How to Wash Fleece So It Stays Fluffy (and Sheds Less)
Fleece is a polyester knit brushed into a soft pile, and that pile is exactly what ruins it if you wash it wrong. Two habits flatten fleece permanently — fabric softener and heat — and a third fact is worth knowing: fleece sheds plastic microfibers in every wash, which you can cut down with the right technique.
Key takeaways
- Fleece is polyester: fabric softener mats the pile and heat melts it — avoid both.
- Wash cold and gentle, inside out; air dry or use low heat only.
- Softener's waxy film flattens fleece and reduces its warmth.
- Fleece sheds microplastics — cold/gentle washing and a filter bag cut shedding.
Cold, Gentle, No Softener
Fleece is polyester, so heat and softener are the enemies.
| Setting | Use |
|---|---|
| Wash temp | Cold |
| Cycle | Gentle, inside out |
| Dry | Air dry or low heat — never high |
Turn fleece inside out to protect the pile, and wash with like fabrics (not lint-shedding towels).
Why It Goes Flat and Scratchy
Fabric softener leaves a waxy coating that mats the pile and blocks warmth-trapping loft — the softener meant to make it softer does the opposite. High dryer heat melts and clumps the pile the same way. Skip both and fleece stays fluffy for years.
Shedding Microfibers
Fleece is one of the biggest sources of laundry microplastic. Washing cold, on gentle, with a full (not partial) load reduces friction and shedding, and a microfiber-catching wash bag or filter captures much of the rest.
Never Do This
- Don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets — they mat the pile and cut warmth.
- Don't tumble on high heat — it melts and clumps fleece permanently.
- Don't iron — it flattens and can scorch the fiber.