The British weather rarely changes seamlessly from one season to the next. One day you’re still reaching for linen, and the next you’re searching for the cardigan, coat or scarf you haven’t seen since spring.
After months in storage, clothes can emerge a little musty, misshapen or marked and occasionally with a small hole you don’t remember being there.
Before bringing your autumn wardrobe back into rotation, give everything a simple check, clean and refresh. Here are four quick steps to get your favourite cold-weather clothes ready for the season ahead.
1. Check Everything in Good Light
Take stored jumpers, cardigans, coats and scarves out of drawers, boxes and garment bags, then look over each piece carefully in good natural light.
Pay particular attention to cuffs, collars, underarms, seams and folded edges, where marks or damage can be easier to miss.
Look out for:
- forgotten stains
- loose threads
- small holes
- signs of moth activity
- areas that have become misshapen in storage
Catching small problems now means they're much easier to deal with before you start wearing the garment regularly again.
2. Decide What Needs Washing and What Just Needs Refreshing
Not everything that has been sitting in storage needs a full wash.
If a jumper simply smells a little stale, start by airing it somewhere dry and well ventilated, ideally outside or near an open window.
Then lightly mist wool, cashmere or knitwear with our Knitwear Mist and allow it to air dry before wearing.
Refreshing garments between washes helps reduce unnecessary washing, which is particularly useful for delicate natural fibres such as wool and cashmere.
It's a good habit throughout autumn and winter too: air and refresh knitwear after wearing, rather than automatically putting it straight in the laundry basket.
3. Wash Wool, Cashmere and Silk With the Right Detergent
If something is stained, dirty or genuinely needs washing, separate wool, cashmere and silk from your usual everyday laundry.
These fibres benefit from a gentler detergent and lower temperatures than most everyday clothing.
Our Knitwear & Delicates Detergent is designed for wool, cashmere, silk and other delicate natural fibres.
For hand washing:
- Check the garment's care label first.
- Add 1–2 capfuls of Knitwear & Delicates Detergent to cool water.
- Leave the garment to soak for around 30 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Gently press out excess water rather than wringing.
- Reshape and dry flat on a towel.
If the care label allows, you can also use it in the washing machine on a cool wool or delicates cycle.
For your regular machine-washable clothes, use your usual Everyday Laundry Detergent and follow the garment's care instructions.
4. Clean and Protect the Space Before Putting Everything Back
Before returning your clothes to the wardrobe, give the space itself a quick refresh.
Vacuum wardrobes, drawers and storage boxes, particularly along edges and in quiet corners where dust and debris can build up.
Make sure every garment is completely dry before putting it away, and fold knitwear rather than hanging it to help it keep its shape.
This is also a good time to refresh your moth protection.
Scent Bags use dried herbs and botanicals to help make wardrobes and drawers less appealing to moths while keeping clothes beautifully scented.
Pheromone Moth Traps attract adult male clothes moths and help you monitor activity around wardrobes and clothing-storage areas.
Using both as part of your regular wardrobe-care routine helps you stay on top of moth activity before discovering damage to the clothes you love.
A Few Extra Autumn Wardrobe Tips
Once everything has been checked, aired or washed and returned to a clean wardrobe, getting dressed becomes much easier. Your favourite knitwear is fresh, ready to wear and already being cared for properly.
A couple of final things are worth remembering:
Found a small moth hole? Don't write off a favourite jumper just yet. Our guide to repairing a moth hole at home can help with simple fixes.
And when you start putting your summer clothes into storage, do the same process in reverse: clean them first, make sure they're completely dry, then store them somewhere clean and protected.
A little care at the change of season can help your clothes stay fresher, last longer and be ready to wear whenever the British weather changes its mind again.
Explore the full Clothes Doctor clothing care collection for everything you need to wash, refresh and protect the clothes you love.