Content
Woolen items are in every person's wardrobe. They keep you warm in cold weather, look elegant, and are comfortable to wear. In order for your favorite products to retain their appearance for a long time, you need to know how to properly wash woolen things. It depends on this whether they will remain in the wardrobe or will have to part with them, since after an incorrect wash, the fabrics may lose their dignity.
Features of washing woolen items
There are different types of wool. Some of them should never be washed in an automatic machine. For example, cashmere, angora, alpaca, mohair. Such things are rarely washed - 1-2 times a year. Mostly to refresh them.
Washing woolen clothes is not difficult, you just need to remember some rules. What determines the final result:
- water temperature;
- detergents for washing woolen items;
- spinning and drying mode.
It is not recommended to soak woollens before washing. They can stretch from a long stay in water. If the stain on the sweater is persistent, it is best to try to remove it first by rubbing it lightly with a soft sponge under running cool water and using detergent. And then wash the whole thing or, perhaps, after that it will be enough to rinse it without subjecting it to full treatment.
At what temperature to wash woolen clothes
Wool should be washed in water with a temperature of + 30 ... + 350C. And for rinsing, you should take water of the same temperature or slightly cooler. If it is not possible to measure the indicator, then the liquid can be checked by hand. It should feel slightly less than body temperature.
A sudden change in the liquid indicator during washing can lead to the fact that the clothes will shrink, become dense and unpleasant to the touch. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid the option when washing was carried out in warm water and rinsing in ice.
How to wash woolen clothes
The quality of processing and the condition of the fabric after it depends on which chemicals to use. Common laundry detergents with a high alkali content are harmful to wool. It is not recommended to use coarse powder, as well as a product with synthetic additives.
Liquid detergents are suitable as they dissolve easily in cold water. When choosing a powder, it will be better to read the instructions for it to make sure that it is also suitable for washing woolen items.
Practical housewives recommend using hair shampoo or baby soap shavings. It is rubbed on a coarse grater, foamed in water, and only then clothes are immersed there for washing. To keep the fabric soft and pleasant to the touch, it is good to use conditioners. In washing machines, a special cell is provided for such funds, where it should be poured.
How to wash wool
To determine how to properly wash a woolen thing, first of all, you should look at what is indicated on the tag located on the inside of the garment. There may be an icon for hand or machine wash indicating the maximum allowable water temperature or delicate mode. Based on this, it is worth deciding what to do with the product.
For woolen items, hand wash is a safer way. If done correctly, the product will retain its size, appearance and quality. When using a washing machine, there is a chance to say goodbye to a thing forever, if you do not take into account some of the features of such care.
How to hand wash woolen items
Having decided to wash your clothes by hand, you need to adhere to several rules so that the result is positive:
- turn the woolen product inside out before washing;
- the water temperature should not be higher than room temperature;
- you should not rub and stretch the thing;
- a lot of water is required for hand washing, since the fiber absorbs it well;
- when rinsing, it is recommended to change the liquid several times in order to thoroughly wash the detergents out of the fabric.
To prevent your favorite thing from shedding, you need to add a little wine vinegar or ammonia to the water while rinsing.
How to machine wash woolen items
You can only use the washing machine if this type of care is not prohibited on the label. Otherwise, the result can be unpleasantly amazed by the fact that the thing will shrink in size or change its shape. To use the automatic machine, you need to select the mode that suits the characteristics of this type of fabric.
If there is an option “no spinning wool”, then it is better to choose it. Otherwise, a “delicate wash” with a water temperature not higher than + 300C will do.
It is not recommended to wash woolen items with items made from other fabrics. Also, light clothing should be separated from dark clothing to avoid color changes. It is not recommended to select a mode in which the wash lasts more than 40 minutes. Long exposure to water will harm quality.
After the end of washing, you should leave the clothes in the machine for a while so that the water flows out, since there was no spin. It should be pulled out in one lump if possible, and not pulled by the ends.
How to get woolen clothes back in shape after washing
In order for a woolen thing to remain flawless for a long time, it is necessary to dry it correctly. This means:
- It is necessary to wring out the washed item carefully, without twisting it.
- If it is voluminous, and there is a lot of water in it, then it is recommended to put it in an empty bowl for a while so that the liquid glass.
- Then use a terry towel by wrapping the clothes in it and pressing on it so that the water passes into the towel.
- Dry woolen items in a horizontal position on a flat surface so that they do not stretch out. To do this, put a sheet, towel or other cloth on the table, bed or floor. Distribute the washed clothes on top of it, giving it the shape it should have while wearing.
If possible, it is advisable to change the fabric under the item. This will dry it faster. You cannot use a drying rope or hangers, otherwise the jacket or sweater will lose its original shape.
Useful Tips
There are a number of recommendations, received as a result of the life experience of housewives, on how to properly care for woolen things so that they retain their original appearance for a long time. Here are some of them:
- Do not dry woolen items in or near the kitchen. They absorb odors well.
- Sweat and other unpleasant odors easily disappear from wool, so it is recommended to ventilate it as often as possible in the fresh air in the yard or by hanging it on the balcony.
- Do not use batteries or other heat sources for drying. In this case, the quality of the fabric can deteriorate greatly, and the thing will become unpleasant to the touch.
- For long-term storage it is recommended to use vacuum bags. They will protect the item from insects and help to maintain its shape until next use.
- In the closet where clothes made from natural fabrics are located, you need to put anti-moth products, as it loves wool very much and will quickly spoil it.
- If the item is new and has a little dirt, then it is best to dry-clean it if possible. So there is a better chance that it will retain its shape, size and color.
- The use of harsh bleaches is not recommended. They can thin the fibers and damage the fabric.
Conclusion
It is easy to wash woolen clothes correctly and to take care of them. It is only necessary to remember that this type of fabric requires special attention. You cannot just throw it into the washing machine along with other clothes and use the normal mode. You must follow the instructions on the label specifically for this product. Then the thing will not lose its appearance and will serve for a long time.
