Cleaning Wool Is Easier Than You Think

There are many different reasons we choose the clothing we do. Most commonly we look for something that matches our personal sense of style and that is comfortable to wear. This usually opens a wide range of clothing items for us to choose from, so still more factors come into consideration such as what it takes to clean and care for the fabric from which the clothes are made.

Most people have some items of clothing that need to be professionally dry cleaned. These are usually formal dresses or suits that are not worn or do not need to be cleaned very regularly. Of course some people have a wardrobe chock full of dry clean only clothes, but most people prefer to be able to machine or hand wash their clothes for convenience and economical reasons.

Wool is a fabric that has many positive aspects. It is great at insulating the body and keeping it warm. It is natural and hypoallergenic. It is absorbent but also keeps water away from the skin and can keep you warm even when wet.

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Despite all the wonderful things about wool, it does have its downside. Cleaning wool is one of the difficulties that keep some people from having too much of it in their wardrobe. Most everyone knows that wool requires special care when washing, but not everyone knows how to care for it.

Cleaning wool is not as difficult as it may seem. Of course, most people are aware that wool clothing is capable of shrinking many times smaller than its original size. With some care, though, this is very unlikely to happen.

The main thing that causes shrinkage of wool is when it is machine dried. Washing in hot water can also cause it to shrink. If you simply avoid using hot temperatures you can avoid shrinking your woolen garments.

Often the label of wool clothing recommends dry cleaning. If it says this, dry cleaning is definitely your best choice, as the wool may not be treated for hand washing and may become stiff or coarser when washed in water.

Many types of wool, however, are hand washable. For cleaning wool by hand, use cool water and a mild detergent. Regular laundry soap is too harsh, so get a brand specifically made for wool and other delicate fabrics. Soak the article of clothing and squeeze to wet through.

Rinse the clothes and squeeze out some of the water. Never ring wool out! Lay it on a flat surface to dry. Hanging will cause the garment to be stretched because of the heaviness of the water.

The benefits to having and wearing wool clothing far outweigh the disadvantages. Caring for and cleaning wool is really not as difficult as it may seem if you follow the directions on the tag. Also, wool doesn’t need to be cleaned as often as other materials!

 


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