Can I Wash A Wool Sweater At Home?
How do I wash a wool sweater at home?
Yes you can wash a wool sweater at home. Here are specific instructions and techniques to follow in order not to shrink or felt your wool sweater.
Items you will need for hand washing your wool sweater:
- A pH neutral laundry detergent. Ecos is a plant based pH laundry detergent available at Whole Foods Markets.
- Distilled white vinegar. Heinz distilled white vinegar is a good one to use and in found in everyone’s kitchen.
- A three gallon bucket. Or your kitchen sink if you choose. Make sure to thoroughly clean it first.
- A measuring spoon in ounces.
- A large white bath towel.
- A metal drying rack.
- Of course we need cold water.
Here are step by step instructions:
- Add two gallons of cold water into the bucket along with three ounces of distilled white vinegar and a quarter ounce of pH neutral (Ecos) laundry detergent.
- Place the wool sweater in the cleaning solution and gentle agitate the wool sweater to loosen the dirt.
- Remove the wool sweater from the cleaning solution and squeeze out the excess solution. Do not twist the wool sweater as this will deform it.
- Place the wool sweater aside, drain the bucket of the cleaning solution, rinse the bucket then refill it with two gallons of cold water along with three ounces of distilled white vinegar to create a rinse solution.
- Place the wool sweater in the rinse solution and gently agitate it to remove the cleaning solution.
- Remove the wool sweater from the rinse solution and squeeze out the excess solution. Do not twist the wool sweater as this will deform it.
- Place the wool sweater aside, drain the bucket of the rinse solution, rinse the bucket then refill it with two gallons of cold water along with three ounces of distilled white vinegar to create a new rinse solution.
- Place the wool sweater in the rinse solution and gently agitate it for the second rinse to remove any remaining cleaning solution.
- Remove the wool sweater from the rinse solution and squeeze out the excess solution. Do not twist the wool sweater as this will deform it.
- Lay out the bath towel flat on a table then lay out the wool sweater flat on top of the towel.
- Roll the towel form one end to the other in a form of a cylinder with the sweater inside the towel.
- Squeeze the towel to remove any excess rinse solution from the wool sweater.
- Remove the wool sweater from the towel and lay it flat on the drying rack to dry.
- When the wool sweater is completely dry place the wool sweater into a dryer and tumble it with NO heat for ten minutes to soften the wool sweater.
- Remove the sweater from the dryer and lay it flat on an ironing board.
- Apply a small amount of steam an iron or home steamer to remove any wrinkles.
Be extremely careful to follow the instructions as close as possible to avoid shrinkage and felting. Due to the amount of moisture involved it is possible that shrinkage, felting, and damage may occur to certain types of wool regardless of the amount of care taken. Do not hand wash anything of value or of uncertainty as damage may occur. Consult a professional with specific questions in regard to your situation and garment.
Karl Huie
Pacific Heights Cleaners in San Francisco and Sausalito is your
resource for garment cleaning and garment care information.
We are San Francisco and Marin’s 1st Certified Green Dry Cleaner by
San Francisco Environment and the Bay Area Green Business Program.
Your non toxic dry cleaning alternative serving you with an EPA approved Eco Dry Clean (Wet Clean) System that is safe for your health and is environmentally friendly.
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