In the closet of each family there are many woolen things. It can be a warm sweater or hat with mittens. Sooner or later in the process of wearing, the question arises of how to wash woolen things. This is a very delicate and demanding material. He does not like sudden changes in temperature, prolonged soaking. If some actions are performed incorrectly, as a result we get a spoiled thing. It can stretch out or, conversely, sit down.
In any case, after such a deformation, wearing your favorite sweater will not work. To avoid all the troubles that arise after washing the wool, you should use a few simple recommendations from experienced housewives. They will tell you what to do so that things are not ruined by manual or machine cleaning.
Features of woolen fabric
Wool is a natural material. Everyone, perhaps, knows that he is rather capricious and demanding in leaving. Such things do not tolerate high temperatures, mechanical stress. If there is no obvious pollution on them, do not wash wool clothes every week.
In some cases, it is simply enough to get it out of the closet and ventilate. There are enough air procedures to refresh things without dirty spots. The less material in contact with water, the better.
But sooner or later there comes a moment when this procedure can no longer be avoided. Then you need to learn how to wash wool. If you do not know, things can be spoiled due to a strong reduction or, conversely, stretching of the fibers of the threads. Therefore, a careful approach to washing wool is a prerequisite.
Laundry Prep
Before starting the wash itself, things should be properly prepared. The classic frequency of this event is 1 time every six months. In this case, the clothes are inspected for stains. If they are, they must be properly processed.
To do this, use hydrogen peroxide or vinegar. Such substances do not harm the material. When learning how to wash wool, you need to understand how the fabric reacts to various products.
Vinegar makes the material soft and pleasant to the touch. Before immersing woolen clothing in water, it must be turned inside out. The front part will be less exposed to mechanical stress.
Next, you need to decide how to wash things. This can be done manually or in a washing machine. Whatever method is chosen, a number of recommendations should be considered. For each approach, a number of features are distinguished in the washing process. They must be taken into account in order to maintain the previous appearance of the clothing.
Hand wash process
Hand wash for wool is preferable to a machine wash. Thus, it is possible to create the most sparing conditions. In this case, you need to learn how to wash wool items manually. First of all, it is necessary to create the correct temperature regime. Water should not be warmer than 35 º.
Throughout the process, this indicator is held at the same level. Do not rinse with cold water. Due to the temperature difference, the fibers will contract or stretch.
Next, you need to pay attention to mechanical actions. Do not rub the material when washing. It is gently rinsed in warm water with a detergent.
It is also not allowed to compress, twist or stretch woolen things during the spin cycle. A large amount of water is consumed during the washing process. Better if it is filtered. Rinsing must be done very carefully.
Machine wash
Some housewives still prefer to wash woolen things in a typewriter. This should be done deliberately. How to wash woolen things in a washing machine? There is a special technology. Otherwise, the result will be unsatisfactory.
Many manufacturers of such household appliances provide a special program for such things. If it is not, there is certainly a regime for delicate washing. Also, fabrics such as silk or linen do not tolerate overloads when washing. If the machine has a program for such fabrics, you can wash the wool in this mode.
Prepared things are stacked inside the equipment. Next, a special tool is poured. After selecting the desired program, you must turn off the spin. The machine will do the washing at slow speeds. This will save the structure of the threads.
When the process is complete, things are removed from the drum and laid out on a terry towel. Gently fold it and allow excess moisture to absorb. Then things unfold and dry on a horizontal plane.
Laundry Detergents
When considering how to wash woolly things with your hands or in a typewriter, you need to pay attention to detergents and softeners. Special powders and liquids are available for this material. It is better to choose fluid detergents. They perform well at low temperatures. Washing with their participation takes place in a more gentle mode.
For hand washing, soap shavings (only high-quality products) or foam can be used. Angora wool or mohair can be treated with shampoo.
To soften the material, use purchased air conditioners. You can add glycerin (0.5 tbsp. To 5 liters of water) or vinegar to the water.
Washing dark things
When learning how to wash wool, you need to consider conducting this process for dark and light things. There are a number of features in both cases. Keep in mind that dark or bright things can molt. Before washing, it is necessary to test the fabric.
A small thread is taken from the thing and soaked in hot water. Then they take it out and wrap it in white cloth. If the thread dyes the material, vinegar is added to the water in a proportion of 3 tbsp. l on 5 l of water. This will allow the color not to “wash out”.
Dark items should be washed without using soap. Instead, mustard powder is used. Dry means will need 1 cup. Mustard powder is stirred in a small amount of cold water. Then it is filtered through gauze and allowed to infuse for 2 hours.
This product is added to warm water and wash dark things. Instead of air conditioning, you can add a teaspoon of ammonia. This will soften the material.
Washing bright things
For many housewives, the question arises of how to wash woolen things of a white or light shade. After all, after cleaning, they may turn yellow. In this case, you need to add a special bleach. It is prepared from improvised means.
You can take on board a recipe with hydrogen peroxide. It is easy to cook. To 1 liter of cold water add 1 tsp. peroxide. Yellowed clothes are immersed in the solution. It is soaked for several hours. Then things are washed as usual. Rinse them very carefully.
There is another way. For bleaching, 1 kg of crushed chalk is required. It is stirred in 3 liters of cold water. The wool is soaked in the solution for 20 minutes. The water is stirred occasionally. After the procedure, things are washed as usual.
How to dry things
There are a number of rules for performing drying. We continue to consider how to wash woolen things so that the fibers do not sit and stretch. This issue is receiving increased attention. Drying requires that the glass water itself.
Things are laid out on a flat horizontal surface. A terry towel is placed under them. It is impossible that things get hot air, direct sunlight. The room should be well ventilated.
Following all these simple recommendations, you can quickly and efficiently wash any woolen clothes. There is no need to resort to dry cleaning services.