rule of thumb is roughly five or six wears before it’s time to wash your sweatshirt. Thankfully, sweatshirts are very low-maintenance, which assures their endurance. This is especially true if your sweatshirt is being worn as a pullover.
How To Shrink A Sweatshirt
If you bought a sweatshirt and then found it’s too big, you’re in luck. You can easily shrink the cloth so it fits better.
Sweatshirts are already made to be form-fitting. When shrinking cotton sweatshirts especially, the material tends to shrink upward and closer to the body. To achieve maximal shrinking, a hot dryer will do the work. When making a sweatshirt smaller, take the following steps:
Wash the sweater at the highest temperature.
Dry the garment on high heat in a dryer.
How To Make A Sweatshirt Bigger
If a hot dryer shrank your sweater down, this technique can assist. Making a cotton sweatshirt larger takes a combination of moisture, heat, and stretching. When stretching a cotton sweatshirt, apply the following steps:
Completely soak a sweatshirt in lukewarm water, putting some conditioner into its fibers. The sink or a bucket will function as a container for the lukewarm water.
Let the garment rest in water for 30min or an hour.
Drain the container and replace it with cool water to rinse the conditioner. Submerge the sweatshirt beneath the water again and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the cloth.
Lay the sweater on some bath towels to dry it. Lay it down as flat as you can, extending as you go to obtain the appropriate length.
Air dry the clothing.
How To Get Stains Out Of Sweatshirts
Cotton is constructed of fibers, making stains a struggle to remove if you’re not cautious. Follow these procedures to clean the stain out of a cotton hoodie with ease:
Once stained, treat the place shortly after it happens or as soon as you see it.
Identify the cause of the spot and prevent more stains.
Rinse the place with lukewarm water if possible. This may necessitate removing the clothing, especially for heavier stains.
Pour a little amount of white vinegar on the stain to moisten the area and loosen the discoloration.
Let it sit for an hour.
Run the cotton sweatshirt through a cold-water wash cycle.
Inspect the sweatshirt to check if the water cycle removed the stain.
If the stain remains, dab the area with hydrogen peroxide. If it begins to bubble, the chemicals are reacting to the stain.
Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before washing with lukewarm water.
Sweatshirt Stain Removal Tips: Hot water is the enemy, as they make stains worse and can even shrink the clothing. Don’t simply toss a garment in the washing and expect everything to wash away.
Read Also: Style of the Original Use Sweatshirt
How To Wash Sweatshirts Without Pilling
While most of our sweatshirts now are constructed with anti-pill technology, some pilling may still occur after years of usage. Here’s how to keep sweatshirts from pilling in the wash:
Turn the sweater inside out.
Wash on gentle or hand wash your sweatshirts.
Avoid using a dryer and lay your sweaters out flat. If you’re in a haste, use a low heat setting.
How To Remove Pilling From A Sweatshirt
While this isn’t as big of a concern with modern sweatshirts, you may have vintage ones in your collection that require pilling removed. There are numerous processes, and the least detrimental to the material include:
Fine toothed comb: Lay the sweatshirt on a flat surface and carefully comb against the grain of the pilling.
Scissors: Simply cut off the pilling without coming too near to the sweatshirt itself. This may take the longest depending on how much pilling the sweatshirt has gotten.
Duct Tape: Dab the sweatshirt material with the adhesive side of duct tape. The pilling will attach to the duct tape, detaching it from the sweatshirt itself. If any little pilling is remained, grab your scissors and snip them off by hand.
Should I Fold Or Hang My Cotton Sweatshirt?
Should you fold your clothes or hang them? It’s a crucial distinction to make. For shirts, consider about the material and weight. Crew neck sweatshirts tend to be on the hefty side, and pool weight to particular locations when hanging. This may deform forms, which might shorten the longevity of an old favorite. Try folding the sweater instead.
How To Fold A Sweatshirt
When folding cotton sweatshirts and other heavy items, take attention to prevent the possibility of wrinkles and creases using these tips:
Fold the sweatshirt in half, and smooth out any creases.
Now tuck the sleeves into the body of the sweatshirt, so the sleeves are looking downward.
Fold the sweatshirt in half so that the sleeves are now at the crew neck sweatshirt line.
You’re done!
Aside from materials, the longevity of your sweatshirt directly depends on how well you care for your clothes. If your sweatshirts are at the end of their existence, discover your new favorite from our selections below.