How do I wash wool and delicate clothes?

Wool fibres have microscopic scales that lock together permanently when heat and movement are combined. That is felting, and it cannot be reversed. Everything about washing wool is aimed at avoiding that combination.

What you'll need

• Wool detergent
• Basin or sink
• Towels
• Mesh laundry bag (optional)

Step by step

1. Check the label, but treat all wool as hand-wash unless stated otherwise.'Machine washable wool' has been treated to resist felting. Untreated wool has not, and one hot wash ruins it.
2. Wash less often than you think.Wool is naturally odour-resistant and self-cleaning to a degree. Airing a jumper overnight is usually enough between wears.
3. Use cool water — around 20-30°C — and wool detergent.Ordinary detergent contains enzymes that attack protein fibres. Wool detergent does not, and the difference is real.
4. Submerge and squeeze gently. Never rub or twist.Agitation is what felts wool. Press it gently through the water and leave it to soak for ten minutes.
5. Rinse in water of the same temperature.A sudden temperature change shocks the fibres and contributes to shrinkage. Keep it consistent.
6. Press the water out — do not wring.Squeeze gently, then roll in a dry towel and press. Wringing stretches and distorts the garment permanently.
7. Dry flat, reshaped, away from heat.Lay on a dry towel and gently push it back to its original shape. Hanging wet knitwear stretches it beyond recovery.
8. For machine washing, use the wool cycle and a mesh bag.Only for garments labelled machine-washable, with a low spin. Even then, dry flat rather than tumbling.

Tips

• A garment that has shrunk slightly can sometimes be relaxed by soaking in cool water with hair conditioner and gently stretching while damp. It works occasionally and is worth trying before discarding.
• Pilling is normal on wool and does not indicate poor quality. A fabric shaver or comb removes it and the garment looks new again.
• Freezing a jumper does not clean it, but airing outdoors on a cold dry day genuinely freshens it.

Common mistakes

• Using ordinary biological detergent — Its enzymes break down protein fibres — which wool and silk are — and damage the garment cumulatively.
• Wringing out wet wool — It stretches and distorts the knit permanently. Roll it in a towel and press instead.
• Hanging wet knitwear to dry — The weight of the water pulls it out of shape irreversibly. Always dry knitwear flat.

Questions people ask