There is no better steward of socks than BLACKSOCKS, the inventor of the sockscription, and the first eCommerce site dedicated to rid men everywhere of sock woes and make it convenient for them to have fresh socks regularly delivered to their homes.
Now that you have your socks, it is important to properly take good care of them since they take care of you. They keep your feet warm, help to prevent blisters, and provide overall comfort both with shoes and sneakers and on their own. Here are some solid tips for washing your socks with care to ensure they will come out fresh and be with you for a while.
How To Wash Socks In A Washing Machine
Always turn socks inside out before tossing them into the laundry. This technique ensures they will be thoroughly cleaned since most odor-causing bacteria build up inside the sock. Turning them inside out also keeps them lint-free.
Separate socks by color and style. Make sure to separate colorful socks from white ones to avoid colors running and possibly affecting the entire load.
Use mild detergent. That is the best option to prevent socks from fading.
Cold water and a gentle cycle setting. These precautions are best to avoid runs, shrinking, and snags and will result in clean, fresh pairs that look like new.
Stay clear of bleach. When washing colorful socks, do not use detergents that contain bleach. If you are washing white athletic socks, you have more leeway. Feel free to put them into the machine along with a load of white towels. To keep them in their original dazzling shade of white, add a capful of bleach to the load and wash in hot water.
Use a mesh laundry bag. If you want to make sure your socks don’t magically get eaten by the washing machine, then wash them together in a mesh laundry bag. This will prevent from disappearing and also help you organize them after the laundry is done.
How To Wash Socks By Hand
For socks made from finer materials such as cashmere, silk, and merino wool, the best course of action is to wash these socks by hand. Here are best practices for handwashing:
Fill A Sink With Cold Water:
- Add in some mild laundry detergent, or you can improvise with dishwashing liquid if laundry detergent is not accessible.
- Similar to the washing machine, turn socks inside out for a thorough cleaning.
- Allow socks to soak for at least 5 minutes. For an especially dirty batch, allow to soak for up to 30 minutes.
- Swish socks around in the soapy water to loosen up the grime.
- Drain the sink and rinse socks under cold running water until no longer soapy.
- Avoid scrubbing, twisting, or wringingas this can result in runs, snags, and stretching.
How To Dry Socks
While most socks can easily be tossed into a dryer, socks of quality fabric will catch lint if included in a regular load of clothes, towels, or sports socks. Additionally, heat from a dryer gradually breaks down sock elasticity and eventually leads to stretching.
BLACKSOCKS recommends socks made of delicate materials should be allowed to air dry.
Air drying socks will keep them looking and feeling great and will most definitely extend their lives.
Air drying socks may seem simple enough—but there’s a secret to removing excess water from freshly laundered socks.
- Lay wet socks out flat on a clean towel and roll up tightly.
- Press down on the towel to remove excess water.
- Hang damp socks on a clothesline or clothing rack to air dry.
If you don’t own a clothesline or a clothing rack, then simply drape the socks over the edge of a tub, shower rod, or towel rack.
If you are stretched for time, toss your socks into the dryer on a gentle and low-heat setting. This is the least harsh method for machine drying socks.
One final piece of advice: dry cleaning is not good for your socks. The high heat used in dry cleaning will have the same adverse effects as the dryer you have at home: the elasticity of your socks will break down, and they’ll end up stretching in a manner that is both unattractive and uncomfortable.