a pile of clean wool sweatersIf you’ve ever wondered why wool clothing like sweaters and socks seem to be immune to odors, the answer is just one of the many advantages of wool. Wool contains naturally antimicrobial lanolin oils, so the bacteria that typically cause odors can’t survive in wool clothing. As long as wool clothing is aired out between wearings, you won’t have to worry about odors.
However, just because you don’t smell the aroma of dirty clothes doesn’t mean the wool is clean! As wonderful as wool can be, it still needs the occasional cleaning to keep it feeling and looking its best, so knowing how to wash wool is a skill worth learning. In this article, we’ll cover the basics of cleaning wool fabric at home.
Wool Cleaning Basics
Can you safely learn how to wash 100 percent wool at home? Absolutely! While many wool garment labels may recommend dry cleaning, it’s essential to understand that some of the solvents used by dry cleaners can be hard on wool fibers and eventually break them down. But what if the label forbids washing?
Even if your favorite sweater is made from 100 percent wool, with some know-how and the right tools, you can safely hand wash wool and even machine wash it under certain circumstances. As long as you understand how different types of wool react to washing, you can wash lambswool, shetland wool, and even cashmere. While shetland wool is hardy and can withstand more scrubbing, cashmere and other delicate fabrics require a gentle approach.
When you’re learning how to wash wool, you also need to understand how detergent works. It’s important to remember that clothes detergents don’t clean as much as they separate fibers to allow water to remove more dirt. When choosing a wool cleaner, keep in mind that more is not necessarily better, and not just any detergent will do. For the best results, always use a silk or wool shampoo that is pH neutral because the enzymes found in many popular detergents can break down wool.
How to Hand Wash Wool
You’ve checked the label, identified the type of wool, and have your wool shampoo in hand, so it’s time to head to the laundry room, right? Wrong. Even when you know how to wash woolen clothes in a washer and choose the best wool cleaner, the preferred method is to hand wash wool. While larger wool garments can be a challenge to hand wash, skipping the washer is your best bet for keeping your wool clothing in the best shape. To avoid colors bleeding onto other clothing, it’s best to wash a single item at a time.
Here’s how to clean wool clothing by hand:
Pour a capful of wool or silk shampoo into a sink filled with room temperature water.
Turn the wool garment inside out and submerge it in the water.
Massage the soapy water into the fibers and agitate the clothing with your fingers.
Let the clothing soak for at least 30 minutes.
Drain the water, leaving the wool clothing in the sink.
Rinse the wool with cold water until the water runs clear.
Line the sink with the garment and press out the water.
Lay the clothes flat on a towel or use a drying rack to let the wool finish drying.
If you need to reshape or stretch wool clothing, when it’s damp is the time to do it. Laying a wool sweater flat and gently stretching it back to its original shape and size should do the trick for minor shrinkage. If your garment is much too small or has taken on an awkward shape, check out our guide for unshrinking clothes.
Knowing how to wash wool by hand should prepare you for most of your wool cleaning challenges, but sometimes you’ll need some more firepower. You’ll still use the same silk or wool shampoo recommended for hand washing wool, but this time we’re going to let the washing machine tackle the job.
