How to Clean Wool Blankets
Nothing is as warm and comforting as a soft wool blanket. They are an ideal 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. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Laundry stain pretreatment
- Dishwashing detergent
- Soft-bristled toothbrush
- Detergent for hand-washable fabric
- Towels
Instructions
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1
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.
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2
Pretreat any spots or stains with a laundry stain pretreatment.
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3
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.
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4
Check to make sure the washing machine is big enough to hold and clean the blanket without cramming it in. If so, fill it with cold water and a very mild liquid detergent used for hand-washable materials.
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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.
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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.
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7
Lay out a towel on a large, flat surface and place the wool blanket on it and allow it to air dry.
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Tips & Warnings
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.
Manufacturers generally recommend that you do not place the blanket in the dryer because it will shrink it.
Never wash a dry clean only blanket. It will ruin it.
References
- Photo Credit Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images
