How to Wash Cotton Pajamas So They Stay Soft

Cotton is the easiest fabric in your closet to take care of and the easiest one to accidentally ruin. Almost everything that goes wrong with a cotton pajama set comes down to heat.

Wash cold

Cold water, gentle cycle. Hot water is what shrinks cotton and what pulls the color out of a print, and it does both on the first wash rather than gradually. Cold water does not clean cotton any less well, so there is no trade you are making here.

Turn the set inside out before it goes in. Lace trim and bows last longer when they are on the inside of the tumble instead of catching on everything else in the drum.

Dry low, or not at all

Tumble dry low. High heat is the other half of the shrinking problem, and it is harder on the fibres than the wash itself.

If you have the time, hang drying is gentler again. Cotton dries quickly and comes off the line soft.

Skip the fabric softener

This is the one that surprises people. Fabric softener coats cotton fibres in a thin residue, and that coating is what makes cotton feel slick and stop breathing properly over time. Cotton gets softer on its own with every wash. It does not need help, and the help works against it.

Same for dryer sheets, for the same reason.

Wash before you wear

New cotton is a little stiff. One cold wash before the first night takes that off and starts the softening process. Every wash after that keeps going.

How often

Every three or four wears is plenty for sleepwear if you are showering before bed. Washing less often is better for the fabric and better for how long the set lasts.

Storing them

Folded, not hung. Cotton stretches at the shoulders when it hangs for months, and a drawer keeps the print out of direct light.

Our sets are 100% cotton, machine wash cold, tumble dry low. That is the whole care label, and it is meant to stay that simple.

Common questions

Do 100% cotton pajamas shrink?

They can, and heat is the cause both times. A hot wash shrinks cotton and a hot dryer shrinks it again, usually on the first cycle rather than gradually. Washing cold and tumble drying low keeps the change small enough not to matter. Pre-washed cotton moves less than raw cotton does.

How do you wash 100% cotton pajamas?

Cold water on a gentle cycle, turned inside out so the lace and bows are protected, then tumble dry low or hang dry. Skip fabric softener and dryer sheets. That is the whole routine, and cotton needs nothing more complicated.

How often should you wash pajamas?

Every three or four wears is plenty if you shower before bed. Washing less often is better for the fabric and makes the set last longer. Wash sooner if you have been unwell or the nights have been warm.

Why should you not use fabric softener on cotton?

It leaves a thin residue on the fibres that makes cotton feel slick and stops it breathing properly. Cotton softens on its own with every wash, so softener is working against the thing you bought cotton for. Dryer sheets do the same.

Should you wash cotton pajamas before wearing them?

Yes. New cotton is slightly stiff, and one cold wash takes that off and begins the softening. It also settles any shrinkage before the set has been worn.

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More: why every Isla Lune set is 100% cotton, cotton versus polyester for sleepwear, and what size pajamas you should actually buy.