To prevent pilling on clothes, avoid mixing different fabric types like polyesters with wool or cotton during washing. Use the gentle cycle for delicate fabrics, turn garments inside out to reduce friction, and dry clothes flat or limit dryer time. Additionally, consider using a handheld or battery-powered de-piller, which can be purchased for around $15 from most stores with laundry accessories. For more laundry care, browse dryer parts and washing machine parts.
Five ways to prevent or minimize pilling on clothes:
Don’t mix fabric types.
People often tell us that they wash according to color, for fear that mixing colors will cause dye runoff. However, a wiser process may be to keep polyesters separate from other fabrics like wool and cotton.
For delicate fabrics, use your washing machine’s gentle cycle.
Reduced washing and slower agitation may help.
Turn the clothing inside out.
Use a laundry bag
This prevents delicate garments from rubbing against non-delicate fabrics.
Dry clothing on a flat surface or reduce the time they spend in the dryer.
You can remove pilling on clothes by picking up a simple handheld or battery-powered de-piller. These are available for $15 at most retailers that stock laundry-related accessories.