As temperatures drop there's no better feeling than snuggling down in a big winter jumper.
But for many an itchy woollen sweater can scratch away at skin leaving a nasty rash.
Luckily a fabrics professional has shared his secrets and techniques for tackling this widespread knitwear problem, reports the Mirror .
Kegan Kimball from London-based dry cleaning service LaundryHeap says that first of all when picking knitwear, always read the label to ensure you know what you are buying.
He warns many jumpers are a 'true wolf in sheep's clothing', with not many being made from 100% wool, but more often blended with fibres like nylon, cotton and acrylic, as reported by the Daily Mail .
High quality
Always try and opt for high quality, natural fibres such as cotton, cashmere and wool.
If you have a favourite which leaves you itchy, Kegan says you need to 'relax' it by soaking the garment in a white vinegar and water solution for about 20 minutes before leaving it flat to air dry.
In case the vinegar doesn't quite cut it, try massaging hair conditioner into the fabric, before rinsing it off with cold water and air drying to leave your jumper as soft as your hair.
For those willing to resort to desperate measures, Kegan has an extreme solution - freezing your knitwear.
"It may sound a little mad, but try throwing your itchy sweater into the freezer overnight," he said.
"Doing so locks the fibres in place, so they don’t shed and poke into you."
For more day-to-day care, wash your sweater in a net bag on a delicate setting with gentle detergent.
Invest in some quality knitwear hangers to avoid stretching your jumpers out of shape.
If your woollies do look a little worse for wear, Kegan says a spin in the tumble dryer is perfect to fix stretched fabric, wetting the affected areas beforehand.
You can also use a fabric shaver to get rid of any bobbles which plague woollen items to leave them looking as good as new.
And if all that fails, you can always simply just wear a shirt underneath to put an end to the itching.
Kegan added: "Preppy never goes out of style.
"So if you’re short on time, you can combat any itch by keeping a layer between you and the garment."
