Satin and cotton behave differently once they’ve left the packet, and most of what goes wrong with a scrunchie comes down to washing it the way you’d wash anything else. Here’s how to actually keep the shine, the colour, and the shape.
Satin scrunchies
Hand wash in cool water with a small amount of gentle detergent, satin doesn’t like heat or a washing machine’s spin cycle, both tend to dull the sheen over time. Squeeze the water out gently rather than wringing, then lay it flat on a towel to dry, away from direct heat or radiators.
Cotton print scrunchies
These are a bit more forgiving, a cool machine wash inside a mesh bag or pillowcase is usually fine, but skip the tumble dryer. Air drying keeps the print looking sharp for longer and is kinder to the elastic inside.
A few things to avoid either way
- Don’t leave a wet scrunchie balled up, it can go misshapen or start to smell before it dries properly
- Keep them away from anything with rough velcro or zips in the wash, both can snag satin especially
- If a colour looks like it might run, wash it on its own the first time
Treated well, a handmade scrunchie should easily outlast a shop-bought one, that’s part of the point of making them by hand in the first place.