How to Wash/Clean Merino Wool
Wool is naturally stain, odor, and wrinkle resistant, so it doesn’t require much maintenance. Still, accidents happen, and you can clean or wash your Merino wool blanket if needed. Dry cleaning is an option, but some dry cleaners use chemicals which aren’t environmentally friendly, so if you're trying to avoid that, we’d suggest that you attempt to address stains with the following tips:
- Clean liquids quickly - Wool will repel liquids for a short period of time before they begin to soak into the fabric, but once the soaking has begun it can be challenging to remove staining. If a liquid spill has not yet soaked into the wool, try lightly blotting away the liquid with a soft cloth.
- Try hand washing first - If a stain has already set in to the fabric, first pretreat the stained portion with a wool safe detergent or soap, lightly working it into the stain. We like the Wash & Stain Bar from the The Laundress. Next, allow the affected area to soak in cool water for at least 15 minutes. It will be easier if you only have to work with a portion of the blanket rather than the whole blanket. After soaking, attempt to gently clean the stained area. Do not scrub or use heavy agitation.
- Machine wash on delicate/wool setting - If a large area of the blanket is stained or if the blanket is heavily soiled, again, start with a soak of the blanket in cool water mixed with a wool friendly soap or detergent (30 minutes). After soaking, machine wash on the delicate/gentle/wool cycle, using only cold water.
- Lay flat to air dry - Do not put your wool into the dryer.
- What about cotton? - To keep your cotton throw in the best shape, we recommend the same general care.
