Before you run water or open the washing machine, find the care label on your pair.
That label decides which washing and drying methods are safe for those socks. Everything below works inside it.
Start with the care label
Instructions can differ from one pair to the next, so the label comes first.
Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust tells its patients to follow the manufacturer's guidelines on how to wash their stockings. Our own wash bag page says the same thing in a different way: follow the care instructions supplied with your socks and your washing machine.
A note on our sources: some of the guides below are UK NHS leaflets written for people whose stockings were prescribed. We use them for general care points, and your label still comes first.
How to wash LeafSock compression socks
Our product pages give one care line: machine wash cold on a gentle cycle and air dry.
- Check the label on your pair matches that instruction.
- If you like, place the socks in a mesh laundry bag and close it. In its care advice for compression sleeves, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust notes that a laundry net can provide additional protection. Our Premium Wash Bag is a reusable mesh bag with a zipper that keeps a pair together during an approved gentle wash cycle. It doesn't change how the socks perform.
- Wash cold on a gentle cycle.
- Air dry.
Can you wash compression socks in the washing machine?
If the label allows it. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust tells its patients to wash compression stockings by hand or on the delicate cycle of a washing machine.
The same leaflet adds one more point for a new pair: wash it on its own the first time.
How to wash compression socks by hand
If your label allows hand washing, these are the steps the guides describe:
- Wash with mild soap and water. That is the method MedlinePlus describes.
- Rinse them. MedlinePlus says to rinse and air dry.
- Don't squeeze or wring the water out. Guy's and St Thomas' says to let them dry naturally instead.
- Hang them to dry. Healthline says hanging them to dry helps prevent warping or changes in the fabric.
Hand washing, if your label allows it
1. Check the label
Hand wash only if the label allows it.
2. Soap and water
Wash with mild soap and water.
3. Rinse
Rinse them.
4. Do not wring
Do not squeeze or wring the water out.
5. Hang to dry
Let them air dry, away from direct heat.
Hand washing, based on MedlinePlus, Guy's and St Thomas' and Healthline. Check your care label first.
View the original illustrated guide and sources
Before you start, check your care label for four things: whether hand washing is allowed, the water temperature, the type of detergent, and how to dry the pair. Use what your label says for your exact socks.
Can compression socks go in the dryer?
It depends on the care label for your exact pair, so check it before you use a dryer.
For LeafSock socks, our product pages say to air dry. Don't assume another brand's drying instructions apply to your pair.
The health guides we used lean the same way for the stockings they cover. Guy's and St Thomas' says to dry them away from direct heat, not in a tumble dryer or on a radiator. Kingston and Richmond says not to dry them in the sun or on a radiator, as this may damage the elastic fibers.
Washing do's and don'ts at a glance
Here is the guidance above in one place. Your care label still decides.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Follow the care label on your pair | Assume every pair washes the same way |
| Use mild soap and water, or a gentle cycle if the label allows it | Use bleach or fabric softener |
| Rinse them | Squeeze or wring the water out |
| Let them air dry | Dry them on a radiator or in the sun |
Washing: what to do and avoid
Do
Follow the care label on your pair. Use mild soap and water, or a gentle cycle if the label allows it. Rinse them. Let them air dry.
Avoid
Do not assume every pair washes the same way. Do not use bleach or fabric softener, squeeze or wring the water out, or dry them on a radiator or in the sun.
Washing do's and don'ts, based on MedlinePlus and NHS guidance. Check your care label first.
View the original illustrated guide and sources
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is the source for skipping bleach and fabric softener. Guy's and St Thomas' adds that compression stockings are not suitable for dry cleaning.
How often should you wash compression socks?
MedlinePlus advises washing compression stockings each day with mild soap and water. That is patient-education guidance for compression stockings.
Washing often is easier with a spare pair. Guy's and St Thomas' says that, ideally, you should have two pairs: one to wear while the other is washed and dried.
While you wash them, look at the fabric too. Our guide on how long compression socks last covers when to replace a pair.
The bottom line
Read the care label first, then wash and dry within it. For LeafSock socks, that means a cold, gentle machine wash and air-drying.
If you're shopping for a pair, measure first with our fit guide, then look at our wide-calf compression socks.
Frequently asked questions
Can compression socks go in the dryer?
It depends on the care label for your exact pair. For LeafSock socks, our product pages say to air dry. Guy's and St Thomas' tells its patients to dry compression stockings away from direct heat, not in a tumble dryer or on a radiator. Don't apply one brand's drying instructions to another brand's socks.
Can you wash compression socks in the washing machine?
If the care label allows it. For LeafSock socks, our product pages say to machine wash cold on a gentle cycle. Guy's and St Thomas' tells its patients to wash compression stockings by hand or on a delicate cycle, and to wash a new pair on its own the first time.
What should I do if the care label is missing?
Check the product page or packaging for that exact pair, or contact the seller before you choose a method. Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust tells its patients to follow the manufacturer's guidelines on how to wash their stockings. For LeafSock socks, the care line is on each product page.
Can you use fabric softener or bleach on compression socks?
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust tells its patients not to use bleach or fabric softener on compression stockings. Check your own care label as well, since it is written for your exact pair. For LeafSock socks, our product pages say to machine wash cold on a gentle cycle and air dry.
Should I use a laundry bag for compression socks?
You can, if your care label allows machine washing. In its care advice for compression sleeves, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust notes that a laundry net can provide additional protection. Our Premium Wash Bag keeps a pair together during an approved gentle wash cycle. It doesn't change how the socks perform, so still follow the care label.
How should I dry compression socks without direct heat?
Let them air dry. Healthline suggests hanging compression socks to dry to help prevent warping or changes in the fabric. Guy's and St Thomas' says not to squeeze or wring the water out, and to keep them away from direct heat such as a radiator.
Sources
- Compression stockings — MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
- Compression socks and stockings — Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
- Compression stockings — Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
- Can Wearing Compression Socks Be Harmful? — Healthline (medically reviewed)
- Advice for applying and wearing your compression sleeve — Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Applying graduated compression stockings — Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust