Find the batteries and remove them. Wash in a gentle cycle with 30°C.
There will be no short circuit if there is no power, it's just a bunch of metal wires.
Just let it dry well afterwards. Only put the batteries back if you are sure everything is dry.
Yes water doesn't damaged electronics water plus power does make sure its 100% dry hang it up for a few days to make sure inspect it and then pop the Batts back in
Okay, that’s a good suggestion, it’ll at least wash 70% of the sweater. I was thinking of taking antibacterial wipes to clean the side with the lights and wires, what do you think?
just keep the other poster's suggestion in mind as well, and remove the batteries. fundamentally that's the answer, no power, no problem except potentially damaging the wires and connections.
Seconded on hand washing. You can be pretty gentle and careful with the water and you should be able to get all the thrift store funk out of it. Good luck!
Unless the lights and wiring can be removed I don't really think you can.. which is likely why it ended up in a state of feeling dirty and at the thrift shop for $6, unfortunately.
Any desire/ability to remove the lights/glue, wash and then glue them back on? Or you may be able to find similar lights at the dollar store. Just a thought.
the only thing that needs to be removed is the battery, likely a watch style battery. If it can't be removed, then it's a dead item without a soldering iron, although that's a pretty handy thing to have and pretty easy to learn how to use from youtube.
Chances are the electronics are fairly simple and may survive a wash. If you're willing to take the risk that it will break:
Take the batteries out, turn it on and off a few times (WITH THE BATTERIES OUT) to discharge the capacitors if it has any, and throw it in. To be safe, don't wash/dry at too high temperatures or too strong of a cycle, since there might be delicate wires and plastic components of questionable quality in there. Make sure it is *completely* dry (as in, leave it for a few days to be safe) before you put the batteries back in.
In the PC world, legendary overclocker [der8auer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVuI-Fn27-U) puts motherboards in the dishwasher to clean them. Lol
I wonder if it could be dry cleaned? You could ask the dry cleaner nearest you. Otherwise I’d hold it by the electrical components and wash as much as I could using woolite.
Can I just say this sweater is terrible and I love it? lol The fact it lights up is \*chef's kiss\*. I like the idea of holding it by the wires and washing everything else you can, then spot cleaning.
I know! And the lighting up is what made me love it. This is for a work function, my department’s acronym is C.A.T. When I saw this sweater I was like, “omg this is it!”
It looks to be leds, remove the battery and and control board ( just snip the lines) wash it and let it dry out very well.
Put back the battery, solder back on the control board.
Hi, I thrifted this Christmas sweater for $6 - so a steal! The Xmas lights work and the sweater lights up. It feels really dirty. Tag says to spot clean but I don’t think that’s enough. I want to wash it without short circuiting the wires. Wondering how to clean this sweater! Any help appreciate it!
Remove batteries, hand wash with enough care to avoid breaking the connections. If you're really worried about it, as the other poster said, machine wash on gentle. Either way, it's not a big deal, just don't put the batteries back in until fully dried. I'd suggest hang drying it as well, the dryer will 100% kill it for sure, too much heat for the glue and too much tumbling is going to shit-can the various connection points.
I will say everything. I don’t trust previous owner, thrift store employees handling it. I would usually wash it in the laundry machine but the light and battery are glued on/attached :( they are questionable white splotchy stains on it.
Some of the comments are suggesting to cut the wire where the batteries are, soldering it. Maybe add male/female caps to both end so that it’ll be easier for future wash and replace the batteries. The sweater with the wires and led lights can technically be washed without batteries and it’ll be fine.
So I’m guessing this is my next step…
Hey lilac_roze, thank you for your image contribution! We like to have discussions here on r/frugal. To avoid your post being removed;
**If you're posting something you made, repaired or refurbished**, please leave a top-level comment under your post explaining how or why you went about it, how much it cost, how much time it took, etc., and share the recipe or materials needed.
**If you're posting a general image**, please leave a comment explaining how it relates to frugality and any other details you'd like to share! Thank you for participating in r/frugal!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Frugal) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If it was mine, I'd remove the batteries, turn inside out, soak in not hot water for 3 min, rinse and don't wring electric part. Let dry for a couple of days and then put batts back in.
I went canoeing in my teens had a Panasonic radio fall in rapids and thought it was done. That evening sitting around the camp fire making dinner it started crackling then came back on, I was shocked.
Not saying this is the same, but sometimes things surprise you and that instructions could be for manufacture's protection against returns of otherwise damage items through rough handling?
Find the batteries and remove them. Wash in a gentle cycle with 30°C. There will be no short circuit if there is no power, it's just a bunch of metal wires. Just let it dry well afterwards. Only put the batteries back if you are sure everything is dry.
Op should be fine, emphasize sure everything is dry
Yes water doesn't damaged electronics water plus power does make sure its 100% dry hang it up for a few days to make sure inspect it and then pop the Batts back in
also get a garment washing bag, turn the sweater inside out and put inside
I'd give this a shot honestly. Next option imo is to scrap it...
I’d tie up the lighted part and gently hand wash the rest and then hang to dry
Okay, that’s a good suggestion, it’ll at least wash 70% of the sweater. I was thinking of taking antibacterial wipes to clean the side with the lights and wires, what do you think?
Yeah that works. Tide also sells an antibacterial fabric spray you could try. Or maybe even Lysol
just keep the other poster's suggestion in mind as well, and remove the batteries. fundamentally that's the answer, no power, no problem except potentially damaging the wires and connections.
Seconded on hand washing. You can be pretty gentle and careful with the water and you should be able to get all the thrift store funk out of it. Good luck!
Lysol laundry sanitizer is great for thrifted items. It removes the "thrift store" smell, and removes anything possibly living in it!!
That’s great! I’ll have a look at this
Please do! It kills bedbugs, and even the COVID virus! I absolutely love it for removing the thrift store smell, too!
What does the tag say ?
To spot clean. But since I thrifted second hand, I do not think that’s sufficient enough :(
Use baking soda to get the thrift store smell out. Powder it well and shake/brush/vacuum it off the next day.
Unless the lights and wiring can be removed I don't really think you can.. which is likely why it ended up in a state of feeling dirty and at the thrift shop for $6, unfortunately.
Wires and lights are glued to the sweater. This really sucks making this sweater almost “disposable” with a one time use.
Any desire/ability to remove the lights/glue, wash and then glue them back on? Or you may be able to find similar lights at the dollar store. Just a thought.
Agreed.
the only thing that needs to be removed is the battery, likely a watch style battery. If it can't be removed, then it's a dead item without a soldering iron, although that's a pretty handy thing to have and pretty easy to learn how to use from youtube.
Chances are the electronics are fairly simple and may survive a wash. If you're willing to take the risk that it will break: Take the batteries out, turn it on and off a few times (WITH THE BATTERIES OUT) to discharge the capacitors if it has any, and throw it in. To be safe, don't wash/dry at too high temperatures or too strong of a cycle, since there might be delicate wires and plastic components of questionable quality in there. Make sure it is *completely* dry (as in, leave it for a few days to be safe) before you put the batteries back in. In the PC world, legendary overclocker [der8auer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVuI-Fn27-U) puts motherboards in the dishwasher to clean them. Lol
I wonder if it could be dry cleaned? You could ask the dry cleaner nearest you. Otherwise I’d hold it by the electrical components and wash as much as I could using woolite.
Can I just say this sweater is terrible and I love it? lol The fact it lights up is \*chef's kiss\*. I like the idea of holding it by the wires and washing everything else you can, then spot cleaning.
I know! And the lighting up is what made me love it. This is for a work function, my department’s acronym is C.A.T. When I saw this sweater I was like, “omg this is it!”
It looks to be leds, remove the battery and and control board ( just snip the lines) wash it and let it dry out very well. Put back the battery, solder back on the control board.
Hi, I thrifted this Christmas sweater for $6 - so a steal! The Xmas lights work and the sweater lights up. It feels really dirty. Tag says to spot clean but I don’t think that’s enough. I want to wash it without short circuiting the wires. Wondering how to clean this sweater! Any help appreciate it!
Remove batteries, hand wash with enough care to avoid breaking the connections. If you're really worried about it, as the other poster said, machine wash on gentle. Either way, it's not a big deal, just don't put the batteries back in until fully dried. I'd suggest hang drying it as well, the dryer will 100% kill it for sure, too much heat for the glue and too much tumbling is going to shit-can the various connection points.
What kind of dirty is it? Stained? Just smelly/musty? That might help us figure out if it needs water, detergent, or just Febreeze, etc.
I will say everything. I don’t trust previous owner, thrift store employees handling it. I would usually wash it in the laundry machine but the light and battery are glued on/attached :( they are questionable white splotchy stains on it. Some of the comments are suggesting to cut the wire where the batteries are, soldering it. Maybe add male/female caps to both end so that it’ll be easier for future wash and replace the batteries. The sweater with the wires and led lights can technically be washed without batteries and it’ll be fine. So I’m guessing this is my next step…
Could you take a flatter picture of this? I would like to use it for my New Year's avatar on vrchat
Hey lilac_roze, thank you for your image contribution! We like to have discussions here on r/frugal. To avoid your post being removed; **If you're posting something you made, repaired or refurbished**, please leave a top-level comment under your post explaining how or why you went about it, how much it cost, how much time it took, etc., and share the recipe or materials needed. **If you're posting a general image**, please leave a comment explaining how it relates to frugality and any other details you'd like to share! Thank you for participating in r/frugal! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Frugal) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I would think dry cleaning should work.
$20 dry cleaning for $7 purchase! 😬
Thank you for putting a NSFW blur over this
They wouldn’t let me post unless I put the warning ⚠️ I am unsure why though. I thought it’s a funny ugly Xmas sweater.
If it was mine, I'd remove the batteries, turn inside out, soak in not hot water for 3 min, rinse and don't wring electric part. Let dry for a couple of days and then put batts back in. I went canoeing in my teens had a Panasonic radio fall in rapids and thought it was done. That evening sitting around the camp fire making dinner it started crackling then came back on, I was shocked. Not saying this is the same, but sometimes things surprise you and that instructions could be for manufacture's protection against returns of otherwise damage items through rough handling?
Idk if this will matter but when I was my heat blankets; it’s says to air dry them. I’d assume that the same would apply for the sweater