Towards the end of the year, daylight is scarce, and the temperature drops steadily. So, it’s high time to get your wool clothes out of the closet. Wool is one of the oldest raw materials for making clothes (about 4000 B.C.) and there is a good reason for that. It regulates your body temperature, and it is an elastic material that is easy to work with. Yet maintaining wool often goes wrong. Whether this is due to lack of experience or because you were misinformed, this article lists some tips for you:
1. Check for damage
The first thing you do is inspect your wool clothing for moth holes. The sooner you discover it, the more you limit damage to your wardrobe. You can used cedar cubes or lavender pouches that keep harmful insects away. You can also use these when storing your summer clothes.
2. Wash only when necessary
Wool fibers are naturally coated with lanolin. This fatty layer prevents bacteria, mold, and dirt from adhering. As a result, wool clothing is self-cleaning. Therefore, it’s not necessary to wash your wool sweaters as often as your underwear.
3. Air as much as possible
Wool does not retain odors. Instead, it “sticks” to the surface. Because of this, airing it out is usually sufficient. For example, you can hang them outside at night or in the fog. Another option is to hang your wool sweater in the bathroom when you take a shower. The vapor causes odors to dissipate. Does it keep smelling musty? Then you may want to use a textile spray.
4. Read the care label carefully
This is a good tip for washing clothes in general. The manufacturer’s washing instructions will ensure that the quality of your wool clothes is preserved. If you can’t figure it out, you can always visit a professional dry cleaner.
5. Hand wash as much as possible
Whether your sweater is made of lambswool or merino wool, it is best to wash it by hand in lukewarm water. Leave the garment submerged for 5 to 10 minutes and then gently shake it out. Are you using a wool detergent? Gently massage the suds through the fabric but don’t wring it out! Also, use lukewarm water to rinse off the suds. Finally let it air dry on top of a towel on a flat surface or drying rack.
6. Wash carefully in the washing machine
If you don’t feel like or have time for a hand wash, a washing machine is fine. Just make sure there is no soap left behind from previous cycles. Read the manual beforehand for the correct settings or select the wool wash cycle. As a guideline, never wash higher than 30 °C and 600 rpm. Wash wool with wool to avoid damage and use a laundry bag if necessary.
7. Wool dry outside the dryer
Never use a dryer in any situation! The hot air causes wool to shrink. Several DIY solutions circulate online to stretch a wool sweater back out, such as putting hair conditioner in the water during hand washing, but there are no guarantees.
8. Fold your wool clothes
It is tempting to use clothing hangers to save as much space as possible, however, this is disastrous for knitted garments. The hanging causes the natural stretch within wool to disappear, and the fabric starts sagging. Therefore, folding your wool clothes is always preferable.
9. Use tools for lint
Do not remove lint by hand. This will only loosen more fibers. Use a special wool comb or lint clippers for this purpose. Of course, it’s better to prevent this from happening through proper maintenance.
10. Keep alternating garments
Although wool clothes are self-cleaning and easy to maintain, this doesn’t mean you can keep wearing them continuously. When you wear wool, the fibers are under pressure. The longer they remain under pressure, the faster the fibers will wear down. It is recommended to give your wool sweater plenty of rest so it can bounce back.
