How to Wash Your Sp5der Hoodie Without Ruining It

Sp5der hoodies use puff print, rhinestones, and screen print — each one will get destroyed in different ways if you wash them wrong. This guide covers exactly how to care for every type of Sp5der hoodie so your $150-$280 piece doesn’t end up looking like a thrift store find after two washes.

Know Your Sp5der Hoodie: Print Types and Why They Matter

Before you throw anything in the wash, you need to know what’s on your hoodie. Different print techniques have different vulnerabilities. Here’s what Sp5der uses:

Puff print is the raised, 3D lettering that gives Sp5der hoodies their signature texture. It’s made by applying a foam-based ink that expands when heated during manufacturing. The problem: that same heat sensitivity means your dryer will flatten it permanently.

Rhinestones are adhesive-bonded to the fabric. Machine agitation, hot water, and tumble drying all weaken the adhesive bond. Once stones start falling off, they don’t stop.

Screen print is the most durable of the three, but it’s not indestructible. Heat causes cracking, and friction from rubbing against other clothes accelerates peeling.

Step-by-Step: How to Wash a Sp5der Hoodie

This method works for all Sp5der hoodies — puff print, rhinestone, or screen print. Follow every step.

1. Turn the hoodie inside out. This protects the print from friction against other clothes and the inside of the drum. Zip up any zippers (like on the Studded Zip) so they don’t snag.
2. For rhinestone pieces: use a mesh laundry bag. This is non-negotiable for the VVS and Studded Zip. The mesh bag prevents stones from catching on other fabrics and reduces the agitation they receive. A pillowcase tied shut works in a pinch.
3. Select cold water only. Set your machine to the coldest setting — 30°C / 85°F maximum. Hot or warm water damages every print type and shrinks the cotton fleece.
4. Use a gentle/delicate cycle. The less agitation, the better. If your machine has a « hand wash » setting, use that. Skip the heavy-duty or normal cycle entirely.
5. Use mild, liquid detergent. Skip powder detergent (it doesn’t dissolve fully in cold water and can get trapped in the fleece). Use a small amount — about half of what you’d normally use. No fabric softener. Ever.
6. Wash alone or with similar items. Don’t throw your Sp5der hoodie in with jeans, towels, or anything with zippers/buttons/velcro. If you’re washing multiple Sp5der pieces, make sure they’re all inside out.
7. Remove immediately after the cycle ends. Don’t let it sit wet in the machine. Moisture sitting on prints can cause bleeding, and leaving wet fleece bunched up leads to wrinkles that are hard to remove without heat.

Drying: Air Dry Only — No Exceptions

This is the single most important rule in this entire guide. Never put a Sp5der hoodie in the tumble dryer. Not on low. Not on « air fluff. » Not for « just 10 minutes. » The answer is always no.

Here’s what happens when you tumble dry:

• Puff print melts and flattens. The raised 3D texture — the whole point of the print — gets compressed and shiny. Irreversible.
• Rhinestones loosen and fall off. Heat softens the adhesive. The tumbling motion then does the rest. You’ll find stones at the bottom of your dryer and gaps on your hoodie.
• Screen print cracks. Heat accelerates the brittleness of screen print. You’ll see hairline cracks after 2-3 dryer cycles.
• Cotton fleece shrinks. Expect 5-8% shrinkage in length on high heat. That’s a full inch on a size Large.

How to Air Dry Properly

• Lay flat on a clean towel or drying rack. This is the preferred method for heavy 13oz fleece. Hanging a wet Sp5der hoodie stretches the shoulders and can deform the collar.
• Keep it inside out while drying to protect prints from direct sunlight.
• Dry away from direct sunlight and heat sources. UV light fades prints over time. Don’t dry it on a radiator or near a heater.
• Allow 12-24 hours. 13oz cotton fleece is thick. It takes longer than you think to dry fully. Don’t put it away damp — that’s how you get mildew smell.
• Flip halfway through. After 6-8 hours, flip the hoodie so the other side faces up. This speeds up drying and prevents moisture pockets.

Storing Your Sp5der Hoodie

How you store your hoodie between wears matters more than most people think, especially with 13oz heavyweight fleece.

• Fold, don’t hang. Heavy fleece stretches at the shoulders when hung for extended periods. Fold neatly with the print facing inward for protection. If you must hang, use a wide, padded hanger — never a wire one.
• Keep rhinestone pieces separated. The VVS and Studded Zip should not be stacked directly on top of other clothes. The stones can snag fabrics and catch on other items. Fold them with a soft cloth between layers, or store them in a dust bag.
• Avoid plastic storage. Cotton needs to breathe. Sealed plastic bags trap moisture and cause yellowing over time. Use a cotton dust bag or leave it in the open.
• Cool, dry place. Humidity is the enemy of cotton fleece. If you live somewhere humid, throw a silica gel packet near your stored hoodies.

Removing Stains from Sp5der Hoodies

Stains happen. Here’s how to handle them without damaging the hoodie.

General Stain Protocol

1. Act fast. Fresh stains are 10x easier to remove than set-in stains. Don’t wait until laundry day.
2. Blot, never rub. Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the fleece fibers and can damage prints. Use a clean white cloth and press gently.
3. Apply mild detergent directly. A small drop on the stain, work it in gently with your finger (not on the print area). Let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
4. Cold rinse. Run cold water through the stain from the back side of the fabric (this pushes the stain out rather than through).
5. Cold wash as normal if the stain persists.

Specific Stain Types

• Grease / food oil: Apply a drop of dish soap (Dawn works) directly to the stain before the detergent step. The surfactants in dish soap break down oil better than laundry detergent.
• Coffee / soda: Cold water rinse immediately. Then follow the general protocol. These stains set quickly with heat, so keep water cold.
• Ink: Dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. Test on an inconspicuous area first. Do not let alcohol touch puff print or rhinestone adhesive.
• Mud: Let it dry completely first. Brush off dried mud, then cold wash. Trying to clean wet mud just smears it deeper.

What Never to Do: The Kill List

These will permanently damage your hoodie. No recovery.

On ironing: If you need to de-wrinkle your hoodie, use a garment steamer. If you only have an iron, turn the hoodie inside out, place a pressing cloth (a clean cotton towel works) between the iron and the fabric, and use the lowest heat setting. Never let the iron touch print areas directly.

On dry cleaning: The chemical solvents used in dry cleaning (perchloroethylene, hydrocarbons) can break down puff print adhesive and dull rhinestone finishes. Standard streetwear hoodies should never go to the dry cleaner.