How to Wash and Care for Crochet Accessories So They Stay Soft for Years

Crochet lasts a very long time if you treat it gently, and falls apart surprisingly fast if you do not. The two things that ruin it are heat and wringing. Everything below follows from that.

The short version

• Hand-wash in cool water with a mild soap
• Never wring — press the water out between two towels
• Dry flat, out of direct sunlight
• Store flat or loosely rolled, never hanging
• Spot-clean anything with stuffing or metal fittings instead of washing it

Washing, properly

Fill a bowl with cool water — genuinely cool, not lukewarm — and add a small amount of mild soap or baby shampoo. Submerge the piece and squeeze the water through it a few times. Do not rub the fabric against itself; that is what causes pilling and felting.

Rinse in clean cool water until there is no soap left. Lift it out supporting the whole piece, so the weight of the water does not pull the stitches long.

Drying: flat, always

Lay the wet piece on a dry towel, roll the towel up with the crochet inside, and press. Unroll, reshape it with your fingers to the size it should be, and leave it flat on a fresh dry towel.

• Never hang crochet to dry — it stretches under its own weight and does not come back
• Never put it on a radiator or in direct sun — heat sets the stretch and fades the colour
• Give it a full day. Yarn holds water in the core long after the surface feels dry.

Small pieces: do not wash, spot-clean

Keychains, bag charms and lip balm holders have metal rings and stuffing inside. Washing them soaks the filling, which then takes days to dry and can smell.

Instead, dab the mark with a cloth dipped in soapy water, then a second cloth with plain water, then leave it out to air. The same goes for anything with a clip or a pin sewn in — water and metal fittings are not friends.

Hair pieces

Scrunchies and hair clips collect hair oils faster than anything else, so they benefit from a wash every few weeks. Cool water, mild soap, dry flat.

Do not stretch a wet scrunchie over a bottle to keep its shape — let it dry relaxed and it will hold better.

Coasters and home pieces

A crochet coaster will absorb a spill, which is the point, but tea and coffee stain if they sit. Rinse it under cool water as soon as you can, treat any mark with a dab of soap, and dry it flat. Wash a set together so they fade evenly.

Crochet flower pots and decor rarely need washing at all. A soft brush or a quick run with a lint roller takes the dust off.

Storing without ruining the shape

• Fold or roll loosely in a drawer. Hangers are the enemy.
• Keep out of sunlight — colour fades faster than most people expect
• For long storage, a cotton bag beats plastic. Plastic traps damp.
• Keep away from anything sharp, including velcro and jewellery clasps

When a stitch comes loose

Do not pull it. A single loose loop can usually be eased back with a blunt needle or a crochet hook and then anchored with a couple of stitches of matching thread on the reverse.

If a piece has actually come undone, send us a photo through the contact page before you attempt a repair. Often the fix is quick, and sometimes we would rather just replace it.

What to expect over time

Cotton yarn softens with washing and the colour settles slightly in the first few weeks. That is normal, and it is part of why handmade pieces feel better after a year than they did on day one.

What should not happen is stretching, matting or heavy fading. If any of those show up early, tell us.

Common questions

Can I machine wash crochet?

We would not. Even a delicate cycle agitates and spins, which stretches stitches and felts the yarn. If you must, use a mesh laundry bag on the coldest, gentlest setting and accept that it will not last as long as hand-washing.

How do I get a stain out of a crochet coaster?

Rinse under cool water straight away, work a dab of mild soap into the mark with your fingertips, rinse again and dry flat. Do not use bleach or hot water — both will set the stain and damage the fibre.

Why does my crochet look stretched after washing?

Almost always because it was hung up to dry, or wrung out. Wet yarn is heavy and will keep the shape it dries in. Reshape it damp and dry it flat and it should recover.

Can crochet accessories be ironed?

No. Heat flattens the texture that makes crochet look handmade, and it can melt any synthetic content. If a piece needs reshaping, dampen it and pin it flat to dry instead.

Every Felofey piece is made by hand in small batches. Look after it the way you would a good jumper and it will outlast most things in the drawer beside it. Browse all crochet.