Merino Wash & Care - How do you wash your merino wool sweater without it shrinking?

The merino wool sweaters and cardigans are currently flying off the shelves (figuratively speaking, of course, since we’re an online store and don’t have any shelves). That’s great, of course, but to keep these precious cover-ups in top condition, the owner needs to be disciplined.

So it’s time for a heart-to-heart. We regularly get questions about how to wash and care for wool. At least once a month, someone sends an email asking how they can get their beautiful wool garment back into shape.

That’s a tricky question. Because keeping wool clothing in top condition requires a little tender love & care upfront—not after the fact. It’s not difficult—quite the opposite—but there are a few rules you need to follow to get the best results.

Don’t panic, we’ll walk you through them, starting with… let’s start with a brief overview below, and then we’ll go into the details.

THE RULES IN A NUTSHELL

• Do not wash! Only if you really really need to.
• Don’t wash at temperatures higher than 30ºC. Temperatures higher than 30ºC are a definite no-no!
• Use only the WOOL WASH cycle on your washing machine (not the regular 30° program).
• Do not spin at speeds higher than 600 revolutions per minute!!! NOTE: On many washing machines, the spin speed for the wool wash cycle is set too high by default, so be sure to check it.
• Regular detergent and fabric softener are a no-no.
• Soaking is a no-no.
• We’re repeating ourselves, but washing is actually a no-no too—though once in a while is always okay, of course.

But what if your husband is a “no-no”? Some customers tell us that their husbands did the laundry, with disastrous results for their favourite wool sweater. Followed by a shockingly nonchalant, “Well, just buy a new one.” In that case, feel free to give your husband our website address. We’ll take care of the rest with him :-).

1. You shall not wash your woolen garment. (more on this below)
2. Those who do wash their woolen garments should not wash them at a temperature higher than 30 degrees Celsius.
3. If you do wash your woolen garment, do not use the washing machine’s standard 30-degree Celsius program.
4. You shall not spin-dry your woolen garment at a speed higher than 600 revolutions per minute.
5. You shall not use fabric softener on your woolen garment.
6. If you wash your wool garment by hand, do so only in lukewarm water.
7. You shall not soak your woolen garment.
8. You shall not wring out your woolen garment.
9. You shall not hang your woolen garment to dry on clothespins or a hanger.
10. You shall not pull at the fuzz on your woolen garments, but shall use a special lint comb instead.

Actually, we have a number eleven, but it’s so obvious that we don’t really need to mention it. Okay, fine then.

11. You shall not throw your woolen garment in the dryer. Duh.

IN THE BEGINNING...

In the beginning, there was wool, and to understand the quirks and whims of wool, you first need to get to know it a little better. (It’s the same with people ;-))

• The wool fiber (biologically speaking, wool is actually hair, but the common term is “fiber”) is scaly. That means its surface isn’t smooth but consists of overlapping “flaps,” a sort of barbs. The fiber itself is also crimped. This immediately explains why wool is so pleasantly warm to wear: air is trapped between all those tiny openings, and that air takes on the same temperature as its surroundings. In the case of a wool garment: your body heat, in other words.
• Wool contains wool grease, known as lanolin. This natural layer of grease ensures that wool repels various types of dirt and grease and even wicks away moisture. It’s also antibacterial: when wool becomes slightly damp, the lanolin turns into lanolin soap, which kills bacteria. So wool cleans itself.
• Wool is a 100% natural product that—provided it isn’t mixed with other fibers or raw materials—breaks down within a year when “returned” to nature. Synthetic materials take up to 40 years to decompose! Not that you’re going to throw your sweater on the compost pile, but we just wanted to mention it.

SHOULD YOU WASH IT AFTER ALL?

Let’s say your wool clothes could use a little freshening up—maybe because they have some real stains on them.

But you’re hesitant.

Because you’re afraid of the worst-case scenario: Your wool sweater shrinks down to the size of a “washcloth.” Or a baby sweater, a dachshund vest, an egg warmer… fill in the blank with whatever fits.

So what now? Washing is definitely possible, but below are the culprits behind unwanted shrinkage—and how to avoid them. Tips and tricks on how to postpone washing your cherished woolens for as long as possible, revive sad, worn-out woolens, and safely store healthy woolens for future use.

1. Don’t wash

Only if you really need to. Wa-hat? Yes, you read that right! Wool thrives when you hang it outside to air out for a few hours. Hanging it outside in the mist, or in the bathroom after a shower (steam is also mist), works wonders too. Spraying it with water to which you’ve added a few drops of organic/essential oil is also a good idea. The odours will vanish like snow in the sun.

So how does that work? Wool is naturally antibacterial; musty odours aren’t trapped in the fibers but in the air between them. Of course, you can definitely wash it every now and then, but preferably as little as possible. Deal?

Below is a comment from one of our lovely customers on this topic. That says it all, doesn’t it?

2. Never wash at a temperature higher than 30º Celsius

Wash wool at a maximum of 30º Celsius; otherwise, your garment will shrink. The crimped fibers will curl up even more, the knit will become denser, and thus smaller.

And this is irreversible :-(

3. Use only the wool wash cycle

Only use the wool cycle on your washing machine. After all, washing machine manufacturers didn’t put that option on your machine just for the fun of it ;-)

A wool cycle heats up slowly to 30º Celsius so that the wool gradually adjusts to the temperature and doesn’t immediately turn into a spiral perm. You don’t jump into hot bathwater without checking the temperature first, right?

The detergent dispensing is also more gradual on this program (more on the right detergent later).

Just as important are the settings for your wool cycle. These aren’t set correctly by default. So, to be on the safe side, check the following—because to measure is to know:

• The spin speed. By default, this is set too high. Make sure it’s set to a maximum of 600 revolutions per minute.
  
• The temperature for both the wash and rinse cycles. These should be the same (as they’re supposed to be for a wool wash cycle).

4. Maximum 600 revolutions per minute

Spin-dry wool at a maximum of 600 rpm. The crimped, scaly fibers tend to get tangled, so the less friction, the better. If you wash your hair with some fancy shampoo and pamper it with an expensive conditioner, you wouldn’t go at it like a lunatic with that towel, would you? Because that’s how you end up with tangles: the human equivalent of matted wool.

5. No fabric softener

No. Not at all. Never. Fabric softener leaves a film that prevents wool from fully utilizing its beneficial properties. What a waste of all that hard work by those sweet little sheep.

A SPECIAL WOOL DETERGENT

If you’ve been paying attention, you know what lanolin is. Lanolin repels dirt and keeps the fibers supple. So you want to keep lanolin on your side. Special wool detergent leaves lanolin intact; there are even wool detergents with added lanolin so you can give your worn-out woollen clothes an extra dose of lanolin. Regular detergents sometimes contain bleach and almost always contain perfume: both are too harsh for wool fibers and make your clothes hard and stiff. Wool detergent also lathers more than regular detergent, which reduces friction during the wash cycle. The more you know…

6. Hand washing?

Hand washing might seem safer, but it isn’t necessarily so. Unless you put a thermometer in the water, because 30º Celsius feels surprisingly cool, so you’re quickly tempted to add a little hot water. Besides, hand washing doesn’t prevent the “shock effect” mentioned earlier.

7. Do not soak

You shouldn’t let wool soak either, this weakens the fibers unnecessarily. It’s like giving a baby a bath: don’t make the water too hot, and don’t have a ‘quick’ phone call with your mom/cousin/friend in the middle of it to catch up, because that always gets out of hand time-wise, and then your little one wool will drown.

8. Don’t wring it out & don’t use the dryer

And don’t think you can outsmart wet wool by wringing it out by hand: that’s not only bad for the wool fibers but also for the fit of your garment.

We probably don’t need to add that the dryer is also a no-no. Or do we? The dryer is a no-noooo.

9. Do not hang

Wet clothes are heavier than dry clothes. If you hang a garment while it’s still wet, it can stretch out. And if the width or shape of your hanger doesn’t match the shoulder shape of your wool sweater, you’ll end up looking like you forgot to take the hanger out. Not a good look.

Lay your wool garment flat on a drying rack—preferably with a towel underneath. Don’t place a white sweater on a red towel, because then your sweater will turn… yes, red. The latter was a less-than-pleasant experience for one of our customers.

You can also dry your woolen item on a special drying rack made of mesh, called a drying net. Not that anyone actually owns one, but we’re talking about the crème de la crème of drying methods here.

Anyway, air gets in from all sides, so it dries faster. If fabric stays wet for too long, it can start to smell. Like a wet dog.

10. Pilling

Wool pills more easily than other types of fabric, partly because of the “open” structure we mentioned earlier. Pilling is actually localized felting, and it’s caused by friction. So don’t keep slinging your shoulder bag over your wool sweater or cardigan, and don’t elbow your way through a crowd ;-)

You can remove pills with a special PLEIN PUBLIQUE lint comb or—if your sweater is thin and smooth, and you have a steady hand—with a razor blade. Don’t pluck or pick at them, as that will only pull more fibers out of the yarn.

THE EXTRAS

Wash wool spaciously, and together with other wool

As mentioned earlier: the more friction, the greater the risk of felting. Wool needs a little space to itself, so give it that. Don’t cram too much laundry into one load, don’t wash heavy items like jeans along with the wool, and avoid items with sharp edges like zippers or metal buttons.

Wool is a bit finicky: it’s best to wash it only with other wool items.

Ironing after drying

When wool has been wet, the fibers spring back to their original fluffy state. This makes it seem as though your garment has shrunk, but it’s not irreversible. If you iron it on the wool setting, you can “stretch” it out a bit. First, carefully lay it flat in the desired shape, don’t apply too much pressure, and add a little steam. Then let it rest for a moment so it cools down, and you’ll set the desired shape. Leave the cuffs alone—you don’t want to set them but rather keep them as elastic as possible.

Moth Holes

Easy to forget these days, but moths are still a problem in our closets. You usually don’t see them, but you will definitely see the holes in your woolen garments.

We recommend placing mothballs in your closet and replacing them every 3 months or so for optimal effectiveness. This way, you can ensure that the clothes in your closet remain undamaged.

Well, phew, we’ve made it to the end. But, as promised, it wasn’t too complicated. Washing wool isn’t rocket science, but you do have to pay attention. If you treat wool with love, you’ll get a lot of love—and warmth—in return.

ONCE AGAIN, THE RULES IN A NUTSHELL

• Don’t wash! Only if you really need to.
• Don’t wash at temperatures higher than 30º Celsius. Temperatures higher than 30º Celsius are a definite no-no!
• Use only the WOOL WASH cycle on your washing machine (not the regular 30° cycle).
• Do not spin at speeds higher than 600 revolutions per minute!!! NOTE: On many washing machines, the spin speed for the wool wash cycle is set too high by default, so be sure to check it.
• Regular detergent and fabric softener are a no-no.
• Soaking is a no-no.
• We’re repeating ourselves (again), but washing is actually a no-no too—though once in a while is always okay, of course.

Psst, now that you’re here anyway: be sure to check out our beautiful merino wool items.