How to Wash Acrylic Clothes
Never hang acrylic to dry. Wet acrylic stretches significantly from gravity — always lay flat.
Turn inside-out before washing to protect the outer surface from friction pilling.
Acrylic vs Wool — the Same Look, Very Different Chemistry
Acrylic fabric is made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN), a synthetic polymer formed by polymerizing acrylonitrile monomer. It was developed in the 1940s and 1950s specifically as a wool substitute — the crimped fibre structure, soft texture, and bulky knit construction of acrylic garments are all designed to mimic the appearance and feel of wool. From a laundering perspective, acrylic has quite different properties from wool. It does not felt (wool felts because the overlapping scales on wool fibres interlock under heat and agitation; acrylic fibres have smooth surfaces without scales). This means acrylic can be machine washed without fear of felting. However, the smooth, straight acrylic fibres are highly prone to pilling — much more so than wool. Pilling occurs when short surface fibres are pulled out by friction and roll into balls. The tightly crimped structure of wool fibres holds broken fibres in place and allows them to felt back into the fabric; acrylic fibres ball up and stay on the surface. This is why turning acrylic garments inside-out before washing reduces pilling — the outer surface is protected from drum friction. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of polyacrylonitrile is approximately 85–100°C depending on the grade. Above this temperature, the acrylic fibres soften and can deform, fuse, or acquire a shiny glaze. Most tumble dryers in the cotton or high-heat setting reach 70–80°C — close to or at the Tg for many acrylic formulations. Heat settings slightly above normal can permanently deform acrylic items. Similarly, ironing on too high a setting produces an irreversible shiny mark on acrylic surface fibres. Acrylic is a hydrophobic synthetic polymer and does not absorb much water in the molecular sense, but acrylic knitwear can absorb significant water between the fibres in the knit structure. This makes wet acrylic garments significantly heavier and more prone to gravity-induced stretching if hung to dry. Laying flat removes the tensile stress on the knit loops.
Washing Steps
Turn inside-out to reduce pilling
Acrylic is highly prone to pilling from surface friction in the drum. Turning the garment inside-out protects the visible outer surface from agitation and reduces pilling significantly. If the garment has any embroidery, sequins, or surface decoration, inside-out is doubly important.
Machine wash at 30°C, gentle cycle
30°C is the safe temperature for acrylic — warm but well below the glass transition temperature. A gentle or delicates cycle reduces agitation, which reduces both pilling and fibre fatigue. Avoid the cotton or heavy-duty cycle for acrylic knitwear — the high agitation promotes pilling and can distort the knit structure.
Use a mild detergent — half dose
A liquid mild detergent or one designed for delicates is appropriate. Biological (enzyme) detergent is also safe — the protease and lipase enzymes in enzyme detergent do not damage acrylic (unlike wool, which contains protein fibres that protease enzymes can degrade). Use half the normal dose — acrylic is not heavily soiled and excess detergent leaves residue.
Remove promptly and reshape
Remove the garment from the machine immediately after the cycle ends — leaving acrylic compressed in the drum causes creases that are difficult to remove. Gently shake the garment to loosen the knit structure and restore its original shape before laying flat.
Lay flat to dry — never hang
Acrylic knitwear absorbs water between the knit loops and becomes significantly heavier when wet. Hanging a wet acrylic garment allows gravity to stretch the loops downward, elongating the garment (particularly at the back, waist, and sleeves). Lay flat on a clean dry towel, reshape gently to the original dimensions, and allow to air dry. Drying time is typically 12–24 hours depending on garment thickness.
If ironing is needed: lowest setting, press cloth required
Acrylic has a low glass transition temperature — a regular cotton iron setting immediately above will melt or glaze the surface fibres permanently. Use the coolest iron setting (synthetic/acrylic symbol, usually 110°C maximum) and always use a pressing cloth between the iron and the garment. Never apply the iron directly to acrylic. Better still: use a garment steamer rather than an iron — steam removes creases from a safe distance without contact.
Acrylic vs Wool Comparison
FAQ
Can acrylic clothes go in the washing machine?
Yes — acrylic is one of the easier synthetic fabrics to machine wash. Use a gentle cycle at 30°C with mild detergent. Turn inside-out first to reduce pilling. The main mistake to avoid is drying: never tumble dry on high heat (the fibres can deform and glaze at temperatures above around 85°C) and never hang to dry (wet acrylic stretches significantly from gravity). Always lay flat.
Why does acrylic pill so much?
Acrylic fibres are smooth and straight, without the natural scales that wool fibres have. When surface fibres break from friction, they roll into balls and stay on the surface because there is nothing to hold them in place or felt them back into the fabric. Wool tends to pill less because broken fibres can partially bond with neighbouring fibres. Turning acrylic inside-out when washing and avoiding high-friction conditions (washing with rough denim, dryer agitation) reduces but does not eliminate pilling.
Can you tumble dry acrylic?
On LOW heat only. Many acrylic garments can tolerate a brief tumble on the lowest or air-only dryer setting to fluff the fibres. High heat should be avoided — the glass transition temperature of polyacrylonitrile is around 85–100°C, and some dryer settings exceed this, causing the surface fibres to soften, mat, and acquire a permanent shiny glaze. The safest approach is to lay flat to dry and avoid the dryer entirely.
Does acrylic shrink?
Acrylic does not shrink in the same way as wool or cotton. Wool shrinks through felting; cotton shrinks through hydrogen bond relaxation under heat. Acrylic is more dimensionally stable at low temperatures. However, at temperatures above the glass transition (85–100°C), acrylic fibres can deform and permanently alter the garment's shape — this is different from shrinkage but can have a similar appearance. Acrylic also stretches when wet and hung, which causes a different kind of dimensional change.
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