How to care for winter wool clothing
Wool fibers can withstand being bent 20,000 times before breaking, making the fabric durable and flexible. Although wool is a strong fiber, it still requires adequate care to retain its shape and appearance. Check out the following ways to help protect your wool, so you can enjoy wearing it each winter.
Airing and brushing – To help your wool last longer, this is particularly crucial. Brushing and airing out wool clothing helps remove dust and perspiration. If you store your wool during winter, periodically take out and air the garments to help reduce odor.
Empty pockets – Before hanging your wool garments, empty all pockets to preserve their shape and prevent sagging and bulging.
Use wide hangers – Help reduce stress on wool fabric and keep the material’s shape by hanging suits, dresses, and blazers made of woven wool on wide, padded hangers.
Machine washing – Even washable wools need careful laundering. Ordinary detergents create an alkaline wash-water solution, so using special detergents is recommended. Select the cold-water cycle and use a gentle soap or detergent that is non-alkaline or near-neutral pH.
Bleaching – Washable white wool can be carefully bleached using hydrogen peroxide, not chlorine bleach.
Drying – Lay wool flat to dry or hang it out of the sunlight.
Ironing – Do not iron wool, as it will make the fibers brittle and damaged. Instead, press the wool with a damp press cloth. A good pressing cloth keeps your iron from coming in direct contact with your clothing, allowing the material to stay free of any scorching, shiny spots, and stains.
Storing – For sweaters and other knits, store wool clothing by folding it flat. Fasten all buttons and close all zippers.
Machine washing tips
Certain wool sweaters and garments can be machine-washed—just be sure to check the item’s care label before proceeding. If you are concerned that a wool garment may lose its shape, you can outline it on a piece of paper or cardboard before machine-washing. Test for colorfastness, especially on colored, printed wools.
When laundering, use plenty of cold water on a gentle or delicate cycle to reduce pilling and abrasion, but to get the wool as dry as possible, use a medium or fast cycle. Using fabric softeners is unnecessary.
Knowing how to wash and store your wool correctly will ensure you’ll enjoy the beauty and comfort of it every winter. To help protect your investment even further, contact Appliance Warehouse to lease a state-of-the-art washer and dryer today.