Last Updated: 2026-01-18
Look, I get it. You've just invested in a gorgeous cashmere or wool coat, and now you're standing there thinking, "How do I not mess this up?" I've been exactly where you are—staring at care labels, Googling at midnight, wondering if I'm about to ruin something I saved up for.




Also Read: 8 Tips Of Caring For Sweaters

Here's what I've learned over the years, sometimes the easy way, often the hard way. Think of this as the advice I wish my stylish aunt had given me over coffee.

1. The Washing Question (It's More Nuanced Than You Think)

What actually matters is whether your coat is structured or unstructured. My tailored winter overcoat—the one with the crisp shoulders and beautiful drape? That's got layers inside: interfacing, canvas, sometimes even horsehair. All those layers can shrink at different rates when they get wet, and... well, let's just say I've seen some sad outcomes. The coat ends up looking like it went through something traumatic.

But my soft wool cardigan coats? Those unstructured, cozy pieces that feel more like elevated sweaters? I hand wash them at home all the time. The key is being gentle—lukewarm water (seriously, not hot), a proper wool detergent, and no aggressive wringing. I do this thing where I roll it up in a towel like a burrito to squeeze out the water, then lay it flat to dry. Works beautifully.

The thing is, you have to know what you're working with. Feel your coat—if the lapels have structure, if there's body to the front panels, that's your signal to step away from the sink.

2. Give It Room to Breathe (And Rest!)

So I used to hang my coat by the sunny window thinking I was being so smart—"airing it out," right? Wrong. Turns out direct sunlight is basically kryptonite for wool. It fades the color and makes the fibers brittle over time. Who knew?

Now I hang it somewhere cool and shady with decent airflow. And here's something kind of fascinating I learned—wool fibers actually need rest between wears. Like, they absorb moisture from your body and need 24 to 48 hours to release it and spring back to their original shape.

I know, it sounds a bit precious, but think about it like letting your good leather boots rest between wears. If you can swing it, rotating between a couple of coats means each one lasts way longer and keeps its shape better. Your elbows won't bag out, the hem won't get that tired droop.

3. Stain Emergencies (Where I Have to Correct Myself)

Ugh, okay. So in my original post, I said to use a hot towel on juice stains, and I need to just... take that back entirely. Turns out I was accidentally setting those stains permanently. Heat basically dyes fruit juice, wine, coffee—anything with tannins—right into the wool fibers. I cringe thinking about how many times I did this to myself.


Here's what actually works:

There is a special stick on the market specifically used to remove the dust, which applies to any wool clothing, like the woolen coat, tunic sweater dress, wool cardigans, etc.

5. Different solutions for different stains 

The juice stains can be removed with a hot towel while the coffee or tea stains need a dry towel to suck them away. If the coat is spotted by mud, you can rub it after the mud is dry, then wipe off with a wool brush. In addition, if it's begrimed with oil, use a dry towel to wipe off carefully, do not let the oil stains stay on your clothes too long for fear that it's hard to clean in the future.

6. Pilling Doesn't Mean You Got Ripped Off

So here's something that confused me for the longest time. I'd get pilling on my nicest cashmere coat and think, "Did I waste my money?" Nope. Turns out, softer and finer fibers often pill more easily because they're, well, soft and fine. It's almost a sign of quality rather than the opposite.

For removing pills, I've collected a little arsenal:

• My heavy wool coats: I use a sweater stone. It's like volcanic pumice, kind of rough and effective. Very satisfying, actually.
• Delicate cashmere: A sweater comb is gentler, gives you more control. Less aggressive.
• When I'm in a hurry: Electric fabric shaver. But you have to be careful with these—one wrong move and you've got a hole. Keep the fabric taut and flat.

The one thing you absolutely shouldn't do? Pick pills off with your fingers. I did this constantly at first, absent-mindedly sitting on the couch just pulling at them. All it does is create more loose fibers and make the problem worse. Hard lesson learned.

7. Solutions for floating hairs 

The new coat generally has a layer of floating hair, we need to use the special lint roller to remove them. Brush your coat from top to bottom and continue going in the same direction, it's also good for sticky hairs that are caused by static electricity.

8. Storage For wool coat 

End-of-season storage used to stress me out until I simplified it:

Always clean first. Moths aren't actually after the wool itself—they want the sweat, skin oils, spilled cappuccino, all that organic stuff. A properly cleaned coat is already halfway protected.

Get decent hangers. The wide wooden ones, at least 2 inches at the shoulders. This isn't about being fancy; it's about the coat keeping its shape instead of developing shoulder points or drooping.

Cotton or muslin garment bags, not plastic. Plastic traps moisture, which can lead to mildew or that yellowing thing that happens. Cotton breathes.

The moth situation: I gave up on mothballs. They smell terrible and I'm not convinced they're great for us either. Now I use cedar blocks (though you have to sand them down every few months to keep the oils releasing) and lavender sachets. Smells infinitely better.

If you do spot a moth—and try not to panic—seal the coat in plastic and stick it in the freezer at 0°F for 72 hours. Kills everything: eggs, larvae, the works. It's shockingly effective.

When to Hand It Over to the Experts