Homepage

SheFinds Solutions: How To Prevent & Remove Hanger Bumps On Your Sweaters

March 20, 2018 by Linda DiProperzio
shefinds | Homepage

This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.

SheFinds receives commissions for purchases made through the links in this post.

The 125 Best New Beauty Launches Of 2023

Sweater season is coming to a close and many of us are looking for ways to pack away our beloved cashmere and wool sweaters until next season. While transitioning your wardrobe from winter to spring fashion, it can be hard to find a place for everything. It’s still too cold for shorts and tank tops, but a little too warm for thick, heavy sweaters. For those in-between weeks, we often have a mix of warm and cold weather styles in our closet.

When it comes to our bulky sweaters, more often than not we hang them up in our closet and try to squeeze in as many as possible. This is always a pain because one, sweaters are heavy and fall off the hangers, and two, they just take up so much space.

While folding sweaters is the best option when it comes to storing them, especially in between seasons, not all of us have the drawer space. If you live in a tiny apartment, your dresser drawers are reserved for socks, underwear, pajamas, and other loungewear. That means hanging our sweaters, is our last but more likely resort.

If you’ve ever hung a wool or cashmere sweater, you know that it can lead to those unsightly and annoying hanger bumps at the shoulders. This comes from the heavy fabric pulling and stretching at the hanger. It can be a big pain and potentially ruin some of your favorite winter pieces.

Luckily, those hanger bumps on sweaters don’t have to be the end of the world. We have the SheFinds solution for getting rid of them, as well as preventing them altogether. Just see our guide below for the proper way to store sweaters, fix hanger bumps, and keep your sweaters looking good as new.

1) How To Prevent Hanger Imprints While Still Hanging Your Sweaters

The best way to keep sweater bumps at bay (while still hanging them up) is to simply not hang your sweaters like normal shirts. Due to their weight, they can’t be stored like other shirts because the pulling at the shoulders is what causes the problem in the first place.

Instead, fold sweaters in half and then drape them over the bottom of the hanger–like they do at the dry cleaners. Fold your sweaters like so allows them to be stored similarly to fold them in a drawer, while still hanging in your closet.

hanging sweaters properly

Luxury Living Bumps Be-Gone Extra Long Hanger ($18.09)

You can also invest in some specialty hangers that are designed to allow you to hang your sweaters normally, without causing bumps. This set of Luxury Living Bumps Be-Gone Extra Long Hangers are made from flexible foam.

2) How To Get Rid Of Hanger Imprints From Hanging Them Incorrectly

So, you already had your sweater hanging on a normal hanger all season and the damage is down. Fair enough. You can still remove the shoulder bumps. First, put the sweater on. Wet your fingers and rub them over each shoulder bump. The wet fibers of the sweater should shrink back to normal size once they dry. You can also rub an ice cube over the bumps to help shrink the stretched out fabric.

3) Reshape Your Sweaters With Shower Steam

If you want to work on the bumps before getting dressed, try laying the sweater in the bathroom while you take your morning shower. The steam in the room can help relax the dents and shrink them on their own. Just make sure you have enough time for the damp fabric to dry before you have to get dressed.

If you have lots of time, you can also hand wash the sweater in room temperature water and lay it to dry flat on a towel. To save some drying time, if the sweater permits it, spin it briefly on the spin cycle in your washing machine to help remove excess water before laying it out.

4) Store Your Sweaters Like The Pros Do

Even if your dresser doesn’t allow the space, you can still fold your sweaters, just not with all of your clothing items.These clear storage boxes are the perfect thing for folding your sweaters and putting them on display, without needing to have room for them in your dresser. They will keep your sweaters from stretching and pulling by laying them flat and folded.

storing sweaters properly

The Container Store Clear Lookers Boxes ($14.99-$24.99)

According to SHEfinds in-house stylist Brianna Peters, hanging sweaters is “ the ONE thing in styling that was a huge no-no.” To solve the problem, she personally uses these boxes as her go-to storage method for anything wool, angora, or cashmere. “Wool, angora and cashmere all stretch when they’re hung and it’s frustrating because they completely lose their shape. The Container Store has these boxes that I personally use. They’re great for keeping out moths and clear so you can see them!”

For more SheFinds Solutions, check out how to prevent or remove yellow pit stains from white shirts and how to organize your closet like an A-lister on SHEfinds.

Author:

Linda DiProperzio is a weddings expert and freelance writer based in New York.

From Our Partners

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

From Our Partners

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Partners

Exclusive Offer! Score $21 Prescription Glasses or Sunglasses

Spring is all about starting fresh and starting over. Whether ...

LOAD MORE
+
LOAD MORE POSTS