Care Instructions

Made to last, with a little love.

Compression socks are technical knitwear, a blend of 75% nylon, 20% cotton and 5% spandex. Treat them well and they'll keep doing the job for six to twelve months. Here's how to look after them, in plain English.

The six rules at a glance

Stick to these and you'll get the most out of every pair.

30°
Wash at 30°C
Use a wash bag
Air-dry flat
No tumble dryer
No fabric softener
No bleach or iron
01

Washing.

Gentle is the goal. Compression socks don't need to be punished to get clean.
Step one

Inside out, with similar colours.

Turn each sock inside out before washing. This protects the printed pattern, keeps the outside fabric looking new, and means the friction of the wash hits the inside instead of the outside.

Step two

30°C, gentle cycle.

Cool water keeps the elastane intact. Hot washes break down the stretch fibres faster than anything else. Use a gentle or delicates cycle if your machine has one.

Step three

Pop them in a wash bag.

A mesh bag stops the cuff catching on hooks, zips, or other clothing. It also keeps small pairs from disappearing into the drum. Worth the £3 spend.

Step four

Mild detergent only.

Standard liquid detergent at the recommended dose. No fabric softener (it coats the fibres and reduces compression). No bleach (it weakens elastane and dulls colours).

02

Drying.

The single biggest mistake people make. Don't tumble dry.
Important

Heat is the enemy of elastane.

Tumble drying once or twice probably won't ruin your socks. Tumble drying every wash will dramatically shorten their useful life. The graduated compression that makes these socks work depends on intact elastane fibres, and high heat breaks them down faster than almost anything else.

Recommended

Lay flat to dry.

The gold standard. Lay the socks flat on a clean towel, away from direct heat. The towel absorbs excess water and the sock keeps its shape.

Also fine

Hang to dry.

If you're short on space, hang them on an indoor airer away from radiators and direct sunlight. Don't peg them by the cuff (the elastane is most sensitive there).

03

Storage.

Folded and flat. Resist the urge to scrunch them into a ball.

Do this

  • Fold flat in your sock drawer
  • Keep them out of direct sunlight
  • Pair them up so you can find both quickly
  • Store with at least two pairs in rotation so each pair has time to recover between wears

Avoid this

  • Rolling them into the classic sock-ball (stretches the cuff)
  • Storing in damp drawers (encourages mildew on technical fabric)
  • Hanging by the cuff long-term (elongates the top band)
  • Wearing the same pair every single day without rest
04

When to replace.

Compression hosiery has a working lifespan. Here's how to spot the end of it.

With regular wear (a few times a week) and proper care, expect six to twelve months of effective compression. After that, the elastane gradually loses its spring. The sock will still feel like a sock, but it won't be doing the same circulatory job. Time for a refresh when you notice any of the following:

  • The cuff slides down during wear. A new sock should stay put. If yours is creeping toward your ankle by lunchtime, the cuff elastane has had it.
  • The fabric feels softer or looser overall. Compression should feel like a firm hug at the ankle. If it feels like an ordinary sock, the compression is gone.
  • You can see thinning, snags, or holes. Anything that visibly compromises the knit also compromises the compression.
  • It's been six to twelve months of regular wear. Even if they look fine, elastane fatigues with time and laundering. NHS guidance for prescription compression suggests replacement every three to six months — for retail wear, six to twelve months is realistic.
  • Your legs feel less supported. The most reliable test is how your legs feel at the end of the day. If the socks aren't doing the job they used to, it's time.
Evidence

The care guidance on this page follows NHS recommendations for graduated compression hosiery, including washing temperature, no fabric softener, no tumble drying, and replacement timing. For the full evidence base behind our claims, see the sources and references on our FAQ.

Looking after them looks after you.

Stick to these care basics and your Bright Step socks will keep working for as long as they're meant to. Questions we haven't answered? Drop us a line.

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