How to Wash Wool?

Merino wool garments are both a love and a problem for their owners. A favorite pullover or wool pants are irreplaceable in autumn and winter, but these things often become a headache for those who do not know how to care for them properly. Items made of natural wool need quality and timely care to stay in pristine condition as long as possible. And with a reasonably high product price, it is essential to have the skills of such care. When buying anything made of wool, paying immediate attention to the label detailing the specifics of care is essential. So you can tell whether it is allowed to wash and iron the thing and whether it will be convenient to wear and care for you.

Woolen sweaters , dresses, coats, and scarves occupy a special place in the winter closet. Wool is warm and cozy but quite inconsistent in care. For your favorite things to not lose their look and quality, they must be properly washed. Wool is a wonderful and warm material, indispensable in winter, but its delicate nature obliges you to be careful when washing. In this article, we will tell you whether you can wash wool garments at all and how to do it correctly; we will understand whether you can wash wool garments in the machine and manually and what to do so that things do not sit down and also do not cause itching or irritation on the skin.

A woolen garment is not only a symbol of comfort and style. Wool is a delicate material that requires special care in washing and drying the product. Why should wool be washed carefully? Will a washing machine do the job, or is it better to give the woolen item to a professional dry cleaning service or wash it by hand? This article answers these and other questions about how to wash wool garments to keep their shape and avoid shrinkage of wool garments.

Prefer liquid detergents for hand or machine washing - they rinse out better and are gentler on wool than powders. There are special liquids for washing wool or cashmere. As a rule, they contain lanolin or other components that gently smooth and soften the fibers.

You can also use the usual universal gels for washing - they also gently cope with wool and work well at low temperatures. If you are going to wash the thing by hand, and there is no liquid means, do not hurry to use powder. Hair shampoo will help: add a few drops to the water, lather and wash the item.

After washing, use a conditioner for laundry - so the wool garments will become softer and not be electrified. You can use glycerin instead of a ready-made product: dissolve one tablespoon in 5 liters of water and rinse the product.

Many still avoid wool garments, not wanting to mess with hand washing. But technology does not stand still, and washing machines today are much gentler than before and have many useful modes. And yes, you can wash wool garments in a washing machine if you do everything right.

First of all, fasten all zippers to avoid puffs. And buttons, on the contrary, unbutton so that the buttonholes in the washing process do not stretch. Turn the clothes inside out and load them into the drum. Add machine wash detergent and conditioner to the compartment. Most modern appliances have a "wool" program designed for washing such things. If your machine does not have it, choose the modes "delicate washing" and "hand washing" or set the parameters yourself. Adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations on the label of the clothes.

In any case, wool garments should be washed at no more than 30 degrees. It is better to turn off the spin or choose the minimum speed. Machine drying for things is contraindicated. If you did not use spin after washing things in the drum, they may be too wet. Place them in an empty, clean basin or other container and allow the excess liquid to drain. Check things carefully before loading them into the drum - even small and inconspicuous damage after machine washing will become an insurmountable problem.

If there is no prohibition of automatic washing on the label, you can safely use an automatic machine, provided you follow a few important rules. First, study the possible automatic programs - "hand washing," "delicate mode," and "wool." They are designed for an allowable temperature of 30 degrees and fewer revolutions (up to 400 per minute), which will not damage things during rinsing and spinning. Before you start, add liquid laundry detergent and conditioner to keep things soft. Once the cycle is complete, remove wet items from the machine and let the excess moisture drain out by gently wringing them out with your hands. Do not use machine drying, or you will ruin your wool garments.

If the item has stains, wash them separately beforehand without soaking it. Remember not to leave wool garments in water for too long; otherwise, they may shrink or stretch. Try to get the washing done in 45 minutes.

Zipper up zippers to avoid puffing and unbutton buttons to prevent the buttonholes from stretching. Turn the garment inside out.

Wool garments absorb liquid very well, so use a larger container for washing. Use cold or slightly warm water at a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees. Dissolve the right amount of detergent or ordinary shampoo; you can even whip the foam.

Pour warm water into a basin, add a mild detergent (labeled "for things made of wool"), and dissolve completely. Dip the item into the container. Do not rub or twist it in the process of washing. It is enough to gently rinse the product in the foam solution and patiently wait for all the dirt to come off.

Immerse the thing in the container and leave it alone for a while so that the fibers are well-soaked. Soaking for longer than 60 minutes is not recommended.

After washing, rinse the wool garments in clean, cold water with a conditioner or glycerin solution. After that, drain the liquid and leave the product in a basin for some time so the water drains naturally. Do not wring woolen clothes by hand to avoid deforming them.

After the clothes have been washed, it is necessary to remove excess moisture from them and only then proceed to dry. To do this, take a terry towel of suitable size and place it on a horizontal surface. Spread the terry towel on a horizontal surface - for example, on a table or the floor. There must be no radiators or heaters in the vicinity. You need to spread the product on the towel, then roll it up as a roll and gently squeeze it with your hands. Terry cloth will absorb all excess moisture, and the wool garments will not be damaged. Put the wool garments on top and evenly spread it with your hands. If, after washing, it is a little deformed, you can stretch it a little in the right places - for example, pull the sleeves of the sweater if they turn out to be shorter than necessary. Leave the product in a horizontal position until it dries completely.

To prevent damage to the product, do not do the following:

- Sweaters made of wool should not be dried vertically, for example, on shoulders. From this, products are stretched and lose their original appearance;
- Wool garments should not be dried near heat sources such as radiators or direct sunlight. This causes the fabric to shrink. White products will turn yellow;
- Do not dry products made of natural material in the kitchen. They will absorb all the food odors that are inherent in this room;
- Machine squeezing drying is prohibited, as well as intensive wringing by hand;
- It is worth avoiding over-drying wool garments, making the product difficult to iron.

The structure of wool fiber is unique. And the ability to shrink easily is one of the natural features of wool. Things shrink due to temperature differences, steam, and hot iron. To prevent unwanted deformation, you should carefully study the information on the tag immediately after purchase and strictly adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations. Especially important is compliance with the temperature regime during washing.

Deforming wool garments can also be due to improper drying, but we are talking about pulling in this case. The fiber is heavy and loose and has a high hygroscopicity, making it even heavier. When hung vertically, the fabric is stretched under its weight, losing its original shape. It will be difficult to return the original format of such clothes, but it is still worth trying to apply proven methods.

To not have to wonder how to plant wool garments, it is important to wash it at the specified temperature, delicately squeeze the water without twisting the material, and then spread it out on a towel or terry sheet on a horizontal plane.