Winter clothes seem to need more care, but if you invest in nice clothing you want to keep them looking good for a long time. The type of care really depends on the material your clothes are made from. Here are some guidelines to use to keep your winter clothes looking great.
Cashmere
Cashmere is a great fabric, but always wash it by hand in cold water. You can use a gentle liquid cleaner or just baby shampoo. Do not wring out, and dry flat on a thick towel. You want to clean your cashmere items before putting away when winter is done, also.
Wool
Wool coats should be hung on sturdy hangers and given room in the closet for the fabric to breath.After wearing, run a lint brush over the coat to remove lint and oils. Dry clean your wool items at the beginning and end of the winter season.
Down
Never wash down items in a top-loading washing machine. Front loaders are okay, but use minimal detergent. You want to make sure all soap is off the item, so run an extra rinse cycle or even a wash cycle without soap. It may take awhile, but always use low heat to dry. Throwing some tennis balls in the dryer will help your down items not clump up.
Velvet
Velvet fabric can be tricky, so pay close attention to the care instructions. Many velvets have to be dry cleaned, but crushed velvet can usually be machine washed. NEVER iron any clothing made of velvet, since it will leave an imprint and be ruined. A steamer can be used to remove some wrinkles, but hang the clothing inside out. You can also just hang (inside out) items in a steamy bathroom for the same results.
When you store velvet clothing, do not fold. Wrap in tissue paper and place in a box for storage.