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The ultimate how-to guide to care for your wool blanket correctly
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Wool blankets are warm, snuggly, and great to have on hand during chilly months. However, they’ve got a reputation for being difficult to clean and care for. Fortunately, we’ve assembled this handy guide for washing, drying, and caring for your wool blankets without any shrinkage or damage. Get started with the simple steps below to machine wash or remove stains from your favorite woolen throw!
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
How to Clean & Dry a Wool Blanket
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Shake the blanket out before washing. Grasp the blanket firmly with both hands and shake it repeatedly. Hang it up in a well-ventilated area of your house, away from any direct sunlight or heating sources. [1] X Research source
- In some cases, this step will be enough to refresh your blanket, and no further washing is needed.
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Brush the blanket with a soft-bristled brush. Lay your blanket flat onto a clean surface, like a dining room table or a recently mopped floor. Following the grain of the blanket’s surface, use a soft-bristled brush to go over each section of the blanket. [2] X Research source
- Brushing your wool blanket removes any embedded dirt and smooths the blanket’s fibers to lay in the same direction.
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Treat stains with a vinegar, club soda, or detergent solution. Mix 2 ⁄ 3 cup (160 mL) of cold water with 1 ⁄ 3 cup (79 mL) of a mild detergent , distilled white vinegar, or club soda. Soak the stained area with the solution and blot the stain with a soft, clean cloth before rinsing with cold water. Avoid using any scrubbing motions to clean the stain. [3] X Research source
- Stains are best treated when cleaned immediately before they have the chance to set.
- If your wool blanket has a hardened or solid stain , like melted chocolate, use a spoon to gently remove the material from the wool fibers. Then, wash the blanket as normal.
- If your wool blanket has a dry or oily stain , like from makeup or skincare, dab at the stain with mineral spirits to dissolve and lift the oils, then rinse the area with cold water.
- If your wool blanket has a stubborn stain that isn’t budging with other methods, try soaking your stain with a 3:1 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. This solution should be used sparingly and directly applied to the stain rather than used as a cleanser for the whole blanket.
- If your wool blanket has a dried blood stain , soak a cloth with undiluted white vinegar and apply it directly to the stain. Let sit for a few minutes before rinsing with cold water.
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Soak the blanket in cold water for 15 minutes. Fill your washing machine with cold water and a wool-specific laundry detergent . Place your wool blanket into the machine and let it pre-soak for 15 minutes. [4] X Research source
- Alternatively, you can soak the blanket in a large, clean bucket or washing tub filled with cold water and detergent.
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Wash the blanket on a delicate, cold cycle for 2-3 minutes. Pour a wool-safe detergent into your machine’s detergent dispenser. Set the machine to a gentle or delicate cycle with low spin. Select a cold water temperature between 60–80 °F (16–27 °C). Let the machine run for 2-3 minutes, then cancel the cycle and switch to the rinse cycle. [5] X Research source
- Let the rinse cycle run completely. If you still see suds on your wool blanket, send it through one more cold rinse cycle.
- Keep the machine at half-full and avoid overloading it with other items.
- If your washer has a wool-specific cycle, use this setting instead of the gentle or delicate cycle.
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Roll the blanket up in a dry bath towel. Lay your wool blanket on top of a large bath towel and roll the two items together with the bath towel on the outside. The bath towel should absorb any excess moisture from the wash cycle. [6] X Research source
- Use more than one towel to absorb all the moisture, if necessary.
- Avoid wringing out the wool blanket to remove moisture, as this may ruin the wool's shape.
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Hang the blanket or lay it flat to air dry. Don't put a wool blanket in the dryer, as the heat may shrink the blanket beyond repair. Lay the blanket flat over an outdoor clothesline that can support the weight of the wet blanket. Keep the blanket out of any direct sunlight, which can potentially fade the blanket’s colors or diminish its softness. [7] X Research source Flip the blanket every 1-2 hours to help dry both sides equally.
- Avoid using any clothespins that may stretch the blanket.
- If you don’t have a clothesline, hang the blanket over a door, drying rack, or on a clean towel bar instead.
- If you don't have space to hang your blanket, cover your dining room table or another flat surface with a layer of absorbent towels and lay the wet blanket on top of those to dry.
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Follow the laundry care tag instructions for your wool blanket. Look for a dry clean-only symbol on your blanket’s care label—this may look like an empty circle inside a square or an X over a bucket of water. [8] X Research source If you see one of these symbols, take your blanket to the dry cleaners instead of washing it at home.
- Your wool blanket’s care tag will likely also have symbols relating to its water temperature and ironing requirements.
- Check out our complete guide to reading washing labels to decode all the symbols on your blanket’s care tag.
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Wash your wool blanket every 3 months. If you use your wool blanket on a daily basis, washing it every 3 months with a wool-safe detergent will keep it clean. If you don’t use your wool blanket that frequently, however, you can spot-clean the wool or clean it seasonally rather than machine-washing it regularly. [9] X Research source
- If you only use your wool blanket in the winter months, for example, you can machine wash it once before storing it for the rest of the year.
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Tips
- You should only machine wash your wool blanket if it’s heavily soiled. Otherwise, it’s better to spot-treat stains or hand wash the blanket as needed.Thanks
- The above steps for washing a wool blanket can be applied to any specialty wool blanket, including Merino wool, military blankets and Pendleton-brand blankets.Thanks
- Machine-washing a wool blanket is always a bit of a risk. If you’d prefer to play it completely safe and ensure you won’t shrink your blanket, try hand washing your blanket or taking it to a dry cleaner instead.Thanks
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Things You’ll Need
- Soft-bristled brush
- Wool-safe detergent
- Large, dry bath towel(s)
- Washing machine or large wash tub
- Clothesline (optional)
- Distilled white vinegar (optional)
- Club soda (optional)
- Soft cloth (optional)
References
- ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-clean-a-wool-blanket-apartment-therapy-tutorials-213501
- ↑ https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/house-cleaning/tips/how-to-wash-blankets/
- ↑ https://www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/interiors/advice/a2617/how-to-wash-wool/
- ↑ https://www.homesandgardens.com/interior-design/fabrics/how-to-wash-a-woollen-blanket
- ↑ https://www.homesandgardens.com/interior-design/fabrics/how-to-wash-a-woollen-blanket
- ↑ https://sheepamongwolves.net/2019/01/how-to-wash-wool-without-dreading-the-outcome/
- ↑ https://www.homesandgardens.com/interior-design/fabrics/how-to-wash-a-woollen-blanket
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/g3973/laundry-symbols-guide/
- ↑ https://www.homesandgardens.com/interior-design/fabrics/how-to-wash-a-woollen-blanket
- ↑ https://www.thewoolchannel.com/washing-wool/
- ↑ https://www.thewoolchannel.com/washing-wool/
- ↑ https://www.woolme.co.uk/blog/washing-a-wool-throw-in-the-washing-machine/
- ↑ https://smoothwares.com/how-to-iron-wool-clothes/
- ↑ https://www.woolme.co.uk/blog/softening-a-wool-throw/
- ↑ https://storables.com/articles/how-to-store-wool-blankets/#
- ↑ https://youtu.be/XITU7ksBQbw?t=89
- ↑ https://www.woolme.co.uk/blog/merino-wool-throws-how-to-unshrink/
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