Here’s how to wash a hoodie:
- 1. Check the care label for washing instructions
- 2. Sort your hoodies by fabric type and color
- 3. Turn the hoodie inside out
- 4. Use cold water
- 5. Add a laundry detergent pod
- 6. Use a gentle wash cycle
- 7. Air dry to prevent shrinkage
Ah, the hoodie—your loyal companion through everything from lazy Sundays to the great outdoors (or just the couch). But let’s face it: after a few too many Netflix binges and coffee spills, it can start to look more “crumpled laundry basket” than “street-style icon.”
Washing a hoodie isn’t rocket science, but you also can’t just cram it in the machine and hope for the best. From using the wrong water temperature to relying on a risky drying technique, a mishap can turn your hoodie from cozy into a catastrophe.
Check out our seven-step process for how to wash a hoodie and keep yours looking fresh, clean, and cool.
1. Check the Care Label On Your Hoodie
Before you wash your hoodie, always check the care label. This little tag will tell you everything you need to preserve its color, fit, and shelf life.
Your hoodie’s care label will usually give you directions on the following steps of our recommended process, but if its care instructions are vague, be sure to keep reading.
2. Sort Your Hoodie by Fabric Type and Color
You might be used to throwing your clothes into the wash with reckless abandon, never sorting by color or even knowing that different fabric types can damage each other. But if you want your hoodie to last as long as possible, it’s time for a change.
Sorting your hoodies by color helps you avoid your dark-colored hoodies from staining your bright-colored ones and vice versa, especially if you’re washing a hoodie for the first time, which makes it prone to bleeding dye. Separating your hoodies by color also helps preserve their brightness and vibrancy.
Sorting by fabric type helps you avoid rougher fabrics, such as denim, from damaging the delicate fabrics that most hoodies are made out of, such as cotton, polyester, and fleece. This preserves the fit and softness of your hoodie. It also prevents pilling, which is when different fabric types tangle and form small balls of lint on the surface of your clothes.
3. Turn the Hoodie Inside Out
Maybe you already wash your clothes inside out because they’re in that state when you toss them in your hamper, but regardless, it’s always good to turn them inside out before you put them in the wash.
This eliminates any grating between your hoodies’ outer fabric, other clothes, and the walls of your washing machine and reduces its direct contact with laundry detergent and water, preserving its quality, color, and vibrancy.
Turning your hoodies inside out also protects any print or embroidery from fading, cracking, or peeling. Additionally, it stops your hoodies’ drawstrings and zippers from catching on parts of the machine or other clothes, which can cause permanent damage.
4. Use Cold Water
Washing your hoodie in cold water is essential to preserve the color, protect the fabric, and prevent shrinkage. Not to mention, doing laundry with cold water is a more environmentally friendly option since your washing machine doesn’t have to heat up the water.
In cold water, clothing doesn’t bleed dye or fade in color nearly as much as it does in hot water. Cold water is also gentler on fibers and doesn’t cause certain fabrics such as cotton—which a lot of hoodies are made out of—to shrink like hot water does.
5. Add a Laundry Detergent Pod
The best laundry detergent for hoodies is a mild, enzyme-based laundry pod. Pre-measured pods take the guesswork out of how much detergent to use. No more pouring, eyeballing, or accidentally overdosing your favorite hoodie with blue sludge, which can lead to residue buildup or that stiff, crispy feeling.
Laundry pods dissolve evenly, so your hoodie gets cleaned without any leftover detergent hanging around in the fabric, keeping it soft and cozy. Plus, it’s mess-free—no sticky detergent bottles or spills to deal with. Just toss the pod in and let it do the heavy lifting.
If you want your hoodies to smell as amazing as they feel, wash them with Laundry Sauce: the world’s best-smelling laundry detergent. Crafted with luxurious fragrances like Australian Sandalwood and French Saffron, our pods will make you wonder why you ever settled for something as boring as “spring breeze.”
6. Use a Gentle Wash Cycle
Always use the gentle or delicate cycle when you wash hoodies. The gentle cycle of your washer uses its slowest spin speed, which reduces the friction between your hoodies and other clothes, is gentler on the delicate fabrics that most hoodies are made out of, and lowers the risk of stretching, fraying, or pilling that an aggressive wash cycle can pose.
7. Air Dry to Prevent Shrinkage
Sure, air drying your hoodies takes longer than machine drying. But the wait is well worth it.
Drying clothes in high temperatures can shrink certain fabrics, especially cotton. A tumble dry can also cause collateral damage such as stretching, fraying, pilling, cracking, fading, and peeling of any designs, and a stray drawstring or zipper snagging onto a part of the machine.
Last but definitely not least, machine drying is what wrinkles your clothes and makes you look like you dress like a middle schooler again. Air drying your hoodies prevents all of these things. Not to mention it’s more energy-efficient.
Common Questions About Washing Hoodies
Now that you know how to wash your hoodies like a pro, let’s cover some common questions you might have when laundry day rolls around.
Can You Put Hoodies in the Washer?
Yes, you can put hoodies in the washer. Just make sure you turn them inside out, use cold water, and a gentle wash cycle.
Do Hoodies Shrink After Washing?
Yes, but only if you wash them in hot water and especially if they’re made of cotton. Using a gentle cycle also helps avoid shrinkage—the higher the spin cycle and the higher the agitation, the more likely the fabrics in your hoodie will contract.
How Often Should You Wash a Hoodie?
You can wash hoodies every 5-7 times you wear them or whenever they start to smell or visibly become dirty. The more you wash your hoodies, the more you can wear them down, so consider spraying them with a fabric refresher before you throw them in the wash for the second time in one week.
Can You Put Hoodies in the Dryer?
We don’t recommend putting your hoodies in the dryer, since high temperatures can cause shrinkage. Instead, hang your hoodie to air-dry.
If you absolutely must machine-dry your hoodies (and also want to eliminate static cling during the dry winter months), use a low-heat setting and toss in some dryer sheets or wool dryer balls.
Keep Your Hoodies Clean and Comfy with Laundry Sauce
We’ve got everything you need to keep your hoodies clean and cozy year-round. Got a stubborn stain? Wash it with Laundry Sauce pods. Need long-lasting fragrance? Add some Scent Booster into your washer. Suffering from static cling? Spray it with Fabric Refresher.
We’re your one-stop shop for a luxury laundry experience.
