Yes, your hoodie can go in the washing machine. Turn it inside out, use cold water and a gentle cycle, then air dry it flat or tumble dry low if the label allows. Jerseys follow the same playbook: cold water, inside out, and no hot dryer. Do that and your gear keeps its fit, its color and its print. Skip it and you get a tight, faded, cracked hoodie after a few rounds. This guide breaks down every step, plus what to do about shrinking, stains and decorated fabric.
TL;DR
- Check the care label first. It beats any general rule, including the ones in this guide.
- Turn hoodies and jerseys inside out, wash cold on a gentle cycle, and use mild detergent.
- Heat is the enemy. Hot water and hot dryers cause shrinking and fading, so air dry flat when you can.
- Treat stains before the dryer. Drying can set a stain for good.
- Wash hoodies every 6 to 7 wears, not after every wear.
Table of Contents
- Can a hoodie go in the washing machine?
- The step-by-step wash
- Water temperature and cycle: what to pick
- How to keep prints and color looking fresh
- Do hoodies shrink?
- How often should you wash a hoodie?
- Drying without the damage
- Got a stain? Do this before the dryer
- How to wash a jersey
- Wash day mistakes that wreck good gear
- Our perspective
- Roar louder in gear that lasts
- FAQ
- Sources
Can a hoodie go in the washing machine?
Most of the time, yes. Cotton and cotton-blend hoodies are generally fine in a machine, and laundry guidance for hoodies says the same: wash in the machine, but read the care label first. The American Cleaning Institute's senior director Jessica Ek told Today that most fabric items small enough for a washer can be machine washed unless they are very delicate. A New York laundry professional quoted in the same piece says basic cotton and polyester casual wear can typically go in.
The label is the tiebreaker. Tide's laundry symbol guide explains that a do-not-wash symbol means no machine, and a hand-wash symbol generally means hand washing. If your washer has a hand-wash cycle, it may work, but go carefully.
The ACI's Laundry Basics page tells you to check the label and pick the washer cycle and dryer setting that match the clothing. Its symbol guide covers normal, permanent-press and delicate/gentle cycles. Your hoodie tag tells you which one you are working with.
The step-by-step wash
Here is the routine we would hand a friend. It works for pullovers, zip-ups and heavyweight fleece.
- Read the tag. Cycle, water temperature and dryer instructions all live there.
- Empty the pockets. The ACI recommends checking pockets before every load. A stray receipt or tissue turns into lint on dark fleece.
- Zip it up. Closing the zipper protects the fabric from snagging and keeps the zipper teeth from getting damaged.
- Tie the drawstring. Little knots in the ends stop a string from disappearing into the hood channel. Cheap trick, big payoff.
- Turn it inside out. This protects prints and embroidery from fading, cracking or peeling.
- Sort the load. The ACI says to sort by color, fabric type and washing instructions. Dark hoodies with darks. Skip towels, jeans with rivets and anything with Velcro.
- Pick cold water and a gentle cycle. Use a mild detergent and do not overload the drum. Overstuffed loads rub fabric against fabric, and that friction is what makes fleece look tired.
Water temperature and cycle: what to pick
Cold water is the safest default. A cold-water technical brief from the American Cleaning Institute found that cold cycles with high-efficiency cold-water detergents performed best for color transfer, shrinkage and fabric smoothness.
The gentle or delicate cycle matters too. Its slow spin reduces friction and the risk of stretching, fraying or pilling. If you want your fleece to stay smooth, that is your setting.
Not every source agrees on exact numbers. NBC Select's clothing-care guide suggests cold-to-warm water between 86 and 104°F, a normal cycle, and turning sweatshirts and hoodies inside out. That is a reasonable range for sturdy cotton. For anything printed, dark or limited, we stay on the cold end.
| Situation | Water | Cycle | Drying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday cotton hoodie | Cold | Gentle | Air dry flat, or low heat if the label allows |
| Dark or black hoodie | Cold | Short, gentle | Air dry to slow fading |
| Printed or embroidered hoodie | Cold, inside out | Gentle | Air dry |
| Zip-up hoodie | Cold, zipped | Gentle | Air dry flat |
| Sports jersey | Cold, inside out | Gentle | Air dry, per label |
How to keep prints and color looking fresh
Graphic gear takes a beating from heat and rubbing. The American Cleaning Institute says that when machine washing dark clothes is recommended, turning them inside out, using a shorter cycle, washing cold and air drying can slow fading. Hot water and machine drying make fading happen faster.
That is why a black hoodie with a gold lion print should never ride in with your whites or your gym towels. Wash it with similar colors, inside out, and let it dry away from direct heat.
If you are shopping for hoodies with decorative prints or embroidery, the same rules apply across the board. You can browse another hoodies and sweatshirts collection to see how different decorations sit on fleece, then wash each the same careful way.
Wondering why some prints last and others crack? Method matters. Our breakdown of embroidered vs printed choices covers how each decoration behaves, and what that means for care.
Do hoodies shrink?
They can. Cotton hoodies can shrink in hot water, and heat from the dryer is the other culprit. The fix is simple: cold water, a gentle cycle, and air drying.
The results are not identical for every hoodie, though. Consumer Reports tested hoodies in 2021 and found that shrinkage and color bleeding varied by garment and care instruction. One hoodie shrank 1 inch in the body and 1½ inches in the sleeves when dried on low heat, even though its label said line dry. Another did not shrink when tumble-dried low. The lesson: your label and your fabric decide, so follow the tag and go easy on heat.
What if it already shrank? The ACI says cotton knits can be stretched back into shape while slightly damp, then laid flat to finish drying. Some shrinkage may be permanent, so prevention beats repair.
Fit also plays into this. If you are between sizes, the hoodie size guide helps you pick a size that still feels right after a wash or two.
How often should you wash a hoodie?
Less often than a tee. One guide suggests washing a hoodie about every 6 to 7 wears, because washing less frequently prevents added wear and tear. Wash sooner if it picks up sweat, smoke, food or a stain. A hoodie worn over a tee on a cool day is a different story from one worn through a workout.
Between washes, hang it somewhere airy. Fresh air does a lot of work for free.
Drying without the damage
Drying is where most hoodies get ruined. Our rule is simple: air dry whenever you can.
- Lay it flat on a clean towel or rack, away from direct heat. Hanging a wet heavy hoodie on a hanger stretches the shoulders.
- Use low heat only if the label allows. Moderate heat is the most NBC Select suggests for this category, and low heat is the usual safe call.
- Pull it out while a touch damp if you do tumble dry, then finish flat.
The cold-water brief mentioned above also found tumble drying produced softer textiles and reduced pilling, but caused shrinkage and lower fabric strength in at least some materials. So there is a trade-off: soft feel versus fit. For anything you want to keep fitting right, air dry. The ACI also says to air dry items prone to shrinking.
If pilling is your biggest gripe, start at the buying stage. Our guide on how to stop hoodie pilling shows what to look for in fabric so it holds up after ten washes. And if you are not sure which fabric you own, fleece vs French terry explains how each one behaves.
Got a stain? Do this before the dryer
Treat spots fast. The American Cleaning Institute says to treat spots promptly, test any pretreatment on a hidden area, and inspect clothes while still wet. If a stain is still there, pretreat and rewash. Do not dry it, because drying can set the stain permanently.
So if you pull a hoodie from the wash and spot a mark, stop. Do not toss it in the dryer. Re-treat it, run it again cold, and check again before any heat touches it.
How to wash a jersey
A jersey is built for movement, not for the dryer. The same cold-and-careful method protects the fabric, the numbers and any patches.
- Read the label. Jerseys vary, so the tag is your guide.
- Turn it inside out so the front graphics and numbers rub against nothing.
- Wash cold on a gentle cycle with similar colors. The ACI says some uniforms should be washed in cold water to avoid shrinkage or fading, and cold water is typically best for keeping colors from fading or bleeding.
- Skip fabric-heavy loads. No zippers or hooks that can grab the mesh.
- Air dry flat or on a wide hanger. The ACI warns that overdrying can cause permanent wrinkling in synthetic or permanent-press fabrics and can cause shrinkage.
Need a fresh jersey to put this into practice? Check out the GFACE Infinity 08 Black/Blue Recycled Unisex Sports Jersey or the Black/White version, and wash them the way this guide describes.
Do jerseys shrink?
They can, especially when heat hits them. Overdrying is the main risk, as the ACI notes above. A cold wash and air dry keep the fit true. Always check the label for your specific jersey, since fabric blends differ.
Washing a jersey with a stain
Same rule as hoodies: pretreat, rewash, and only dry once the stain is gone. Heat sets stains, and a set stain on a white panel is a long-term guest.
Wash day mistakes that wreck good gear
- Hot water for everything. It speeds shrinking and fading.
- Overloading the drum. Friction is what pills fleece.
- Washing after every wear. More washes means more wear.
- Dryer on high. It tightens cotton and stresses prints.
- Washing prints right-side out. Turn them inside out, every time.
- Leaving a damp hoodie in the machine. Pull it out promptly and lay it flat.
Swimwear is a different animal, with sunscreen, chlorine and salt in the mix. For that, read how to wash limited edition swimwear before the sunscreen sets in.
Our perspective
We built Gfacegear in Brooklyn around one idea: gear should show up for you as hard as you show up for it. Streetwear is not a costume you wear once. You rock it on the train, at the game, on the block, and in the cold. It takes real life, so it needs real care.
Our hoodies, jerseys and tees are print-on-demand, made when you order them. That means every piece is made for you, not pulled off a dusty pile. It also means the finish matters. Prints and embroidery are the story on the front of your hoodie, so protect them. Inside out, cold water, gentle cycle, air dry. Four moves. That is the whole routine.
We think a hoodie you wash right becomes a hoodie you keep. It softens, it fits the way you like, and the lion on the chest still roars after the hundredth wear. That is the kind of Roarwear we want in your closet.
Victor
Roar louder in gear that lasts
Ready to put this routine to work? Our hoodies come in pullover and zip styles, including the Gface Roarwear Unisex zip hoodie. Add a jersey from the jersey collection, and you have a rotation worth looking after.
Want more from every order? The Pride Membership is $9.99 per month and gives you sitewide discounts, early access to limited drops and VIP perks. Join the Pride, lock in your Gameface, and let the world hear you ROAR.
Choosing what to wear next? Our best graphic hoodies for streetwear fans and best zip-up hoodies for men are good places to start, and the hoodie vs sweatshirt weight guide helps you pick the right fabric. Not sure on style? See zip hoodie vs pullover for how each handles travel, warmth and prints.
FAQ
Can I wash a hoodie in the washing machine?
Yes, in most cases. Cotton and cotton-blend hoodies are generally fine in the machine, but check the care label first. If the tag shows a hand-wash or do-not-wash symbol, follow it.
What is the best way to wash a hoodie without ruining the design?
Turn it inside out, wash it in cold water on a gentle cycle, and use a mild detergent. Then air dry it flat, or tumble dry low if the label allows. Keeping the design on the inside during the wash protects prints and embroidery from rubbing.
Do hoodies shrink in the wash?
They can, mostly from hot water and high dryer heat. Cold water, a gentle cycle and air drying help hold the fit. If one has shrunk a little, stretching it gently while damp and drying it flat may help, though some shrinkage can be permanent.
How do I wash a jersey?
Turn it inside out, wash it cold on a gentle cycle with similar colors, and air dry it. Follow the label on your specific jersey. Avoid overdrying, which can cause shrinkage and wrinkling in synthetic fabrics.
What if a stain is still there after washing and drying?
Pretreat it and wash again. Test your stain remover on a hidden spot first. Heat from the dryer can set stains, so keep the garment out of the dryer until the mark is gone.
Sources
- Laundry Basics, American Cleaning Institute
- Keep Dark Clothes from Fading, American Cleaning Institute
- Laundering Problems and Solutions, American Cleaning Institute
- Cleaning Uniforms, American Cleaning Institute
- Cold Water Wash Technical Brief, American Cleaning Institute
- Hoodie Review, Consumer Reports
- 20 items you can clean in a washing machine, Today
- How to clean every type of clothing, NBC Select
- How to Read Laundry Symbols, Tide
- How to Wash Hoodies Without Shrinking or Fading
- How to Wash a Hoodie, Jeeves NY
- How to Wash a Zipper Hoodie, wikiHow