When the temperature drops to hygge-optimal lows but you have to combat the cold for work and life, there is no better ally than a beautiful and warm and comfortable wool sweater. However, based on my friends’ views, I feel such a sweater is most likely not ready to be cleaned. But, when seeking to grasp (again) how and where to wash and dry wool correctly, I came upon two great pearls regarding the subject: It’s feasible and doesn’t need a trip to the dry cleaners.
“You may and should wash knits like wool, cashmere, and blends at home to preserve the natural fibers of your apparel.” “Washing at home is really healthier than dry cleaning for wool sweaters,” says Gwen Whiting, co-founder of The Laundress. “Dry-washing uses strong chemicals that might cause fabric damage over time.”
I’m not saying your favorite garment’s care instructions are purposely deceptive, but there is a distinction between “dry-clean only” and “dry-clean only.” That’s because it’s dirty laundry, little-known ugly truth that you might perhaps give your personal items with that doomed label.
Wool, on the other hand, is a difficult fabric to work with. According to the National Cleaning Association, washing and drying wool returns it to its natural condition. Concentrate on the fabric fibers. You’ll see that they create a scale-like pattern. When the scales are subjected to heat, water, or rapidly spinning equipment, they may periodically interlock, resulting in (DUN, DUN, DUN), which is unfortunately quite permanent. So, according to Whiting and her co-founder Lindsey Boyd, learn how and where to wash wool in the right manner to keep your favorite tight sweaters fitting you (instead of shrinkage and suiting nothing except for your beloved childhood toy).
In three easy steps, learn how to hand-wash wool.
Oh god, I know, but if your wool clothing is really essential to you, Whiting and Boyd tell me that hand-washing is always the best chance for protecting the integrity of your garment. Try this short step-by-step to pamper your wools:
1. Use a stain solvent to pre-treat spots
If you dressed boldly in a white pullover for a bright red evening out and then inadvertently spilled, treat the stain as soon as possible. Work the ingredients into the linen with your fingers, whatever technique you want. If the stain is a tannin stain, such as coffee, tomato, or grape juice, use The Washerwoman Varnish Solutions ($17) to remove it. If the mark is fuel, such as perspiration, makeup, or genuine oil, Washerwoman Rinse & Tan Remover ($6) is a great option.
2. Get your wool bath ready
Fill the empty bathroom sink, hot tub, or basin halfway with lukewarm water, then add the items and a spray of wool-safe washing detergent. “The mixture is ionic strength and made exclusively for wool items, so your pullover will retain its natural flexibility,” Boyd adds. “Soothingly swirl it around anything for around 30 seconds and soak it for 20 – 30 minutes,” the author recommends. Liquid fabric softener ($18), Cockatoo Cleanser ($21), and The Washerwoman Yarn & Velvet Conditioner ($19) are really just a few of the wonderful options available.
3. Wash with cold fresh water after draining
“Deliberately ignore the impulse to tighten it,” Whiting says. “Washing manipulates the fibers, and wet yarns are weaker. It’s probable that you’ll destroy your outfit. Therefore, set the item on the edge of the bathroom sink or bathtub to remove the moisture.”