Check if it’s color fast. Rub some Soak on a hidden part of your item and rinse after two minutes. If there’s no bleeding, you’re good to go.

Prepare yourself for some dirt. When you hand wash, you’ll probably see it in the water, especially if you haven’t washed your piece in a while. If the water is really dirty, pour it out and soak a second time.

Don’t worry about color. Gentle cleansers like Soak can pull excess dye out of crocheted items. If you see dye in the water, it’s okay – it won’t harm your item. (It comes out of your clothes in the machine too, you just don’t see it there.)

Get the water out. Squeeze out as much as you can, but be gentle. Don’t wring, twist it or lift it and let the weight of the water stretch it out. Roll it up in a clean towel to absorb the water, or if your machine has a gentle spin cycle, spin it away.

Lay it flat. Place the item on a towel, reshaping as you go (for the knitting-uninitiated, this process is called blocking). Lay it flat in a spot with good air circulation on all sides (like a drying rack). Flip it over so it has a chance to dry on both sides.