Woollen garments work extra hard in keeping us warm through winter, so it’s only fair to spend a short amount of time in making sure they’re maintained, particular if your spending a good amount of hard earnt dosh on your pieces.
Unlike cotton pieces that generally can be thrown in the wash & dryer all year round, wool and cashmere of the like require a little extra TLC to ensure you get max longevity and wear out of each piece. Coming across some great tips from Woolmark & Country Road, the below are a few handy tips in full proofing for wool wear.
MACHINE WASHING
“Make sure you read the garment care instructions carefully. I normally buy machine washable – I even have a machine washable wool suit. The technology in washing machines is amazing these days with many manufacturers creating incredibly gentle wool cycles in their machines.
You should always machine wash a garment inside out because the rubbing action might make the garment look fuzzy. Turning the piece inside out means this effect will only happen on the inside and be less noticeable. Always use wool-safe detergents. One thing you should not use on wool is an enzyme-containing detergent. These enzyme detergents are designed for cotton products to remove protein-based stains, but wool is a protein so these detergents can end up damaging the wool.
The biggest mistakes that people make when washing wool garments is using water that is too hot, overworking the fabric when they are hand washing or not using the correct cycle on their washing machine.”
STAINS
“Treating your garment immediately can
help prevent staining. Dab the area with
a solvent-based stain remover like a dry
cleaning fluid or eucalyptus oil, applying small amounts at a time and working
inwards to avoid spreading.
Rinse the treated area with cold water, then hand wash the knit using a Woolmark approved detergent, and dry.
Always try a patch test on the garment before attempting to remove a stain.”
HAND WASHING
“When hand washing, I would recommend turning the garment inside out, then swish about in the water and soak for about 10 minutes. Wool cleans very easily so there is no need to rub or squeeze so much especially because wool matts up (felts) and shrinks if you apply too much mechanical action when it’s wet. If you’re going to hand wash a garment you should use as little rubbing and squeezing as you can get away with, so a simple soak is often enough to clean the garment.
The water temperature is also an important thing to note. The hotter it is, the more likely the wool is to felt. Personally, I never wash in anything other than cold water – the detergents are that good these days.”
LAMBSWOOL
Pure lambswool knits should always be hand washed. Soak your knit for ten minutes before rinsing thoroughly in
lukewarm water, and then cold water.
Always opt for an approved, mild wool detergent and follow the directions on the care label.
DRYING
“It’s the same when drying – minimal mechanical action is best. For hand wash items simply use a gentle squeeze to ring out the water. However, putting your wool garment in a towel and pressing the water out is the best way, in my book. Once you have gotten rid of the excess water, the wool needs to dry. For knitwear, it’s better to do that lying flat as hanging can distort the garment’s shape. For machine wash garments, spin drying will remove excess water without damaging the garment.
Another common mistake people make is drying pastel or pale woollen garments in the sun. That’s not a good idea. Wool is naturally a creamy colour but it tends to yellow in sunlight, and when wet it will yellow much more rapidly. So if you have a wet garment and you hang it out in the sun, over time it will start to modify the colour – particularly if white, or a light pastel shade. You really should dry them out of direct sunlight but in an area with good air circulation, a wire drying net works very well. Total Easy Care wool garments can be tumble dried inside out. Check the label to ensure the garment is suitable for this form of drying.”
“Wet wool stretches easily, so lay your hand-washed knit on a clean towel, and gently roll it up to draw the water out. Unfurl, reshape your knit and let it dry on a new towel away from sun and heat to bring it back to its natural softness. Machine washed knitwear should be shaken, reshaped and laid flat to dry.”
RESHAPING
“Wool can lose its shape if incorrectly
washed or stored. To recover the shape
of a knit, place inside out in warm water
with a small amount of detergent. Soak for 15 minutes then drain, gently
pressing the water out of the garment.
Arrange the knit flat on a towel and
allow to air dry.”
PILLING
“Always turn knits inside out when
washing and avoid excessive use of
fabric softeners that can encourage
fibres to pill. If pilling occurs, remove gently by hand,
with a comb or opt for an electric
de-piller, which shaves off pills.”
STORING
“It depends on the garment, but with my own wool suits for example, I always hang the pants so the creases fall in the right place. On the other hand, if you’re talking about loose knitwear, they can lose their shape when hung, so it’s best to store folded. Wool is amazing in that it’s natural and comfortable, it just needs the right care to maintain its luxurious handle and appearance. Generally, all animal hairs can shrink and matt up unless specially treated to prevent felting. The finer the fibre the more likely it will felt so that means very fine wool and cashmere need extra special care. Importantly, wool products can have one or four care labels: dry clean only, hand wash, machine washable and total easy care (machine wash + tumble dry).”
The best way to keep your woollens safe is to use a Woolmark-endorsed moth repellent near, but not touching, your knits. (Trust us: a little care at the end of the season goes a long way.)”
Stay dapper gents.
Robbie – Dapper Lounge
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