# How to remove pilling from a sweater, and lint too

Source: Snaza Journal, https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-remove-pilling-from-clothes/
Publisher: Snaza
Topic: Washing and ironing
Published: 2026-09-26
Updated: 2026-09-26

How to remove pilling from a sweater with a fabric shaver or sweater comb, clear lint with a roller, and wash and wear knits so the pills come back more slowly.

## Quick answer

> To remove pilling from a sweater, lay it flat and pass a fabric shaver or a fine sweater comb lightly over the pilled areas, working in one direction and stopping once the surface is smooth. Lint is different: it sits loose on top, so a lint roller or damp rubber glove lifts it. Wash knits inside out on a gentle cycle to slow new pills.

It usually shows up at the sides first, then under the arms and along the cuffs: little balls of fuzz on a sweater that looked perfect a month ago. Pilling makes a good knit look tired long before it is worn out, and it is one of the easiest problems in clothing care to fix. Learning how to remove pilling from a sweater takes ten minutes and a cheap tool, and a few changes to how you wash and wear it will slow the pills down.

This guide also covers lint, the loose hair and fluff that clings to dark trousers and coats. The two look similar from a distance, but they come from different places and need different tools, and knowing which one you are looking at saves you from shaving a coat that only needed a roller.

## What pilling is and why it happens

In textiles, a pill is a small bundle of tangled fibers still anchored to the surface of the fabric. It starts with friction. Woolmark explains that pilling comes from rubbing during wear, which is why it collects at the elbows, underarms, sleeves and sides, anywhere the garment rubs against itself, a desk, a seat belt or a bag strap. The rubbing works short fiber ends loose from the yarn, the loose ends tangle into fuzz, and the fuzz rolls into balls.

What happens next depends on the fiber. Wool fibers are relatively weak, so many wool pills eventually break away on their own, and fabric pilling on wool tends to settle down after the first few months. Polyester, nylon and acrylic fibers are much stronger, so the fibers anchoring a pill do not snap and the pills stay put and keep growing. That is why a wool and nylon blend or an acrylic sweater can look worse over time than pure wool. Softness plays a part too: very fine, short fibers and loosely spun, loosely knitted yarns pill more readily, which is why a soft, fluffy cashmere can pill while a smooth, tightly knit merino may pill far less; our guide to [merino wool](https://snaza.app/journal/merino-wool/) explains why.

## Remove pilling from a sweater with a fabric shaver

A fabric shaver, also called a depiller, is a small device with a guard over a spinning blade. The guard lets the pills poke through while holding the fabric itself back. Woolmark calls these battery operated tools very effective at restoring a garment's appearance. An electric fabric shaver is the fastest option for a whole sweater; manual versions with a fine mesh work more slowly but with a little more control on delicate knits.

1. **Start with a clean, dry garment.** Pills lift more cleanly from dry fabric, and dirt or oil on the surface clogs the guard. Check the sweater for thin patches, snags or small holes now, because the shaver can catch and enlarge them. Mend any hole first, as shown in our guide to [fixing a hole in a sweater](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-fix-a-hole-in-a-sweater/).
2. **Lay it flat on a firm surface.** Spread the sweater on a table rather than a bed or your lap, and smooth it so there are no folds under the area you are working on. Slip a hand or a folded towel inside a sleeve to give it a flat base.
3. **Test on a hidden area.** Try the shaver on the inside of a hem or the underside of a sleeve. If your model has an adjustable guard, start with the highest setting, which keeps the blade farthest from the fabric.
4. **Glide lightly, do not press.** Move the shaver in small circles or short strokes across the pilled area with almost no pressure; the weight of the tool is enough. You should see the pills disappear and a smooth, slightly flatter surface underneath. If you see the knit itself thinning or fibers pulling, stop.
5. **Empty the chamber often.** The collected fuzz goes into a small compartment that fills quickly on a heavily pilled sweater. A full chamber makes the blade less effective and tempts you to press harder.

## Use a sweater comb or cashmere comb

A sweater comb, often sold as a cashmere comb, is a small flat comb with very fine teeth. Laid flat, it catches pills and loose fiber without cutting anything, which makes it the gentlest tool for fine cashmere, merino and loose knits. Hold the fabric taut with one hand and draw the comb across the pilled area in short strokes in one direction, lifting it off at the end of each stroke rather than sawing back and forth. Woolmark cautions that combing needs a gentle hand; heavy strokes pull healthy fibers out of the yarn along with the pills and thin the fabric.

A pill stone, a block of lightweight porous stone, does similar work on heavier wool and outerwear knits and should be kept away from fine fabrics. For a handful of large, isolated pills, small curved scissors are the most precise option: lift each pill and snip it off at its base. Disposable razors are sometimes suggested, and they do work, but they cut into the knit as easily as the pills and are not worth the risk on anything you value.

**Pill removers compared**

| Tool | Best for | Careful with |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Electric fabric shaver | A whole pilled sweater, quickly | Holes, seams, ribbing and buttons |
| Manual mesh shaver | Delicate knits, more control | Pressing down |
| Sweater or cashmere comb | Fine cashmere, merino and loose knits | Heavy strokes that thin the fabric |
| Pill stone | Heavier wool and outerwear knits | Fine fabrics |
| Small curved scissors | A few large, isolated pills | Snipping into the knit |
| Disposable razor | Not worth it | Cuts the knit as easily as the pills |

## How to remove lint from clothes

Lint is not anchored to the fabric. It is loose fiber, hair and dust that has landed on the surface, often from towels, tissues or other garments in the wash, or from pets and upholstery during the day. That is why a lint roller works on lint but does little for pills. Roll it in one direction with light pressure, peeling off a fresh sheet once the tape stops picking up. A reusable lint roller has a sticky surface you rinse under the tap and let dry, which is useful if you use one every day.

For wool coats and suits, a clothes brush with natural bristles lifts lint and dust while also freshening the nap; brush downward in short strokes. A slightly damp rubber glove swept across the fabric gathers pet hair into a clump you can pick off. To stop lint at the source, wash towels and fleece separately from dark clothes, turn darks inside out, check pockets for tissues, and clean the dryer's lint filter before every load. The same methods, and the same fabric shaver, work on fabric pilling on a sofa or throw, but test on the back first because upholstery fabrics vary.

## Prevent pilling in the first place

Woolmark's own advice for wool is to turn garments inside out before washing, skip fabric softener and reduce abrasion while wearing, and the same principles help most knits. Wash sweaters on a gentle or wool cycle with a light load when the [care label](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-read-clothing-care-labels/) allows it, or by hand, and keep them away from jeans, towels and anything with zippers or hook and loop fastenings that would rub against them. Our guides to [hand washing clothes](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-hand-wash-clothes/) and [washing cashmere](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-wash-cashmere/) show the gentlest routines. Dry knits flat rather than in the dryer, where tumbling adds exactly the kind of friction that raises pills.

Wear matters as much as washing. A crossbody bag strap or a backpack will pill the same patch of a sweater every day, so switch sides or carry a different bag with your softest knits. Let sweaters rest between wears so the fibers recover, and store them [folded neatly](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-fold-a-sweater/) in a drawer or on a shelf, as described in our guide to [storing knitwear](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-store-knitwear/). When you shop, look for smooth, tightly twisted yarns and firm knits; Woolmark notes that longer fibers and higher twist resist pilling better. No knit is completely pill proof, but a well made one will need a comb once a season rather than every week.

**Worth remembering**

1. Wool pills often break away on their own, while polyester, nylon and acrylic pills stay and keep growing.
2. Never pull pills off by hand; that drags more fiber out of the yarn and the patch pills again quickly.
3. Wash knits inside out on a gentle cycle away from jeans and zippers, skip softener and dry them flat.
4. Depill when the sweater looks untidy, not after every wear, since every pass removes a little fiber.

## Common mistakes

- **Pulling pills off by hand.** Tugging a pill pulls the anchoring fibers further out of the yarn and leaves a loose patch that pills again quickly. Cut or shave pills instead.
- **Pressing down with the shaver.** Pressure pushes the knit into the guard, where the blade can cut it. Let the tool glide with its own weight and stop at the first sign of thinning.
- **Shaving over seams, ribbing and buttons.** Raised areas catch in the guard. Work around them, or use a comb or scissors for pills on cuffs and ribbed hems.
- **Depilling too often.** Every pass removes a little fiber. Depill when the sweater looks untidy, not after every wear, so the fabric keeps its body for years.

## Questions people ask

### Does pilling mean a sweater is poor quality?

Not necessarily. Some of the softest and most expensive knits, such as fine cashmere, pill because their fibers are so fine and short. Heavy pilling that never slows down is more often a sign of synthetic blends or loosely spun yarn, where strong fibers hold the pills in place.

### Can pilling be reversed?

Pills can be removed, but the fiber they took from the yarn does not go back. Each pill is made of fibers worked loose from the surface, so a heavily pilled patch will look a little thinner once it is cleaned up. That is why gentle washing and less rubbing matter: they slow the loss, while removal only restores the look.

### Can I use a razor to remove pilling?

You can on a sturdy knit, but it is the riskiest tool. Use a new disposable razor, lay the garment flat and stretched on a firm surface, and draw the razor lightly in short strokes in one direction without pressing. Stop at any sign of cut yarn. On fine cashmere, merino or loose knits, a comb or a fabric shaver with a guard is much safer.

### Is a fabric shaver safe for cashmere?

Yes, if you use the highest guard setting, light pressure and a flat surface. Many people prefer a cashmere comb for fine knits because it cannot cut the yarn. Whichever you use, stop as soon as the surface is smooth.

### Why does my new sweater pill so much?

New knits shed loose fiber ends left from spinning and knitting, and friction rolls those into pills in the first weeks of wear. With wool, pilling often slows after the first few depillings. If it keeps getting worse, the yarn likely contains synthetic fibers that hold pills in place.

### Can I use a lint roller to remove pills?

Only the smallest, loosest ones. Pills are anchored to the fabric by fibers, so tape rarely pulls them away cleanly. Use a lint roller for lint and hair, and a shaver or comb for pills.

## Sources

- [Woolmark: What is pilling?](https://www.woolmark.com/care/pilling/)
- [Wikipedia: Pill (textile)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pill_(textile))

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This guide is part of the Snaza Journal, published by Snaza. Snaza is a minimalist digital wardrobe for iPhone. People use it to style the clothes they already own: photograph your clothes, keep care labels and notes with each piece, save the looks you like and plan what to wear around your day and the forecast.

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