How to wash cross stitch
Updated November 1, 2026 · 3 min read
Wash a finished cotton piece to lift skin oil, hoop marks, and dust. DMC’s own care steps use cold water and a small amount of non-biological detergent. Skip the wash if the cloth is not washable, the thread is not colourfast, or the design was printed on the fabric.
- 1
Decide whether this piece should get wet
Mill cotton floss on cotton Aida, evenweave, or linen usually can. Do not immerse hand-dyed thread or cloth until you have tested it, silk, wool, beads you cannot identify, or fabric with a design printed on it. DMC says not to wash pre-printed designs, and not to dry-clean cross stitch. If you only need dust off, they suggest a vacuum nozzle covered with stocking, held just above the work.
- 2
Test anything you do not trust
Dampen a white cloth and press it on the back of each dark or red you did not buy as colourfast cotton. If colour transfers, do not soak the piece. DMC states that its own threads are colourfast and fade-resistant, and that a vinegar soak is optional, not required.
- 3
Rinse, then wash in cold water
Rinse under clean cold water. Then wash by hand with a small amount of non-biological detergent. Do not use biological powder, chlorine bleach, or a hot cycle. Swish. Do not scrub the stitches. If the water colours, stop and keep rinsing in cold water until it runs clear.
Cold water. The piece stays flat. - 4
Rinse until the water is really clear
Soap left in the cloth attracts dirt. Several cold rinses are normal. Support the piece with both hands when you lift it. Do not wring. Do not hang it by one corner.
- 5
Roll it in a towel and dry it flat
Lay it on a clean white towel, roll the towel, and press — do not twist — so the towel takes the water. Unroll onto a dry towel. Smooth the shape with your hands. Dry flat, face up or face down, away from sun and pets.
- 6
Iron from the back while it is still damp
Place the piece face down between clean towels so the iron does not crush the stitches. Press lightly with a warm iron, on the setting the fabric allows. DMC says never use a hot iron. Steam can help a crease. Do not iron until water-soluble grid marks are gone. Heat can set them.
Where blogs disagree
Some stitchers use lukewarm water. DMC’s care page says cold. When the thread maker and a blog disagree, follow the thread maker for DMC cotton. Lukewarm is a common practice, not the instruction on the product.
Washing before you stitch
Most Aida is stitched as it comes, because washing removes the starch that makes the holes easy to see. Wash first only to pre-shrink something that will be laundered later, or to test dye. Zigzag the raw edge if you do wash it first, or it will fray in the basin.
Sources
Press it, then decide how it will live
A hoop finish and a framed mat start from the same clean, flat cloth.
How to frame cross stitchQuestions
- Can I machine-wash a finished cross stitch?
- Not if you plan to frame it. Agitation loosens tails and can distort the cloth. A garment you made to be washed is a different project, and even then a mesh bag and a cold gentle cycle is as far as most stitchers go.
- The red ran. What now?
- Keep the piece wet and rinse in cold water until the water is clear. Do not let it dry, and do not iron. Drying sets the stain. Do not reach for bleach.
- Do I wash every piece?
- Wash it if it is grubby, oily, or hoop-marked and the materials allow it. A clean piece that will sit behind glass can be pressed from the back without a bath.
- Can I use starch?
- A light press is enough for framing. Heavy starch makes the cloth brittle and is not part of DMC’s care steps.