Stop bobbling or pilling on clothes

What Is Pilling?

Pilling, bobbling, and linting all describe the same thing: small tangled balls of fibre that form on the surface of fabric. They develop when friction – either during washing, tumble drying, or regular wear – breaks individual fibres away from the main fabric structure. The loose fibre ends tangle with each other and form the characteristic pill or bobble.

Synthetic fibres (polyester, acrylic, nylon) pill most visibly because the broken fibres are strong enough to stay attached to the fabric surface rather than washing away. Natural fibres (cotton, wool, linen) do also pill, but the broken fibres tend to detach and wash away rather than clinging to the surface. In mixed-fabric washes, pills from natural fibres can transfer onto and stick to synthetic items in the same load.

What Causes Pilling

Friction is the single cause. It comes from three sources:

Wear and use

Repeated rubbing during normal use – areas where clothing contacts itself or other surfaces – causes fibres to break down over time. Collar edges, cuffs, underarms, and inner thighs of trousers are the most common wear-related pilling zones. Bedding that experiences sustained friction (such as a pillow case pressed between knees overnight) pills rapidly on both faces.

Machine washing

The agitation of items tumbling against each other in the drum generates friction. Synthetic and delicate fabrics are most affected. Washing at high spin speeds, with a full load where items have less room to move freely, or on programmes with aggressive agitation all increase pilling from washing.

Tumble drying

Tumble drying generates significant friction as items tumble against each other and the drum at heat. It is one of the most effective ways to accelerate pilling. Line drying eliminates this entirely.

How to Prevent Pilling

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  Wash items inside out. Turning garments inside out before washing means the outer face – the visible surface – experiences less direct friction from other items in the drum. The inside of the garment is less visible and pilling there is less noticeable.
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  Use a mesh laundry bag for delicates and synthetic items. A zipped mesh bag reduces direct contact between delicate or synthetic items and the rest of the load, significantly reducing friction-based pilling during washing.
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  Use a cooler, gentler wash programme. A delicate or synthetics programme with lower agitation and a reduced spin speed reduces friction during the cycle. Washing at 30 degrees rather than 40 also reduces fibre stress.
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  Do not tumble dry items prone to pilling. Line drying eliminates the significant friction of tumble drying. Light ironing can restore smoothness to items that have been line dried and feel stiff.
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  Do not overload the machine. A correctly loaded drum allows items to move freely rather than being compressed against each other. Overloading increases friction between items. See our guide on how to load a washing machine correctly.
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  Choose better quality fabrics where pilling matters. Higher-quality fibres with tighter weave or knit structures are more resistant to pilling. Tightly twisted yarns pill less than loosely twisted ones. This is a purchasing consideration rather than a laundry technique.

How to Remove Existing Pills

Related Guides

Biological Detergents and Fabric Damage
How biological enzymes can damage wool and silk fibres – a different type of laundry damage to pilling.


How to Load a Washing Machine
Correct loading reduces friction between items – one of the most effective ways to reduce pilling in the wash.


How to Remove Stains From Clothes
Pre-treatment and washing techniques for common stains without damaging fabric.


White Clothes Going Grey or Colours Fading
Other common laundry result problems – detergent type, dose, and overloading as causes.

Frequently Asked Questions