Washing a tweed jacket

[Tengu]

Friend gave me a good one.

But shes an equestrian friend so...

...its stinking the place out.

says `dry clean only.`

I could hand wash it but how would I dry wool in this weather? I suspect putting it in the camp launderette dryer would shrink it

 

[Toddy]

Most likely.

Best advice is to soak it in just plain water for two or three days. I use those big cheap and cheerful garden trugs. That'll loosen all the dirt and stink. Then rinse it really well in clean water. Add soap to just warm water (rub up ordinary hand soap if that's what you have) and soak the jacket again, but this time move it around gently in the water. Don't rub, don't compress, don't squeeze, 'cos that makes felt.
Rinse, and rinse and check over for any really grubby bits. Usually the collar, cuffs and underams, but maybe the skirt hems and the jacket fronts. If they're not clean you'll need to look at the marks to best decide how to get them out. Once you're happy, do a last rinse in either fabric conditioner or woolproofing stuff.

Either way, to dry the jacket lay it out in a bath overnight so that it can drain supported. Take a bath towel and roll the jacket up in it. You can squeeze gently to remove more excess water from it. At this point you're trying to lighten the jacket without stretching it out of shape. Then take a decent coat hanger and pad it up with a dry towel. Put the jacket on the hanger, roll up more towels to pad out and reshape the shoulders/upper arms and sleeves (stuff them if necessary). Straighten everything on the hanger and put it somewhere with gentle warmth or loads of fresh air, to dry. Work the jacket as it dries. It won't come up crisp, but it should come up fresh and tidily shaped and wearable. If you have and know how to use them then tailor's hams and sleeve boards will let you press the jacket. Otherwise I'd be very, very careful with a good damp linen teatowel and an iron.

You could send it to the cleaners, but tbh, dry cleaning is very hit or miss with stuff like that. It's unlikely to damage the jacket, but it doesn't always get deep gunk out of the fibres. It doesn't remove water based stuff well….like organicy stuff from horses, iimmc? It's good at dissolving things though, so buttons and the like need care. It can leave wool like much washed hair with no conditioner added.

Best of luck with it

M

 

[rik_uk3]

Just have it dry cleaned, ain't rocket science is it

 

[Tengu]

it is MONEY

 

[rik_uk3]

If money is your concern whilst a student, put the jacket away until you can afford to have it cleaned. Woollen jackets need a dry clean, so don't faff about, store it, and use it when you can afford to clean it.

ps Don't SHOUT.

 

[Toddy]

Woollen jackets don't need to be dry cleaned. Especially if they're covered in "water based organic materials", ie. horse excrement, sweat, etc.,

Dry cleaning has it's limitations, and those are among them. Cleaners will assess a garment if it looks heavily stained; they will try to 'spot clean' using other solvents and detergents where appropriate. Again, they don't always work, and they can (and do!) alter the colour, and sometimes weaken the wool fibres.

M

 

[Big G]

I've just washed my 100% wool Swanndri jacket with nikwax tech wash, on a wool cycle in the washing machine, with no ill affect. Label said dry clean only

Mind it took a good few days hung up in the airing cupboard to dry out fully.

 

[ph5172]

I have washed mine as above with no ill effects, i used normal washing powder though and it took 2 washes after the powder with just water as the suds seem to sit in the fibers as on a wool wash it appears to just gently agitate.

I now wash it in the shower...... i just put it on and use normal soap and wash as i would myself. i then stand and have a good rinse, let it drip while on me for a few minutes then lay it flat on a towel to dry, swapping the towel and turning the jacket over - i find this works best in summer directly on tarmac that is in the sun. when it feels a lot lighter i transfer it to proper suit jacket hanger and let it air dry, its a long process though!!

My farmer mate just bungs his on a cold wash low spin speed with normal washing powder then hangs it to try - his looks ok!!

 

[Tonyuk]

I would save up and have it dry cleaned. I tried to wash a wool suit jacket once in cold water (Hand wash) It seemed to stretch and never fitted right after.

If its a good jacket don't ruin it.

Tonyuk

 

[Toddy]

Ah, but a suit jacket is a different beast entirely.

Mind I mentioned earlier about using the tailor's ham and pressing ? well wool suits are structured and shaped as they are sewn and more time is spent on the pressing than on the sewing. It's one reason that good tailoring is so expensive, it's simply a lot more time consuming.

M

 

[ph5172]

What did you do with the jacket in the end?

 

[Nice65]

I've just washed my 100% wool Swanndri jacket with nikwax tech wash, on a wool cycle in the washing machine, with no ill affect.

Same here with my two Bison Bushcraft shirts. Not much soap on a silk wash and dried by hanging with the dehumidifier running. But the shirts aren't the tight weave of tweed so don't felt so easily.

My finest bit of Harris doesn't need washing

Hmm, cheers BT Internet, that worked not so well.