How To Care For Your Socks & Extend Their Lifespan

From adding a sense of polish to your outfits to preventing blisters and keeping your shoes smelling fresh, socks are the unsung heroes of our wardrobe. Learning how to care for socks isn’t the most exciting thing, but it pays dividends in extending the lifespan of your socks and helps you maintain a put-together look at the office, days out with your mates or on a date. To help you stop running through multiple pairs, our sock care guide has everything you need to know to keep them pristine and looking like new season after season.

Rotate your socks regularly

Whether you mix up your sock selection daily or every few days, rotating them is one of the best ways to extend the lifespan of socks. Not only will it make your ensembles look fresh without repeating garments, but it also reduces wear and tear on your sock’s fibres to maintain their plush feel and preserve their colours.

While washing them after every use is unnecessary, wearing a single pair for too long can help dirt become engrained in their fibres, leaving you with a stiff and crunchy sock.

Wash them in a mesh laundry bag

Let's face it, we all have that one sock that always seems to disappear in the wash — one minute, it's there, and the next, it's gone without a trace. While it’s one of life's mysteries that we may never get to the bottom of, zipping them up in a washable mesh bag will help keep your pairs together and stop you from printing out missing person pages!

Placing your socks straight into a wash bag after use will make your laundry routine and sock care much easier — no more digging through tops and pants to match pairs.

How to wash socks properly

One of the best ideas on how to care for socks is to thoroughly and gently wash them. Doing so will help them maintain a bright colour and eliminate bacteria that make your feet, socks and shoes smell. To prolong the lifespan of socks, we recommend following our top sock care tips:

• Select a gentle machine wash with a mild detergent and temperatures no hotter than 30℃ to 40℃ — any warmer can dry out the elastic holding your socks in place and dull their colour.
• Roll your socks inside out to protect and preserve their colour and print. If you want to go the extra mile, wash similar-hued garments together.
• Avoid using fabric softener, which coats the fibres in a film that quickly absorbs dirt and debris. Instead, use white vinegar to help cleanse and soften your garments without harming their fabrication — don’t worry, it won’t smell at all.

Can you tumble-dry socks?

You absolutely can, but for the best results and to preserve the lifespan of your socks and their vibrant graphics, it’s best to line-dry them. Not only will it protect their design and save on energy costs, but natural air will also keep them fresh before adding them to your drawer.

Are you a roller or folder?

Either way works well. Not only does folding your socks into a neat stack give you visibility of your entire collection, but it also puts less stress on your sock’s elastic. However, it means you must consistently maintain it to prevent loose socks from swimming among your top drawer. If you prefer a hassle-free way to store your socks, rolling them under the elastic offers an easy way to keep them together.

How to repair socks

Between footy games and getting too rowdy during nights out, your socks can succumb to busy modern lifestyles and be left looking a little worse for wear. However, it doesn’t mean they need to be thrown out either — with a little mending, you can extend the lifespan of your socks.

• Darn a sock — Using a needle and thread, weave your thread across all four sides of the hole to completely cover it without pulling each side together. Choose a complementary colour thread to help it blend into the graphic, or select a contrasting hue to integrate the repair into its design.
• Patching or using a fusible web — With a piece of excess fabric, cut a small section to size and sew it over the hole. For express repairs, use a fusible web, a special adhesive patch that can be cut to size and ironed over the hole.

Discover our sock care guide and find easy-to-wear socks for any occasion at Swag

When it comes to graphic socks that make a huge impact on your on and off-duty looks, Swag offers an expansive collection you will want to maintain to preserve their elevated designs. Whether you want to get silly with a superhero or join the adventures of cult favourite TV characters, explore our complete sock collection to style up your outfits. For more information, we invite you to review our size guide and buying guide on how to choose the perfect pair of socks. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch — we’re always happy to help.