best stuff to wash wool
- Thread starter ozzy1977
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They say it's pure soap flakes!
You get bottles of 'hand wash' stuff but I've used a bar of simple unscented soap, grated. Does the same as the flakes...cheaper too.
You get bottles of 'hand wash' stuff but I've used a bar of simple unscented soap, grated. Does the same as the flakes...cheaper too.
Plain shampoo 
It's meant for hair, wool's just crinkly hair.
Or work up a good lather with a bar of something like Castille or Simple soap.
cheers,
M
It's meant for hair, wool's just crinkly hair.
Or work up a good lather with a bar of something like Castille or Simple soap.
cheers,
M
Its not so much the washing powder but the temperature. We use a bit of Bold or whatever on a low temperature wash cycle. Works fine.
I use Ecover Delicate "for fine fabrics". It has the woolmark symbol on the bottle. I wash all my wool kit with this on a wool wash setting on the washing machine, works fine for me.
They all work, but, and it's a big but, if the wool that you wish to wash does not say 'Pure New Wool' on it, then any washing, agitation and warmth will start to felt it unless you are very, very, careful.
Be aware of the wool that you have and wash accordingly.
Lot of woollens are labelled Dry Clean Only for a very good reason.
If unsure, do not machine wash.
Loads of instructions on the forum for how to do it by hand when playing it safe.
cheers,
Toddy
Be aware of the wool that you have and wash accordingly.
Lot of woollens are labelled Dry Clean Only for a very good reason.
If unsure, do not machine wash.
Loads of instructions on the forum for how to do it by hand when playing it safe.
cheers,
Toddy
I suspect many of the "Dry Clean Only" labels are there to protect the manufacturers from irate customers who wash wool carelessly and find their stuff has felted and shrunk. If you hand wash carefully with soap flakes or a wool approved liquid (cool water temp and not too much agitation) then you'll be fine. I have never had a problem with washing any of my wool including the Dry Clean Only stuff.
Interestingly, Chocolate Fish, which makes high quality merino stuff, recommends washing its wool in a machine arguing that modern wool cycles are sensitive enough to do the job without mishap.
Interestingly, Chocolate Fish, which makes high quality merino stuff, recommends washing its wool in a machine arguing that modern wool cycles are sensitive enough to do the job without mishap.
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Yeah but Chocolate Fish is Pure New Wool.....that's wool that has been chemically treated to remove the little scales on the surface that facilitate the felting.
Most of the wool that isn't made into outdoor jackets, etc., nowadays, is PNW, but it's not all. There is also a substantial volume of woollen clothing that is mixed fibres too, and that's a real hit or miss to wash safely.
I agree about many of the DryCleanOnly labels, but again, if the wool you wish to wash hasn't been chemically treated not to shrink/felt, then it will if not washed very carefully.
I have very old tartan that will not shrink regardless of what I do to it, but I have some modern stuff that shrunk and fulled down by about 30%
even though it had the PNW label on the bolt. I also have some absolutely beautiful merino that made a gown for me that when washed literally fitted a six year old. Yet my latest sets of merino thermals just get bunged in the washing machine with my other underwear on the normal daily wash cycle.....I use Ecover washing liquid and fabric conditioner.
My bushshirt, and those of HWMBLT get washed in the shower with shampoo, or left to soak in one of the big trugs to let the water saturate and lift off the dirt, etc., Rinsed really well and then left to drain over night and laid flat out on top of the whirlie to air dry the next day.
Depends on what you've got, iimmc.
atb,
M
Most of the wool that isn't made into outdoor jackets, etc., nowadays, is PNW, but it's not all. There is also a substantial volume of woollen clothing that is mixed fibres too, and that's a real hit or miss to wash safely.
I agree about many of the DryCleanOnly labels, but again, if the wool you wish to wash hasn't been chemically treated not to shrink/felt, then it will if not washed very carefully.
I have very old tartan that will not shrink regardless of what I do to it, but I have some modern stuff that shrunk and fulled down by about 30%
even though it had the PNW label on the bolt. I also have some absolutely beautiful merino that made a gown for me that when washed literally fitted a six year old. Yet my latest sets of merino thermals just get bunged in the washing machine with my other underwear on the normal daily wash cycle.....I use Ecover washing liquid and fabric conditioner.My bushshirt, and those of HWMBLT get washed in the shower with shampoo, or left to soak in one of the big trugs to let the water saturate and lift off the dirt, etc., Rinsed really well and then left to drain over night and laid flat out on top of the whirlie to air dry the next day.
Depends on what you've got, iimmc.
atb,
M
The only setting we use these days is 32c delicates cycle. I did read somewhere that many modern detergents don't work well above 40c something to do with the enzymes in the powder. Last month I washed my Rab and TNF down jackets with no problems.
Sorry Mary - but that is 100% wrong. Choclatefish stuff isn't chemically treated nor under go mercerisation process- I've seen the original SEM pictures . Icebreak amongst others did have a phase of chemically treating merino - but it isn't to remove scales per se, it is done to reduce reduce the width if the fiber so it can be classified as superfine rather than fine.
If it's not chemically treated not to felt, then washing wool with any agitation, soap, heat and warm water will felt it.
It happens to all wool.
Some, particularly kempy ones, do not felt so tightly or so readily, but they do felt.
Reducing the width of the fibre is chemically altering it, and in the process it removes the scales that tighten the felt.
How else can it be done ?
they can't 'pull' every single fibre through a narrower like wire.
They could chemically pre-felt the fibres though.....maybe ?
I know that sometimes the fibres are coated so that the scales don't interlock, but that wouldn't thin them, would it ?
I think the best advice is that unless it says that it can be machine washed, then only do so if you don't mind if it goes wrong.
atb,
M
It happens to all wool.
Some, particularly kempy ones, do not felt so tightly or so readily, but they do felt.
Reducing the width of the fibre is chemically altering it, and in the process it removes the scales that tighten the felt.
How else can it be done ?
they can't 'pull' every single fibre through a narrower like wire.They could chemically pre-felt the fibres though.....maybe ?
I know that sometimes the fibres are coated so that the scales don't interlock, but that wouldn't thin them, would it ?
I think the best advice is that unless it says that it can be machine washed, then only do so if you don't mind if it goes wrong.
atb,
M
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The wool that's machine washable is generally called 'superwash' this is the fibre that has been treated to remove the scales and reduce felting, it will wash in a machine with a low heat.
Pure New Wool is what it says, spun from recently sheared sheep and not mixed or recycled fibres.
Shampoos, soap or detergent will clean wools, it's agitation and change of heat that will felt non superwash.
I wash wool which I have spun and knitted in hot water without it being affected, but it's left to soak until the water cools and not agitated.
apologies, newbie seeing the question felt the need to mention, I'll be off to the newbie says hello section now
Pure New Wool is what it says, spun from recently sheared sheep and not mixed or recycled fibres.
Shampoos, soap or detergent will clean wools, it's agitation and change of heat that will felt non superwash.
I wash wool which I have spun and knitted in hot water without it being affected, but it's left to soak until the water cools and not agitated.
apologies, newbie seeing the question felt the need to mention, I'll be off to the newbie says hello section now
