How to remove bobbles from jumpers (and stop them coming back)

To remove bobbles from a jumper, lay it flat on a firm surface and run a fabric shaver, a wool comb or a sweater stone lightly over the pilled areas, working in one direction and keeping the fabric taut. Go gently, check often and stop as soon as the surface looks smooth. To stop bobbles coming back, wash knitwear inside out on a gentle cycle, wash it less often and keep it away from rough bags and straps.

Bobbles, also called pilling, are one of the most common signs of wear on second-hand knitwear. The good news is that they are usually a surface problem rather than damage, and a few minutes of care can make a tired jumper look much fresher.

Why jumpers bobble

Pilling happens when short or loose fibres work their way to the surface of the fabric and tangle together into small balls. Friction is the main cause, which is why bobbles appear in the same places on most jumpers:

under the arms
along the sides, where your arms rub
on the front, where a bag strap or seatbelt sits
on the cuffs and elbows

Soft, loosely spun yarns tend to pill more, and so do some blends. A little pilling is normal on almost any knit, including good ones, and it is not by itself a sign of poor quality.

What you need

Any of these will do the job:

A fabric shaver. A small battery or plug-in device with a guard over the blades. Quick and good for larger areas.
A wool comb or knitwear brush. A fine-toothed comb made for the purpose. Gentle and good for delicate knits.
A sweater stone. A block of pumice-like material that you rub lightly over the surface.
A disposable razor. Works in a pinch on tightly knitted pieces, but needs a very light hand.

Whichever you choose, also have a lint roller or a strip of tape to pick up the loose fluff afterwards.

How to de-bobble a jumper, step by step

Lay the jumper flat on a table or ironing board, not on your lap. A firm surface stops you catching the knit.
Smooth it out so the fabric is taut but not stretched.
Work on one small area at a time. Hold the fabric flat with one hand.
Move the tool lightly in one direction. With a shaver, glide it over the surface without pressing. With a comb or stone, use short, gentle strokes.
Check as you go. Lift the tool every few strokes and look. It is easy to thin the fabric if you overdo it.
Clear the fluff with a lint roller, then move on to the next area.
Do the cuffs and underarms last. These are often the thinnest parts.

Avoid seams, ribbing and any raised pattern, which are easy to snag. On very fine knits such as cashmere, a wool comb is usually the gentlest choice.

How to stop bobbles coming back

You cannot stop pilling completely, but you can slow it down a lot.

Turn knitwear inside out before washing so the outer surface rubs less.
Use a gentle cycle or hand wash, with cool water and a wool detergent. Our guide to washing and storing knitwear has the details.
Wash less often. Wool rarely needs washing after every wear. Airing it overnight is often enough.
Do not wash knits with jeans or towels, whose rough surfaces cause friction.
Skip the tumble dryer. Lay knitwear flat to dry.
Watch what rubs. Cross-body bags, rucksack straps and rough coat linings all speed up pilling.
Let jumpers rest. Rotating between a few gives the fibres time to recover.

Bobbles on second-hand knitwear: buying

When you are buying a jumper second-hand, pilling is worth checking but rarely a reason to walk away. Look at the photos of the underarms, sides and cuffs, and ask the seller if they are not shown. A little bobbling can be removed in minutes. Heavy pilling across the whole front, or fabric that has gone thin where bobbles were removed, is harder to fix and should be reflected in the price.

It is also worth asking what the jumper is made of. The composition label helps you judge how it will wear from here.

Bobbles on knitwear you are selling

A quick de-bobble before you photograph a jumper is one of the easiest ways to help it sell. Remove the bobbles, clear the fluff, fold the jumper neatly and take its photos in daylight.

Then be honest about what is left. If some pilling remains, or the fabric is a little thinner in places, say so and show it in a close-up. Buyers expect some wear on second-hand knitwear; what they do not expect is to discover it in the parcel. Our guide on how to photograph clothes to sell shows how to capture texture and flaws clearly.

The short version

Lay the jumper flat, use a fabric shaver, wool comb or sweater stone lightly in one direction, and check often. Then slow future pilling by washing inside out on a gentle cycle, washing less, drying flat and keeping rough straps away. Buying or selling, a little pilling is normal: show it, price for it and move on.