18 October 2026 · 2 min read · by Léa
How to wash a crochet accessory: scrunchie, headband, scarf
Scrunchie, headband, scarf or keyring: how to wash and dry a crochet piece without deforming it, so it keeps its shape and colours.
A handmade crochet piece is not fragile, but it does not like the machine. The yarn, the stitch and what is inside (an elastic, a padding, a glued flower) require a bit of attention. Here is how I advise to maintain each family of the shop.
The common rule: by hand, flat, without heat
For everything that can be washed:
- by hand, at a maximum of 30 °C;
- without rubbing or wringing: we gently press the piece in a towel;
- drying flat, in the open air;
- no tumble dryer, no bleach, no whitening product.
Wringing or hanging a wet piece deforms it: the weight of the water stretches the stitches. Flat, it dries as it was crocheted.
The scrunchies
IRIS and ANTHÉA are washed by hand, at a maximum of 30 °C, and dried flat. Never in a machine: the elastic placed inside the work would not recover. No ironing either, as acrylic fears heat.
Headbands
ALBA is in cotton, CLÉO in mercerised cotton. Hand wash at 30 °C, then lay flat to dry, reshaping by hand while still damp. For CLÉO, avoid bleach and whitening products in particular: they dull the mercerised sheen.
Scarf
ÉLIA should be hand washed, at 30 °C at most. Press it in a towel without twisting, then lay it flat to dry on another towel, reshaping it. No tumble drying, no ironing.
Clips, charms and keyrings
CAMÉLIA, FLORE, NOVA, CLÉMENTINE and AUTOMNE cannot be washed: some pieces are padded, others have a glued flower or a metal fastening. In case of a stain, gently dab with a barely damp cloth, then let it dry flat, in the open air.
A barely damp cloth is almost always enough.
And the colours?
What causes a colour to fade is mainly bleach, whitening products and the heat of a tumble dryer. By avoiding these, a piece keeps its hues. The material of each piece, and the certification of its yarn if it has one, are written on its card, in "Material".
Frequently asked questions
Can a handmade crochet scrunchie be put in the washing machine?
Not the scrunchies from the shop: the elastic inside cannot withstand a machine. Hand wash at 30 °C at most, then dry flat.
How to dry a crochet headband without deforming it?
Flat, on a towel, reshaping it by hand while it is still damp. Never hang it up, never put it in the dryer.
How to clean a crochet keyring?
It cannot be washed: dab the stain with a barely damp cloth, then let it air dry, flat and uncovered.
Can a crochet piece be ironed?
Not acrylic pieces, which are sensitive to heat: this is the case for scrunchies, clips and the scarf from the shop. The material of each piece is indicated on its product card.
All of Léa’s pieces are crocheted by hand, one by one, in the south of France. See the pieces
