It’s going to take more than just a coat to keep you warm this winter. Luckily, your trusty winter warmers are here to help. Just make sure that you look after them by following our handy guide. 

• Hat
• Scarf
• Gloves

Hat 

10% of your body’s heat is lost through your head. Luckily, a warm hat will help prevent this heat from being lost. In winter, the most common type of hat to wear is a beanie, a close-fitting hat that clings to the head and can be worn over the ears. In the autumn and winter seasons, you will find yourself wearing your hat most, if not every, day, so to keep it clean it’s best to wash it 3-5 times each season. 

Machine wash 

Most beanie hats are made from polyester or wool and cotton blends, which are safe to wash in the washing machine. Before machine washing your beanie, first, check the care label. This will tell you if you can wash your hat in the washing machine and, if you can, what temperature and cycle to use. 

To machine wash your beanie, first put it in a laundry bag to prevent it from being snagged in the machine. Next, select a cool wash setting, ideally 30 degrees Celsius, and a gentle cycle. Beanies are made to be stretchy so that they can fit over your head, however, they can stretch in the washing machine and become misshapen. A gentle cycle and cool temperature will help to prevent this from happening. 

Hand wash 

If you are worried about machine washing your beanie, hand wash it instead.

To begin hand washing your beanie, first fill a sink with cool water and add a teaspoon of mild laundry detergent. Submerge your hat in the water, and gently move it around. Make sure that you are not wringing or scrubbing your beanie whilst it’s in the water as this will cause it to stretch. Gently swirl your hat in the water for roughly 5 minutes. If it is heavily stained, allow your hat to sit in the water for 15-30 minutes so that the dirt and oils can break down and be removed. 

After you have washed your beanie remove it from the detergent water and submerge it in fresh, cold, water. Swirl your hat in the fresh water until all of the detergent has been removed- you will need to replenish your water frequently until no more detergent is released. You may be tempted to hold your beanie under a stream of cool water, however, this will only result in it stretching.  

Drying 

Regardless of how you wash your beanie, the drying process is the same. Lay your beanie flat on a clean, dry, towel, and lay another clean, dry, towel over the top of it. Leave your top towel over your beanie for a few minutes to soak up as much excess water as possible, before removing it completely to finish air-drying. Do not wring or twist your beanie to remove water, or use a tumble dryer, as this will stretch and misshapen your hat. Leave your beanie to completely dry before wearing it. 

Scarf 

A scarf is perfect for keeping your neck warm whilst you brave the brisk winter day. Most winter scarves are made from cotton, wool, or cashmere as these materials are thick and therefore better at keeping you warm. To ensure that your scarf keeps you warm throughout autumn and winter, wash it 3-5 times per season. 

Machine wash 

Washing machines are too harsh for some materials, such as wool and cashmere, so before washing your winter scarf make sure that it is made from cotton or polyester. 

After checking that your scarf is safe to machine wash, place it in a laundry bag and into your washing machine. The laundry bag will ensure that your scarf doesn’t get snagged whilst being washed. Next, select a gentle and cold water cycle on your machine. Even though your scarf’s material is safe to machine wash, it is still delicate and therefore needs to be washed using a delicate cycle. Finally, add gentle laundry detergent to your machine and begin the wash cycle. Make sure that you are using a gentle laundry detergent as they are softer on fabrics and don’t contain dyes or harsh chemicals. 

Hand wash 

If your scarf is made from wool, cashmere, or any other delicate material, it must be hand-washed only. 

To begin hand washing your scarf, fill a sink with cold water and add 1 tablespoon of gentle laundry detergent. Completely submerge your scarf in your detergent water and gently swish it around. You may want to gently squeeze each section of your scarf to ensure that it is absorbing as much water as possible. After you have swished your scarf in the water a few times, leave it to sit for 10 minutes, giving it ample time to soak up as much detergent as possible. 

After 10 minutes, remove your scarf from the detergent water and rinse it under a cool running tap. Make sure that your tap is on a low water pressure to avoid any damage to the fibres of your scarf. Avoid wringing or twisting your scarf whilst you are rinsing it as this can also damage its fibres. Continue to rinse your scarf under the cool running tap until no more detergent runs from it. 

Drying 

Unless your winter scarf is made from fleece, you should never use a tumble dryer to dry your scarf. Instead, lay it flat on a clean, dry, towel, and place another clean, dry, towel over the top of it. Gently press down on the top towel to remove as much excess water as possible. After removing as much water as possible, remove the top towel, and leave your scarf to air dry. If your scarf is made from cotton or polyester, you can hang it on a clothes horse or outside to continue air drying. 

If your scarf is made of fleece, you can dry it on a low heat setting in your tumble dryer. Make sure that you are not using a high heat setting as this will damage the fibres of your scarf. 

Gloves

When your hands get cold they become stiff and achy, not a particularly pleasant feeling. Gloves keep your hands warm and mobile by insulating them. To ensure that they stay in top shape, wash your gloves roughly 3-5 times each season.   

Machine wash 

Gloves can be made from a variety of different materials, however, cotton or those made with synthetic fibres are the only ones that can be machine washed. Before machine washing your gloves, check their care label to make sure that they are safe to wash in the washing machine. 

To machine wash your gloves, first put them in a laundry bag and then into the washing machine. This will firstly ensure that your gloves don’t get snagged whilst in the machine, and secondly prevent them from getting lost. Next, select a cold and gentle wash cycle that won’t be too abrasive on the fibres of your gloves. Finally, add oxygen bleach to your wash and begin your cycle. Oxygen bleach will help keep the colour of your gloves vibrant, whilst killing any bacteria that may be on your gloves. 

Hand wash 

If your gloves are not made from cotton or synthetic fibres, then you will have to hand wash them. Not all gloves can be hand washed in the same way though. 

Leather and faux leather 

To clean your leather gloves, first use an oil-based soap to remove any stains. Gently rub the soap onto your gloves, paying extra attention to the heavily stained areas, before setting to one side to dry. 

Once your gloves have dried, use a microfiber cloth to polish your gloves. This will help keep them looking shiny. Be careful not to press too hard with your microfiber cloth as this could lead to scratching the leather of your gloves. 

Once you have cleaned the outside of your leather gloves, sprinkle a light dusting of corn-starch or baking soda inside your glove. The powdery particles will absorb any oils and odours inside your gloves, leaving them smelling good as new. Leave your corn-starch or baking soda for 15 minutes, before shaking it out of each glove. 

Wool

To hand-wash your wool gloves, begin by filling a sink with warm water and adding a drop of gentle laundry detergent. Make sure that you are only using a drop of detergent as gloves are reasonably small and don’t require a lot of detergent. 

Next, submerge your gloves in the detergent water and use a swishing motion to allow the detergent to soak into each glove. Leave your gloves for 10-15 minutes, before draining the detergent water and re-filling the sink with fresh, warm, water. 

Repeat the swishing motion with your gloves, removing all of the detergent from each one. You will have to refill your sink with fresh water each time it becomes too soapy. Once you have removed the detergent from your gloves, drain the water and leave your gloves at the bottom of your empty sink. Using your hands, gently push down on each glove to remove as much excess water as possible. 

Waterproof 

Waterproof gloves are often used for skiing and don’t require much cleaning. To clean your waterproof gloves, generously spray the outside of each glove with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. This will help disinfect the outside of your gloves. To clean the inside of your gloves, sprinkle either corn-starch or baking soda into each glove and leave it for 15 minutes. The powder will work in the same way as with leather gloves, removing oils and odours. 

Drying 

Regardless of what material your gloves are made from you must avoid using the tumble dryer to dry them. Your waterproof and leather gloves won’t require drying because they have not come into contact with water. 

To dry your cotton and wool gloves place the gloves on a clean, dry, towel and roll the towel up so that the gloves are encased. This will help squeeze any excess water from each glove without causing them to lose their shape. After a few minutes, unroll the towel and rearrange your gloves so that they are lying flat. Leave your gloves in this position to air dry, refraining from wearing them until they are completely dry. 

The best way to take care of your winter warmers is by letting us take care of them. We can pick up, launder, and have your hats, scarves, and gloves back to you, and ready to wear, within 24 hours. All you have to do is head to the Laundryheap website, or download the free Laundryheap app, to book your order.