How to Wash Felt

Felt is a great, versatile fabric, perfect for crafts or clothing. But felt can also be difficult to work with. When dirty, cleaning it can shrink or fade it. With the proper care and cleaning fluid, your felt can outlast any mess.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soft Bristle Brush
• Mild detergent like Woolite
• Washer using cold water

1. Find a soft bristle brush. A baby brush works best. Its small size will help you be delicate. Lay your felt down on a flat, clean surface. Starting at the top, brush softly from left to right. Work your way down the fabric to remove any loose particles or dirt.

2. Set your washer to cold water and turn it on. Pour in 1 full cup of a mild detergent like Woolite as the water fills. Let the water and softener mix. Place the felt in the cold water when there's enough water to submerge it. Wash on a gentle cycle.

3. After washing, gently squeeze the felt. Carefully remove as much water as you can. Squeezing too hard can result in stretching the fabric. Then place it on a clean, flat surface. Press down on the felt to make it flat. Make sure it's stretched only to its proper size. Let the felt air-dry for 1 to 3 days, depending on the size and temperature of the room. Let the felt air-dry completely. Do not rush by heating it. Any heat can make the felt shrink and lose color.

[scubamartin]

on 1/15/2010 Very useful thanks

[netling]

on 10/11/2008 Casinos and pool halls use felt all of the time for their tables. Some Felts can get wet without worry, many will wash fine but you have to consider the source (type) of felt you are dealing with; combed, mead, woolly, etc. Is your felt a blend? Nylon and Rayon are commonly used but in the end it is still Wool. So the Cold water, extra gentle cycle or gentle for blend will be fine. If your felt is "puffy" be prepared to "shave" the balls (collection of loose felt) that collect on the original material.