How to Hand Wash a 100% Merino Wool Sweater or Other Merino Knit Garment
Merino wool comes from the Merino sheep and is one of the softest and most luxurious choices for sweaters, shawls, jackets and other garments. It is valued for its ability to keep you warm in the winter but cool in the summer. The wool is harvested all over the world, but is especially prolific in South Africa and Australia. Because of its special qualities, care must be taken when washing a Merino wool garment so that it doesn't shrink. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Run warm water into a basin and then add a squirt of dishwashing detergent or a special liquid cleanser for wool. Mix the water and cleanser together.
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Carefully lay your garment into the water and allow the water to soak into the garment. Don't agitate or move the garment back and forth or up and down. Press very lightly with your hands to get the garment completely under water.
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Soak the garment at least three minutes, but no more than five.
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Remove the garment to a clean pan or another sink. Empty the basin and let the soapy water drain out. Rinse out the wash basin and refill it with warm water.
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Lay the garment back into the first basin without agitation. Allow the soap to disperse into the water. Resist the inclination to swish the garment around.
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Repeat the rinsing and draining until no detergent remains in the garment.
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Press the water out of the garment with great care. Don't twist the garment in any way.
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Lay the garment onto a clean, dry towel. Roll up the garment in the towel. Press again, gently, so the towel soaks up water from the garment.
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Dry the garment by laying it flat. Don't hang it, as this will pull the garment out of shape.
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Tips & Warnings
I suggest you use shampoo and conditioner rather than Woolite or any other wool-wash to clean your merino sweaters. Wool is an animal fiber that is very much like human hair. Shampoo cleans it without leaving residue, and conditioner acts as a fabric softener. In my opinion, Woolite is too harsh (and it's expensive). Professional cleaners use Orvis paste (available through tack shops) - you can use that too. However, shampoo/conditioner is a simple solution and I have never had bad results using them. I use Pantene shampoo, which also works great on my hair!
Wringing the garment or agitating it causes fulling, which means the individual fibers grab onto each other permanently, causing shrinkage.
