Caring for your woolen garments
Wool is notoriously tricky to look after, but a little care can go a long way in making your woolen garments and accessories last for ages. The best way to keep your wool garment beautiful and in good condition for years to come is to wash it less frequently.
Wool is naturally antibacterial and dirt resistant, and can be refreshed by hanging in fresh air, so woolen garments don’t need to be washed as frequently as other garments. Not only does this prolong the lifespan of your garment, it also helps you to reduce your environmental impact by saving energy and laundry detergent, and reducing the turnover of your wardrobe.
Day to day care of woolens
You can wash your woolen items less often than you may think, because wool is naturally stain resistant, odour resistant and crease resistant. In between washes, there’s a few things you can do to help extend the life of your woolens.
- If you get some dirt or a stain on a spot, rinse it with cold water straight away and dab dry with a clean soft cloth.
- For woven garments, you can use a clothes brush between or before washes to help get out dust and dirt.
- If the garment gets wet, dry it before storing in the usual way.
- To help release creases, hang the garment up in your bathroom while you shower, allowing the steam to relax creases
- For light odours and general freshness, air out your garments. This is best done outside on a breezy day, but can be as simple as leaving them over the back of a chair for a bit before storing
- Check garments regularly for holes or signs of wear, and mend these (or arrange for them to be mended) as soon as you notice them
Washing
Eventually you will need to wash your garments though! The main thing you need to be careful of when washing woolen items is felting. Felting is caused by the combination of heat, detergent and agitation — all the things your washing machine does on a normal cycle.
I generally recommend hand-washing your wool garments, like this:
- Fill a tub (or your sink or bath) with clean, lukewarm water — 30C or less
- Add an appropriate quantity wool detergent, I recommend Ecover’s delicate detergent. Don’t use a bio or enzyme-based detergent!
- Turn your wool garment inside out, and gently squish it to submerge.
- Soak for at least 10 minutes
- Rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water, until the water runs clear
- Gently squish any excess water out of the garment — don’t wring as this will distort the shape
- you can also roll the item in a towel To dry, it is recommended that woollen clothing is rolled in a towel and gently pressed to remove initial quantities of water. Leave it there for a few minutes to let the towel absorb the excess water, then proceed to drying.
Drying
Once you’ve washed or spot-cleaned your woolens, they need to be dried out fully before you put them away.
- Gently pull the item into shape
- dry wool somewhere with good ventilation, in the shade, away from a direct heat source
- Dry knitted fabrics flat. This could be on a towel on your bed, or laid flat over a drying rack
- dry woven garments hanging
Avoid tumble drying if at all possible. At best, it shortens the life of your item, at worst the item will be completely destroyed. If you absolutely have to tumble dry, do it in stages on low heat and monitor the garment carefully.
Storing
Generally, store knitted fabrics folded, and woven fabrics hung. This helps garments keep their shape. Ensure item is clean and fully dry before storing. Store out of direct sunlight in a dry place.
Unfortunately, moths love wool too. There’s a few things you can do to help prevent moths, such as storing your woollens in a well ventilated area with moth-repelling products like lavender and cedar. Wool moths like warm, dark, still spaces and hate draughts and moving air and agitation, so get into the habit of shaking through your wardrobe and shaking out folded items frequently, while checking for pests.
If you do find moths have taken up residence in an item, pop it in the freezer for 24 hours, take it out and bring to room temperature, and then repeat again.