Caring for and washing wool garments: make your knits last for years

Wool needs less washing than you think

Wool fibre contains lanolin, a natural grease that makes dirt and odour cling far less than they do to other materials. The surface of the fibre also repels water and grime, which is why wool is often described as self-cleaning. In practice, a wool garment rarely needs washing just because it has been worn, only when it is actually dirty.

The best care is also the simplest: airing. Hang the garment outside or by an open window for a few hours, ideally in damp air, and most of the odour disappears. Many wool garments get through a whole season on airing alone, plus the occasional spot-clean with a damp cloth.

Hand washing, step by step

Hand washing is the safest way to wash wool, and it takes less time than most people expect.

1. Fill a basin with lukewarm water, around 30 degrees. Sudden temperature swings stress wool more than the water itself, so rinse at the same temperature you wash at.
2. Use a wool detergent, ideally one with lanolin. Regular detergent contains enzymes that break down protein fibres, which is exactly what wool is.
3. Let the garment soak for a few minutes and gently squeeze the soapy water through it. No rubbing, no wringing, no pulling; friction is what makes wool felt.
4. Rinse in clean, lukewarm water until the soap is gone, then press the water out without twisting.
5. Lay the garment on a large towel, roll it up, and press. The towel gently draws out most of the remaining water.

Machine washing: safe if you follow the rules

Modern machines with a dedicated wool cycle wash wool gently, often more gently than an impatient hand washer. But that only holds if you use the right settings and the right detergent.

• Use the wool or hand-wash cycle, at 30 degrees or below.
• Choose a low spin speed, enough that the garment is not dripping wet, but no more.
• Always use wool detergent, never regular detergent. The enzymes in ordinary detergent break down the wool fibre itself.
• Skip fabric softener. It coats the fibres and ruins the natural properties of the wool.
• Wash wool on its own, or at least away from zips and rough fabrics that can wear on it in the drum.

Drying: always flat, never on a hanger

A wet wool garment is heavy, and if you hang it up it stretches out of shape; the sleeves grow long and the neckline goes wide. The tumble dryer is worse still: heat plus agitation is the exact recipe for felting.

Lay the garment flat on a towel or a mesh drying rack, gently pat and pull it into shape while it is still damp, and let it dry at room temperature, away from radiators and direct sun.

Pilling is normal

Pills, the little bobbles that appear where the garment rubs, are not a sign of bad yarn or bad care. They form when short, loose fibres work their way out of the yarn and tangle together, and they are completely normal on new garments. They usually calm down after the first few weeks of wear.

Remove them with a pill comb or an electric fabric shaver, ideally when the garment is clean and dry. Work lightly and without pressing down, and you take off the bobbles without damaging the stitches underneath.

Storage: folded, clean, and moth-proof

Wool garments should be folded, not hung. On a hanger, the shoulders stretch out of shape within weeks.

Before storing wool for the summer, make sure it is clean. Clothes-moth larvae eat wool fibre, and they thrive in garments carrying traces of skin oils, sweat, and food. Wash or air the garment thoroughly, store it in a sealed bag or box, and add cedar or lavender as an extra line of defence.

If the worst happens: felting and shrinking

A garment that has felted, shrunk dense and stiff, usually cannot be saved. Felting happens when the tiny scales on the wool fibre lock into each other, and that process only runs one way. You can sometimes recover a little by soaking the garment in lukewarm water with hair conditioner and easing it back into shape, but a badly felted garment stays felted. Prevention is everything: the right temperature, the right detergent, and as little friction as possible.

Superwash-treated wool is more forgiving. The scales on the fibre have been removed or sealed, so the yarn does not felt in the machine. In return, superwash garments stretch and grow more easily when wet, so flat drying still applies. Untreated wool felts more easily but holds its shape better, and often needs nothing more than airing.