Why do socks harden after washing?

Step 1: Separate socks
The two most common reasons socks end up being thrown away are (1) they accumulate too much white lint, and (2) one of the two socks is missing. To keep the color of your dress socks bright, they need to be washed separately.

Washing dress socks separately from other items of clothing will prevent them from collecting lint. High quality Italian dress socks will not fuzz on their own. They are woven using only the highest quality yarns. Lint comes from lower quality "plush" items such as athletic socks and bath towels. Keeping your dress socks separate from these items will ensure they don't get covered in white lint and look faded.

 

Step 2: Turn inside out and arrange in pairs
Organizing dress socks into pairs before washing is another protective measure against loss of socks. There's nothing more annoying than finding a sock missing…

I keep a separate laundry bin for my socks to avoid washing them with other items. Here you can see I separated a black sock and a pair of white athletic socks (if included, the whole dress sock would be lint-free).

Another important step to prevent lint buildup is to wash your socks inside out. Turning all your socks inside out before washing and right side out after washing takes a little extra time, but it's the best way to ensure your socks never accumulate white lint that can't be removed and continue to look vibrant .

If anything creates lint when you turn your socks inside out, the lint will accumulate on the inside of the socks, not the outside. So when you put the sock right side out, it won't shed lint.

Step 3: Wash in cold water with mild detergent on gentle cycle
Next, place the load of dress socks only in the washing machine. A front-loading washing machine is preferred, but no matter what, wash your socks on a gentle cycle with cold water and light detergent.

I use good detergent, which is a specially formulated enzyme detergent that prevents fading. Since it does use an enzyme detergent rather than a petroleum-based solvent, it also helps protect the integrity of the cotton fibers. This will prevent the socks from starting to "fluff."

Depending on how dirty the socks are (I usually wear them a few times before washing them to further extend their life), I'll let the socks soak in cold water for 30 minutes before starting the cycle again.

 

Step 4: Turn the right side out
Once the wash cycle is complete, remove the socks and begin placing them right side out. It is important to do this gently and not cause any unnecessary stretching. As you can see from the picture below, I carefully put the sock back on and straightened it.

I also used this as an opportunity to rearrange the socks into matching pairs.

 

Step 5: Hang to dry
Allowing your dress socks to dry is probably one of the most important steps in the process. The heat of the dryer can cause the elastic in the top strap to break and stretch, and can also weaken the cotton fibers.

 

Step 6: Fold and stow away
I fold my socks and store them in a separate sock drawer. I find it easier to fold than to roll, but it really doesn't matter.

 

Quick and easy
If you're limited on time, then at least (1) wash your dress socks separately in cold water on a gentle cycle and then (2) hang them to dry. These two things will have the biggest impact on the long-term care of your socks.

generalize
With a little care, you can easily extend the life of your luxury Italian socks by several years. By following these steps, your favorite socks will look great for years to come.