When is a handwash not a handwash?

Twopints

OH bought a cardigan from Next (cost £40) and it says handwash only.

Our washing machine has a handwash setting, so she used this and the cardigan has shrunk considerably (approx 5 sizes!!).

So, can she do anything about it? Does handwash mean handwash, or does it mean "you can use the handwash setting on a washing machine"? If the former, what is the point of handwash settings on washing machines?

If the machine has a handwash setting, yet when you use it your clothes are ruined, what is the point?

Should she be complaining to Next, the Washing Machine manufacturers (LG) or should she be putting the cardigan in the clothes bank and writing it off to experience?

:beer:

JennyW_2

Cant help about the handwash queries but learnt from this site that if you soak the shrunken clothing in hair conditioning you can reshape it. I did this with a lovely woolen jumper. I bought a cheap hair conditioner and poured it into the bath with water, soaked my jumper and was able to gentle stretch it back Thank god I read the post or else I would've thrown it away

thescouselander

I find that if you use the hand wash setting on the washing machine you sometimes need to gently stretch the clothing back into shape before you dry it.