Inside: Learn simple tips for washing wool at home. Save money and skip the dry cleaner by washing wool in the machine. Check out how to wash wool and save some money.
It has been a cold nasty winter here in Indiana. It got so bad that I started carrying a blanket in the car to warm me up on longer trips. Unfortunately, I picked a wool blanket at first to use and my son stepped on it a couple of times getting in and out of the car. The blanket very quickly got dirty and salt stained. Since I didn't want to pay for dry cleaning I decided to wash the wool at home.
If you haven't washed wool at home before it is pretty simple to do. I regularly wash dry clean items at home in the machine without any problems. Most wool items can be washed at home in the machine. I wash my sweaters, blankets, and even my husbands dry clean only wool pants at home. The only wool I don't recommend washing in the machine is wool that is very delicate or wool sweaters that have beads or sequins on them. Check out these simple tips for washing wool in the machine.
To start with you will need a specialty laundry detergent. Because wool is a natural fabric made from animal hair it can easily be damaged from using regular laundry detergent. I recommend using a laundry detergent made for washing wool. I have always used Woolite for delicates. It works well to get the fabric clean and not damage it.
If you have a very delicate wool item you may want to wash it by hand. However, I have found that most wool items do fine in the machine. For washing wool in the machine, you will want to start by using cold water and the delicate/hand wash cycle on the machine. Warm water or too much agitation may make the wool shrink. Use the coldest and gentlest cycles you have. Once the machine has filled up with water add the proper amount of wool detergent. Turn the machine on and let it cycle for about 10 seconds so the detergent gets mixed in.
Once the detergent is mixed with the water you can now add the wool item. Items like sweaters or pants should be turned inside out. Then, place them in the machine and let the cycle run through.
When the cycle finishes pull the item right away and lay it flat on a towel. Gently roll the towel up with the wool item inside it. Press gently once you have the towel completely rolled up. This helps get any excess water out of the items without damaging the wool.
Lay the item out on a towel until dry. If you have a thicker wool blanket you can put it in the dryer on an air fluff/no heat setting or let it air dry on a clothesline.
Just because you have wool clothing doesn't mean you always have to have it dry cleaned. By following these simple tips you can wash your wool at home in the machine.
Want some other laundry tips? Check out how to wash your dry clean clothes at home in the machine.
Washing Wool
Woolite Delicate Laundry Detergent
Wool Items
Start by using cold water and the delicate/hand wash cycle on the machine. Use the coldest and gentlest cycles you have. Once the machine has filled up with water add the proper amount of wool detergent. Turn the machine on and let it cycle for about 10 seconds so the detergent gets mixed in.
Once the detergent is mixed with the water you can now add the wool item. Items like sweaters or pants should be turned inside out. Then, place them in the machine and let the cycle run through.
When the cycle finishes pull the item right away and lay it flat on a towel. Gently roll the towel up with the wool item inside it. Press gently once you have the towel completely rolled up. Lay the item out on a towel until dry. If you have a thicker wool blanket you can put it in the dryer on an air fluff/no heat setting or let it air dry on a clothesline.
