How to wash woolen items so they don't shrink?

It's no secret that things made from natural wool give indescribable warmth and comfort, but also require careful care from their owners. They can easily stretch or, conversely, shrink several sizes. Following certain recommendations will help maintain the original appearance of wool products for a long time.

Reasons why wool shrinks after washing

Surely many have experienced the unpleasant shrinkage of their favorite clothes after washing. Highlight There are three main reasons why wool fabric shrinks:

1. The use of household chemicals that are not suitable for wool. Aggressive detergents can cause natural threads to shrink significantly, so only specialized softeners designed for this type of fabric should be used.
2. Rapid rotation of the drum during machine washing. Natural fibers are covered with keratinized scales. They can “fluff” and adhere to each other, which leads to a decrease in the size of the products.For this reason, it is desirable to reduce mechanical stress to a minimum.
3. Sudden temperature changes. Natural fabric cannot withstand sudden temperature changes; this inevitably leads to deformation of the material.

The optimal temperature for woolen clothing and accessories is 30–35 degrees. Experts emphasize that products need to be rinsed in the same water, otherwise the fabric may lose its original shape.

Following some simple rules will help you avoid unpleasant incidents and preserve the attractive appearance of your favorite wardrobe items for a long time.

How to wash woolen items so they don't shrink?

A nice feature of natural wool is that it usually gets dirty a little. In addition, some stains can be easily removed by dry cleaning, and regular ventilation in the fresh air helps get rid of foreign odors. But, of course, you can’t do without washing. To ensure that the accessories do not lose their shape, you need to take into account some nuances:

• first of all, it is important to carefully read the information on the product label, where the manufacturer indicates basic care recommendations in each specific situation;
• you need to use suitable cleaning products, remember the temperature regime;
• There is no need to soak woolen items for a long time, rubbing and squeezing them hard. You can only slightly squeeze the product to remove excess moisture;
• It is advisable to act quickly, the total cleaning time should not exceed 40 - 50 minutes;
• It is necessary to dry capricious clothes only in a horizontal position.

You should first turn things inside out, fastening all the buttons and fasteners.

These rules apply to hand and mechanical washing.Depending on the chosen method, some additional features can be highlighted.

Features of hand washing

Hand washing allows you to create the most gentle conditions possible, therefore, many manufacturers recommend this cleaning method for woolen items. In this case, you need to remember the appropriate temperature and generally act carefully!

• It is not recommended to soak things, except for serious contamination.
• Do not rub, twist or wring out woolen items too much. They are only gently rinsed in warm water with a suitable detergent.
• Do not use aggressive powders or bleaches containing chlorine (they can damage the material).
• There is no need to overuse a large amount of different chemicals, since it can be quite difficult to completely rinse it out of the fibers.
• You need to wring things out very carefully without twisting them.
• Dry woolen items on a terry towel in a horizontal position. On a clothesline or hanger, a wet wool sweater will quickly lose its shape and stretch.
• After complete drying, you can lightly iron the product, first turning it inside out.

If possible, it is better not to wash clothes made from natural wool too often.

Surely many people are interested in the question, Is machine washing acceptable for capricious natural fabric? Let's try to figure this out further.

Machine washable - is it possible or not?

The most preferred option for wool clothing is hand washing for a number of reasons. Fortunately for many housewives, using a washing machine is also acceptable (unless the label on the product prohibits this). In this case, you need to take into account some nuances:

• You should first turn the products inside out.
• As a rule, modern household appliances provide a special program for woolen accessories. If it is missing, you can select a delicate wash cycle in cool water with slow speed.
• You need to disable the spin function.
• After automatic washing is completed, the items are carefully blotted with a terry towel and dried in a horizontal position.

For drying, do not use a hairdryer, hot iron or heating devices - the wool should dry naturally.

If you approach machine washing with full knowledge of the matter, you won’t have to worry about the safety of your favorite sweater. Also, some clever tips can make the cleaning process much easier.

Tricky Tips

In addition to all the basic recommendations, experienced housewives usually use a number of useful tips that allow them to preserve the original beautiful appearance of woolen products for a long time.

• Juice or berry stains It is much easier to wash if you briefly sprinkle them with salt first.
• Lipstick You can wipe it off your clothes with medical alcohol.
• To reduce the likelihood of shedding colored things and soften the water a little, you can add two teaspoons of vinegar essence.
• Adding a couple of drops of ammonia will help significantly soften the fabric.
• For effective removal of contaminants It is not necessary to use household chemicals. Folk remedies - mustard powder, potato or bean broth - can also cope with this. For whitening You can use lemon powder.
• If, despite following all the recommendations, the clothes still sit down There’s no need to get upset or re-wash your favorite sweater. You can sprinkle it with a little water and iron it, gently stretching the fabric.
• Store woolen clothes need to be in small stacks in the closet; larger and heavier wardrobe items should be placed downwards.
• If you place a few paper napkins soaked in lavender oil in your closet, clothes will always smell nice. This measure also reliably protects against moths.

All of these tips help you successfully wash woolen products and avoid possible unpleasant consequences. If there are some concerns, you can always entrust the cleaning of a delicate item to professionals.