How to Wash Compression Socks: What Makers Actually Say

Wash compression socks inside out on a gentle cycle in cold to warm water with mild detergent, skip softener and bleach, then air dry. None of the makers we checked endorses hot water. Where they split is the dryer: some allow low heat, and one says even low heat does cumulative damage.

Many guides on this search flatten that into "never use a dryer." The makers' own pages do not agree, so what you bought decides how strict you need to be.

The dryer is where the makers split

Each cell comes from that maker's own care page. "Not stated" means the page we read does not say. JOBST and medi write about stockings, and medi's temperature carries no unit on its page, though it is a German maker.

Read your own label. JOBST's FAQ allows low-heat tumbling, but its JOBST Relief page tells you to check the garment label for dryer compatibility. We found no care page from CHARMKING or Wellow, so we left them out; for those socks, the label inside the pair is the instruction.

None of these pages publishes a test comparing air drying with low heat. Comrad's warning and Sockwell's permission are both maker statements. Air drying is the choice no maker here objects to, and low heat is a defensible fallback only where your maker allows it.

Why laundry changes the pressure

Compression comes from elastic fibers, and the makers name the same threats: heat, harsh chemicals and stretching.

• Heat: Comrad says dryer heat can degrade elastic fibers and shorten a sock's life. Sockwell says too much heat can damage the fibers and compromise the fit.
• Softener: Comrad says it coats fibers and reduces elasticity.
• Wringing: JOBST, medi and Comrad all say do not wring, and NHS inform says not to squeeze the water out.

Washing itself also helps. medi says its stockings regain their original elasticity after washing and drying, which is why skipping the wash is not the gentle option it sounds like.

The routine after a shift

1. Turn the socks inside out.
2. Put them in a mesh bag, which Comrad and JOBST both suggest for extra protection.
3. Run a gentle cycle with a mild detergent, at the temperature your maker states. Cold or cool suits Comrad and is allowed by Sockwell.
4. Roll them in a towel and press the water out. Do not wring.
5. Dry them flat or hung, away from radiators and direct sun. JOBST, medi and NHS inform all warn against a radiator.

If they have a silicone band, JOBST says to hand wash it to clear creams, lotions and hair.

Why they should not ride along with your scrubs

The routine in our scrub laundry guide uses the warmest water the label allows, oxygen bleach and a low-heat dryer. Socks want different settings.

So run them as a separate gentle load, or pull them out before the dryer if your scrub settings already suit your socks.

How many pairs a 12-hour week takes

MedlinePlus suggests two pairs, one worn and one washed and dried. That floor assumes you wash every day. The table below is our arithmetic, not a maker's figure: one clean pair per shift, plus one spare.

A multipack such as CHARMKING, 8 pairs covers the worst row, though you will need to follow its label for care. If you want your dryer to stay part of the routine, Sockwell Circulator and JOBST Relief are the catalog socks whose makers leave that door open, subject to the label on the JOBST pair. Comrad's 3-pack suits you if you already air dry, and Physix Gear Sport sits in the firmer 20-30 mmHg20-30 mmHgThe firm band of compression hosiery, often labelled by sellers as 'medical grade' - a marketing phrase, not a regulatory classification. It is harder to don than 15-20 mmHg and is frequently the band nurses report their own clinicians discussing. Which band suits a given person is a question for that person's clinician, not a review site. band a clinician may point you to.

When a pair is done

The replacement numbers differ, and they are stated as time, not washes.

Our arithmetic on that: three shifts a week for 26 weeks is 78 wears. Across four pairs that is about 20 wears each, while two pairs worn daily would reach about 91 each. No source gives a wear count, so this does not prove a rotated sock lasts longer. It does mean six months is a good date to check your socks, and that the check should decide.

Retire a pair when: it slips or sags, or feels less firm (Comrad), looks worn or stretched out (Cleveland Clinic), or fits noticeably looser or tighter than when new (JOBST, which sends you to a fitter or clinician). Our fit check is the quick way to test it on shift.

If a clinician prescribed your stockings, the leaflet in the box and their advice outrank everything here. Our guide to mmHg bands covers what firmness to ask about, and how long to wear them covers the shift itself.