How to Wash Wool in 4 Simple Steps
Help! My favorite wool sweater has shrunk. Sound familiar? After reading this article, you will know exactly how to prevent this and your beautiful wool clothes will be spared this drama in the future. Are you with me?
Don'ts with wool:
- Wash wool with very cold or hot water
- Changing temperature of the water
- Wringing and scrubbing
- Centrifuge at high speed
- Treat with aggressive agents. Soak for a long time.
- Putting wool in the dryer
But how then?
#1 Ask yourself if airing is enough
Does your clothing smell less fresh, but is it not really dirty? Then let your wool garment air outside. Wool is naturally self-cleaning, which means that you do not have to wash wool as often as cotton, for example. Sometimes you can get by with just airing it for weeks.
Hang musty woollens outside to air or near a steamy shower. The moist air will clean the wool. Morning dew and mist will do wonders!
#2 Are there any stains on it?
Treat (stubborn) stains with ox gall soap. Gently massage the stains with ox gall soap, let it soak in for a few minutes and then rinse it out. Stains come out easiest if they are treated immediately or as soon as possible.
#3 Washing the wool
Before you start, always check the washing label first. The amount of shrinkage varies per wool type and per brand. The manufacturer knows best how the fabric will behave in the wash. If you like, you can also look at the manufacturer's website for their specific washing instructions.
Wool hand wash
It is best to wash wool by hand.
Fill a bucket or sink with lukewarm water (20 – 30°C). Tip: to measure the temperature accurately, you can use a bath thermometer or a digital meat thermometer. Add a dash of organic wool detergent (such as Disana wool shampoo). It is best not to use synthetic detergent, as this damages the delicate qualities of wool.
Gently press the garment underwater and allow the soap mixture to fully penetrate the fibers. Then gently squeeze the dirt loose. Do not scrub or wring the fabric.
Rinsing: rinse the wool well after washing at the same temperature as used for washing. Wool shrinks at large temperature differences. Preferably do not spin and do not wring afterwards; gently squeezing is sufficient.
Wool wash machine wash
Some wools can be washed in the washing machine on the wool program. Always follow the washing label of the clothing itself! Nevertheless, we advise the following:
Make sure the water for washing and rinsing is equally warm. If you are in doubt, always set the machine to a cold program.
Set the spin speed as low as possible (max. 600 rpm).
In addition to washing the clothing, it is wise to lanolize the wool once every few months. By means of lanolization, the wool becomes wonderfully soft, water-repellent and they keep their shape better. See here for a description of how to do this.
#4 Shaping and drying
After washing, lay the wool in the right shape on a towel to dry. Inside or outside, but never in full sun. Do not put wool in the dryer!
Finally, a few more tips :
- Take a separate laundry basket for wool wash, this prevents anything from accidentally ending up in the machine
- Air your wool regularly between washes
- Repair small holes as soon as possible
- Store wool properly when not in use to protect it from moths
- If stains remain, hang the wool in the sun to dry
Conclusion
Washing wool requires a good washing routine. After reading this article, I am convinced that you can easily and quickly get started with your wool washing. Do you not have any wool care products at home yet? Then order them here and we will send them directly by post. And you can get started quickly!