How to Clean Wool Blankets

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Nothing is as warm and comforting as a soft wool blanket. They are a great investment as they last just about forever. People have often repeated the old adage that wool blankets should never be washed; but that isn't always the case. Many wool blankets can be washed safely at home. Read on to learn how.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Detergent for hand-washable fabric
Washing machine
Soft bristled toothbrush
Laundry stain pre-treater

Step1

Read the care label on the blanket. If you wash a wool blanket that is not washable, you will shrink it and ruin its feel.

Step2

Pre-treat any spots or stains with a laundry stain pre-treater. (You can make this yourself and save money).

Step3

Clean a dirty binding with dishwashing liquid and a soft bristle toothbrush. Be very gentle or the binding could tear or even shred--especially on an old blanket. (Remember, though, that the binding can easily be replaced if the blanket is in great shape and the binding isn't. Just cut it off and make the new binding a little bigger to prevent taking every old stitch out).

Step4

Make sure the washing machine is big enough to hold and clean the blanket without cramming it in there. If so, fill it with cold water and a very mild liquid detergent used for hand-washable materials.

Step5

Put the blanket in and let it soak for 20 minutes. Then, run the washer on gentle. Let it spin for only 60 seconds and stop the washer. Turn it to the rinse cycle and let it complete its cycle.

Step6

Hand wash a blanket that won't fit in the machine in the bathtub with 1/4 cup detergent for hand-washable fabric. Rinse by filling the tub and soaking it several times. Squeeze the water out but do not twist it or wring it.

Step7

Dry the blanket in the dryer on the setting with no heat. You can also dry it outside on a tall fence or several (2 to 3) lines of a clothesline. After outdoor drying, put the blanket on the no heat setting of the dryer to get it soft and fluffy again.