Many of the products made with alpaca fiber/yarn have their own care/washing/drying instructions attached. However, for those items without tags describing their care, it is suggested it be treated as follows:
1. Gently hand wash in a sink of warm water with a few drops of Dawn (dish washing detergent).
2. Rinse gently with warm water.
3. Never wring or rub fabric.
4. Lay flat to dry.
5. Every 8 to 10 washings it is recommended to soak your garment in warm water with a few drops of hair conditioner for 30 minutes or so. Then repeat steps 2 - 4.
6. Store your garments lying flat in a drawer or on a shelf.
Unlike wool, alpaca fiber does not have lanolin which holds odor, dust and dirt. Therefore, the frequency of washing your garment(s) is reduced.
Proper care should provide years of use and enjoyment of items made with alpaca.