How to Wash Pima Cotton Pajamas So They Stay Soft

Cold water, a mild detergent and a flat surface to dry on. The full care routine for Pima cotton sleepwear, and the habits that wear it out early.

Pima cotton is easy to look after. The routine is short. Most of the wear people see in cotton sleepwear, like shrinking, pilling and faded color, comes from heat and friction, and both are easy to keep away from your pajamas.

The short version

• Wash before the first wear.
• Use cold water and a mild, chlorine-free detergent.
• Hand wash, or use the gentle cycle with the garment turned inside out.
• Lay flat to dry, out of direct sunlight. Skip the dryer.
• If you iron, use a medium setting and iron inside out.
• Store folded in a cool, dry place.

Before the first wear

Wash new Pima pajamas once before you sleep in them. It clears anything left over from finishing and shipping. The fabric also feels softer after that first wash.

Washing by hand

Hand washing is the gentlest option, and worth the few minutes for a favorite set. Turn the piece inside out first. Fill a basin with cold water and a small amount of mild soap or detergent. Press the garment through the water for a few minutes. Scrubbing and wringing stretch the fibers, so keep your movements soft.

Rinse in cold water until it runs clear. Press out the extra water with your palms, or roll the piece in a clean towel and press down.

Washing in a machine

Choose the gentle or delicate cycle and cold water. Turn each piece inside out, which protects the outer surface and any print from rubbing against the drum. A mesh laundry bag adds one more layer of protection.

Wash Pima with other light fabrics. Jeans, towels and anything with zippers or hooks rub hard against fine cotton and are a common cause of pilling.

Use a mild detergent without chlorine. Bleach weakens cotton fibers and strips color, so leave it out entirely.

Treating stains

Treat stains early, while they are fresh. Blot with cold water and a little mild detergent, working from the outside of the mark toward the center. Hot water can set some stains, like blood or sweat, into cotton, so keep it cold here too. Skip stain removers with chlorine bleach. If a mark is still there after one wash, treat it again before the garment goes near any heat.

Drying: the step that matters most

Heat shrinks cotton. A hot tumble dryer is the most likely place for a pajama set to lose its fit.

Lay each piece flat on a clean, dry surface or a drying rack, and smooth it into shape with your hands while it is still damp. Keep it out of direct sunlight, which fades color over time.

Skip wire hangers, wet or dry. They stretch the shoulders out of shape.

Ironing

Smoothing the fabric while it dries flat cuts down on ironing. When you do iron, use a medium setting (the one marked wool or silk on most irons) and iron the garment inside out.

Dry cleaning

Keep dry cleaning for the rare stain that leaves you no other option. A cold wash at home is gentler on cotton.

How often to wash pajamas

A practical rhythm is every three or four wears. Wash sooner in warm weather, after a sweaty night, or after you have been sick. Body oils build up in the fabric over time, and regular washing keeps cotton feeling fresh. Washing after every single night adds wear without much benefit.

Storing between seasons

Fold your Pima pieces and keep them in a cool, dry drawer or on a shelf. For longer storage, a breathable cotton bag works better than plastic, which can trap moisture.

Every step is also on our Pima care page. With this routine, Pima sleepwear can stay in your rotation for years.