How to Wash and Maintain Wool Sweaters - Laundry Hacks

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Gentleman's Gazette

Thanks to the Laundry Evangelist's Laundry Camp for many of the tips shown in this video. If you ever have the chance to visit it at the Mall of America, you should do so.

First of all, wool doesn't actually need to be washed very often as the lanolin oils that are present in the wool make it naturally anti-microbial. So as long as your wool garments are only subjected to average wear and you give them a little bit of time to air out in between wearings, you won't actually have to put them through your washing machine or hand wash them all that often.

Why are most people so apprehensive to wash wool at home? The common knowledge seems to be that wool will shrink if it's exposed to water, heat, detergents or other factors. Here though are two essential truths, one about washing and the other about wool.

Firstly, what's actually doing most of the washing when you wash your clothing is having water pass over and between the fibers of your clothing. The detergent that you use in your washing machine is acting as a surfactant. Essentially, it is making the water more slippery so that it can more easily get between the fibers of your clothing. In other words, the water is doing the work of the washing, not the detergent.

Second, here is something you actually may find mind-blowing about wool. It does not actually shrink in the laundering process. Rather, as the wool fibers are agitated back and forth and move around during washing especially during drying, they lock closer and closer together creating another material that you may also have heard of, felt. Sometimes, of course, felting wool can be a good thing such as in the process for making traditional men's hats. So ultimately then, the primary thing to focus on whenever you are washing wool is just to prevent felting. This is true for either of the two techniques we are about to show you.

With that in mind then, hand-washing your wool sweaters is the safest method for cleaning them.

SWEATER STORAGE

Woolen knitwear should always be stored folded to prevent stretching or distortion of the fibers. Also, woolen cashmere are susceptible to insect damage. When you are storing your wool garments, make sure they have been cleaned first so that you are not providing any food sources for potential bugs. It is best to store your woolens in a cool dry place in a breathable cotton storage bag with zip closure. Optionally here, you can also include in the storage box a sachet of about a half cup of dried lavender since bugs hate the stuff.

So did we blow your mind that wool does not actually shrink or did you have a different takeaway from today's video? Whatever the case may be, share with us in the comments below!

#wool #woolcare #woolmaintenance

[MiniPaintAdventurer]

Very interesting on how you got them back into shape as well as preventing them from losing shape in the first place. As winter starts to move to the exits I’ll have to try this with my sweaters.

Please do a home washing tutorial for ties!

[jameswilliams]

3:32 how to hand wash wool
7:29 drying
8:50 maintainance tips for wool
10:14 how to store

[lxr_rl]

This channel reads questions out of my mind...

[timothytikker]

I have a woolen sweater that shrank after a washing decades ago. I've held on to it all these years because I had always hoped there was some method to unshrink it. So I was heartened o find this video. Your method worked perfectly! Many, many thanks!

[SplurgeFrugal]

Mind blown! A truly definitive guide to washing wool sweaters. Although I have researched this topic a number of times online, this is hands down the most well-researched and informative guide I have seen on this topic. Excellent! I would love to see a video on the care of linen garments and silk ties if possible. Thank you!

[actuallyandroid]

I've recently started buying garments to take care of for life and this is exactly the information I needed! Thank you so much for the explanations behind what works and why.

[blackbird]

I have machine washed a 100% merino wool aran sweater according to your instructions and it came out well! Thank you so much ❤

[nodieusa]

I appreciate how he pronounces every single word so clearly, it is not something we experience often in Texas...

[Benman]

Preston is doing a great job! Keep up the good work!

[alanmunch]

Very useful, and perfect timing as I’d been putting off washing several jumpers post-winter. I knew about laying jumpers on a towel to dry, but never knew about rolling them and washing them inside a bag. I know olive oil is very versatile, but that was a new one for me!!

[Kristina]

I mistakenly washed a wool zip up jacket... now it's my favorite zip up sweater b/c it fits much better. Before, it was a very large sweater that was meant to be oversized but was still 2 sizes bigger than me. It was passed down by an aunt. I wear it all the time and get compliments not stop.
But I learned a very hard lesson that day, and got screamed at by my mother for ruining her deceased sister's good wool jacket :( I still feel horrible, but when my mom sees that it's my fav thing to wear to stay warm and that it actually looks great on me it makes her feel better :)

[invin]

Great explanation! Knowing the reasoning behind the rules makes them so much easier for me to remember.

[eoinmaclean]

Nailed it, Preston! From what I have seen, too many people use hot water, a harsh wash cycle (or an agitator washing machine), or a dryer...or a combination thereof, causing the wool to shrink and become misshapen. I always handwash and rack dry, but these tips are great to know, Thank you!

Another method which you may or may not have heard of makes use of fluffy snow during northern winters. The sweater is immersed in dry snow and “washed” much like you would liquid water in a hand basin. Afterwards, you can use a light bristle brush to gently remove the excess snow before drying on a rack. Wool rugs were traditionally cleaned using a similar method in northern climates during the winter season.

[m.p.jallan]

Great tips thanks. I go several years before feeling the need to wash woollen sweaters. In Scotland I only wear heavy woollen sweaters during winter, under an overcoat when walking outside, its very practical and comfortable. I keep woollen sweaters well away from smoking.

[istheanswer]

THANK YOU!! The wool sweater tip (to get them "back into shape") works! I used it on 3 sweaters - one a thinner merino blend, one a thicker cable-knit and the last just a 'regular' wool sweater and they all came (mostly) back to their former shape.

[pattgsm]

I'm really loving the garment care tips. Once again Preston's outfit is low key but stylish w/o being boring.

[mdp]

The olive oil and hot water worked for a hand knit Irish sweater. Thanks!

[erikpreston]

I wish I had watched this 3 sweaters ago... good info for the future!

[magnoliaflower]

I wish I watched this sooner before washing my wool sweaters. Luckily, I just washed it once and the patterns are still maintained. Unfortunately, it did shrink. Now I know how to wash it back into proper size. Thank you so very much.

[akilasultana]

Though I’m not a man, nor have a partner who needs help with his clothes, I love your videos! So useful and easy to follow! Thank you!