How to Wash Acrylic Without Pilling or Stretching It Out
Acrylic is the budget stand-in for wool: soft, warm, and machine-washable, which is why so many sweaters, hats, and blankets are made of it. Its trade-off is pilling — acrylic pills more than almost any other fiber — and it stretches when wet. Wash it to minimize friction and it holds up well.
Key takeaways
- Acrylic pills from friction more than most fibers — wash cold, gentle, inside out, low spin.
- It stretches when wet: always dry acrylic knits flat, never hung.
- High dryer heat permanently glazes and pills acrylic — dry low or flat.
- A fabric shaver or sweater stone restores a pilled surface.
Cold, Gentle, Low Friction
Pilling comes from friction, so the whole strategy is to reduce rubbing.
| Setting | Use |
|---|---|
| Wash temp | Cold |
| Cycle | Gentle / delicate, low spin |
| Dry | Flat or low heat — never hang wet |
Turn knits inside out and wash with similar textures (not towels or denim, which abrade).
Dry Flat, Not Hung
Wet acrylic is heavy and stretches; a hung acrylic sweater grows longer and loses shape. Reshape it damp and dry it flat on a towel. If you tumble dry, use low heat and pull it while slightly damp — high heat glazes the surface and causes irreversible pilling.
De-pilling
Acrylic will pill regardless of care; a fabric shaver or pumice sweater stone restores the surface. A cup of white vinegar in the rinse softens fibers and reduces static, which acrylic builds heavily in dry air.
Never Do This
- Don't hang acrylic knits wet — they stretch permanently.
- Don't use high dryer heat — it glazes and pills the fiber for good.
- Don't wash with abrasive items like towels, zippers, or denim.