The routine that suits most merino socks
Inside out, so the terry loops inside get washed and the outside pills less. A cold or cool gentle cycle with a mild detergent. No bleach, no fabric softener. Then low heat or air: hang them or lay them flat.
| Brand | Maker’s instruction | Watch for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartwool | Smartwool’s hiking socks in this guide allow gentle washing in warm or cool water and low tumble drying. Do not bleach, iron or dry clean. | Product pages allow low tumble drying; Smartwool’s washing guide says no dryer. Follow the label on your pair. | Smartwool |
| Wigwam | Turn socks inside out and wash in warm water, no hotter than 120°F (50°C). Skip bleach and fabric softener, and keep them away from denim and Velcro. Tumble dry on the lowest heat or lay flat to dry. | – | Wigwam |
| Darn Tough | Wash inside out on a cold, gentle cycle. Use low tumble heat or hang dry. Avoid bleach and dry cleaning. | – | Darn Tough |
| Falke | Machine wash on a gentle, delicate or wool cycle at 30°C (86°F). Do not bleach, tumble dry, iron or dry clean. The Cool models with lyocell take 40°C (104°F) on a gentle cycle. | – | Falke |
| Farm to Feet | For Damascus 8985, wash cold and line dry or tumble with no heat. | – | Farm to Feet |
| Fox River | Machine wash warm, inside out. No bleach. Tumble dry low. Do not iron or dry clean. | – | Fox River |
| Sealskinz | The Runton UK product page allows washing at 40°C / 105°F and low tumble drying or drip drying. Do not bleach, iron or dry clean. | Varies by model: 30°C and drip dry on some, 40°C (105°F) and low tumble on others. Heated socks: remove the battery first. | Sealskinz |
| Icebreaker | Icebreaker’s hiking socks in this guide: machine wash cold on a gentle cycle and dry flat. Do not bleach, iron or dry clean. | – | Icebreaker |
| Wrightsock | Wash inside out in warm water, including before first wear. Avoid bleach and fabric softener. Line dry or use no heat. | – | Wrightsock |
| Minus33 | Turn inside out, machine wash cold with a gentle or wool detergent and tumble dry low. No bleach or fabric softener. | – | Minus33 |
| Sockwell | Turn inside out, machine wash warm and tumble dry low, with no bleach; or, as Sockwell suggests for a gentler wash, machine wash cold and air dry. | – | Sockwell |
| Bridgedale | Wash inside out on a 104°F wool cycle, dark colors separately, with no fabric conditioner or bleach. Tumble dry on low heat; do not iron, dry clean or dry on a radiator. | – | Bridgedale |
| Thorlo | Wash inside out in cool or lukewarm water on a regular or delicate cycle, with no chlorine bleach. Thorlo recommends liquid fabric softener in the rinse and tumble drying on low or permanent press rather than line drying; high heat can shrink the socks. | – | Thorlo |
| Injinji | Wash on a cold, delicate cycle and line dry. For the removable Liner + Hiker set, wash and dry the two components separately. | – | Injinji |
| Woolx | Machine wash cold, inside out, and tumble dry low. Skip fabric softener, which coats the merino fibres. | – | Woolx |
| Feetures | Wash inside out in cold water and tumble dry low. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. | – | Feetures |
| Point6 | Use cool or lukewarm water and a gentle or medium wash cycle. Point6 permits medium tumble heat. Avoid hot washing, harsh cycles, bleach, ironing and dry cleaning. | Point6’s own washing guide allows a medium cycle and medium dryer heat. | Point6 |
| DexShell | Wash at 30°C (86°F) or below on a mild cycle with a mild detergent, and drip or line dry away from direct heat such as radiators or heaters, which can make the layers come apart. Do not bleach, wring, iron or dry clean. Wear the socks inside footwear, not as footwear on their own. | – | DexShell |
| Rohner | Wash gently at no more than 30°C (86°F). | – | Rohner |
| Warrior Alpaca | Machine wash cold with a mild detergent and lay flat to dry, out of the sun. No chlorine bleach. Warrior Alpaca says tumble drying on air is possible but can shorten a sock’s life. | – | Warrior Alpaca |
| Alpacas of Montana | Machine wash cold and lay flat to dry, away from heat. No bleach. | – | Alpacas of Montana |
| CEP | CEP’s hiking-sock pages say: gentle machine wash cold (up to 30°C / 86°F), no tumble drying, no bleach, no iron, no dry cleaning. Its general care page allows tumble drying on low, so the label on your pair decides. | – | CEP |
| Showers Pass | Showers Pass’s care page is written for its waterproof gear in general, not for socks: wash on a gentle cycle in cool or cold water (30°C/86°F where the machine allows) with a liquid free-and-clear detergent or a technical-gear wash; avoid powders, stain-fighting, softening and whitening products and bleach; hang-dry where you can and keep the gear away from high heat. Its merino section adds: read the garment label, wash inside out below 30°C (85°F), skip fabric softener and lay flat to dry. | – | Showers Pass |
| Swiftwick | Machine wash cold, no bleach, no iron. Swiftwick’s product pages say tumble dry low and its FAQ says tumble dry with no heat, so the cooler setting is the safe one. | – | Swiftwick |
| PAKA | PAKA states machine washable for Trail Crew Socks. The exact product page does not specify a wash temperature or drying method, so it does not establish tumble-dryer permission. Follow the supplied care label for those settings. | Trail Ankle: no tumble drying, though PAKA’s general sock care allows gentle machine drying. | PAKA |
| Randy Sun | Turn the socks inside out and machine wash on a gentle cycle below 40°C (104°F) with a standard liquid detergent, without fabric softener or bleach; or rinse them by hand in lukewarm water and press the water out without wringing. Drip dry in a shaded, well-ventilated place; do not tumble dry, iron or dry clean. | – | Randy Sun |
| REI Co-op | Mountain Merino C10726 allows cold or warm machine washing and low tumble drying. Do not bleach or use fabric softener. | – | REI Co-op |
Where the makers disagree
Smartwool’s product pages allow tumble drying on low, while its general washing guide says to keep socks out of the dryer; the label on your pair decides. PAKA’s general sock care allows gentle machine drying, but its Trail Ankle says no tumble drying. Sealskinz prints different temperatures for different models, from 30°C with drip drying to 40°C (105°F) with low tumble.
Heat is what to avoid
High dryer heat and radiators can shrink wool and wear out elastane. If you are unsure, air-dry. On a trip, never dry socks against a stove or fire.
Liners, double layers and waterproof socks
Take a separate liner out of its outer sock and wash both. A built-in double layer washes as one sock. Waterproof socks follow their own instructions, usually inside out; heated socks need the battery removed first.
After a hike, before the wash
Rinse out grit and mud, then let the pair dry before it goes in the laundry hamper. The care lookup has each model’s own instruction if your pair differs from its brand’s usual rule.
