Wool blanket: safe to wash and dry properly. Washing a sheep's wool blanket: in the washing machine or by hand

Sheep wool bedspreads are very comfortable, as they provide warmth and comfort even in the coldest rooms. However, like all textile fabrics, they attract dust and become dirty over time. What to do in this case? How to wash a sheep's wool blanket washing machine? Or on our own is there no way around this? In this article we will look at this issue and learn how to properly care for your favorite blanket.

Features of sheep wool blankets

Oddly enough, a blanket made from sheep wool has virtually no disadvantages in use. This blanket is light and warm, it shouldn’t even be compared with products with synthetic filling. Covering yourself with such a blanket, you create the illusion of being in a cloud that is just as light, soft and pleasant.

But when it comes to regular care for the product, then the situation changes dramatically not in better side. Many people have significant problems with this. Since the blanket is wool, you need to take into account all the properties of the wool, which in one way or another affect the quality and method of cleaning:

  • Natural wool does not tolerate water well.
  • When wet, a wool product becomes very vulnerable and immediately reacts to any mechanical action.
  • Many chemicals Wool simply does not tolerate washing.

The described features of a natural sheep wool blanket are the simplest and most understandable to users. But in fact, experts identify much more similar facts, which arise not only from the properties of the material, but also from the method of cleaning the product. Therefore, each of them requires a more detailed consideration.

Is it possible to wash a sheepskin blanket?

Such delicate textiles can be cleaned in several ways:

  • Dry cleaning is the most suitable option.
  • Hand washing is perhaps the most gentle method, but, unfortunately, as practice shows, it is not effective enough.
  • Dry cleaning is the simplest and most safe method, but quite expensive.
  • Machine washable. If your equipment allows you to accommodate such a bulky item as a wool blanket, then, of course, you can use a machine. The main thing is to choose the right mode.

Important! It is also worth considering the fact that wool fibers can have a detrimental effect on the mechanism of the washing machine.

Dry wash

If the rug is not very dirty in size, then it is better to use dry washing.

Procedure:

  • First of all, buy it.

Important! Please note that there are products specifically for washing woolen products. An essential component of such chemistry is lanolin.

  • Dilute the product in a small amount of cool water (30°C), creating a rich foam. It is foam, not liquid, that removes dirt during dry washing.
  • Use a sponge and apply foam to the stained area.

Important! Try not to get the product too wet.

  • Leave the foam on the material for a while to allow it to take effect.
  • Remove foam along with dirt from the surface of the textile.

If the product is more heavily soiled and the dirt has already penetrated deep into the fibers, then dry washing may not help. In this case, you should resort to a more usual type of washing and do it as soon as possible, before the foreign smell is ingrained into the fabric.

Important! Please note that some types of wool blankets cannot be washed. Be sure to read the product label before performing any cleaning activities. There will be instructions for its care. If washing is contraindicated for your blanket, you will have to take it to the dry cleaner. If you find it difficult to understand the notation, use ours.

How to wash a wool blanket at home by hand?

Washing wool blankets by hand at home is the safest and most gentle way to remove stains from such delicate items. In this case, deformation of the material can be easily avoided.

Important! As mentioned above, wool does not react well to exposure to water, so you need to keep the time the blanket stays in water to a minimum.

Procedure:

  • Pour wool cleanser with lanolin into warm water, whisk the solution thoroughly to form a large number of foam.
  • Dip your blanket into the cool solution, remove it and place it on the bottom of the bathtub.
  • Apply a large amount of foam to areas of contamination, and distribute the remaining foam evenly throughout the product.

Important! There is no need to rub or over-wash areas, as the wool may stretch and become deformed. It is better to leave the foam on the surface for 10 minutes.

  • Type into the basin clean water and dip the blanket in it to rinse. Do this procedure several times until the soap suds completely disappear.

Important! Please note that a wet wool blanket will be very heavy, so you may need help.

  • Take out the product and place it in the already washed bathroom, let the water drain from the blanket on its own.
  • Hang the washed blanket to dry and leave it in a shaded and well-ventilated place for a day.

Important! During the drying period, you need to periodically stretch the product along the edges.

How to wash a wool blanket in an automatic washing machine?

Don't think that washing a sheep's wool blanket in a washing machine is impossible. Of course, you need to understand all the risks, but if you do everything correctly, there will be no unpleasant consequences.

Procedure:

  • First of all, check that the bedding fits freely in the washing machine drum. If so, load the item into the tank.

Important! To prevent sheep wool fibers from getting into the moving parts of the washing machine, place the blanket in the duvet cover before washing.

  • Pour into the cuvette special remedy marked “for washing woolen products”. Perfect for this purpose.

Important! You can also add conditioner for wool fabrics; it will give the material softness and a pleasant aroma.

  • Select the correct washing mode - “Wool” or “Hand Wash”. The water temperature should be no more than 30 degrees, otherwise the product can be damaged.

Important! The washing process should be carried out at minimum speed, not higher than 500.

  • Be sure to deactivate the automatic spin function.

Useful tips for caring for sheep's wool blankets

To ensure that wool products last as long as possible, you need to adhere to the basic rules for their use:

  1. When using the blanket, be sure to use a duvet cover, change it regularly and wash it.
  2. Protect woolen items from contamination. The less you wash your blanket, the longer it will last.
  3. Do not use regular powders or detergents to wash your blanket. For such purposes, it is necessary to purchase a special liquid shampoo with lanolin.
  4. Do not iron a sheep's wool blanket. There is absolutely no need for this.
  5. Do not wring out or twist the blanket.
  6. It is recommended to periodically ventilate woolen products in the fresh air.
  7. Do not dry the blanket on a heater, radiator, or in the open sun.
  8. Do not hang a wet blanket on the line until the water has completely drained from it. This rule will protect the product from stretching.
  9. Washing should be done in water at a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees. It is better to expose it to cold water than hot water, since the blanket will shrink after contact with the latter.
  10. In order for a voluminous product to fit better into the drum of the washing machine, roll it into a tube.
  11. You cannot store woolen items in a damp, cool place, as you risk ruining the item.

At my husband and I’s wedding, almost half of our relatives brought sheep wool blankets as gifts. Well, of course, they are expensive, environmentally friendly, beautiful and light - a dream, not a gift. The box is also large - in a gift wrapper with a bow it looks simply amazing. We weren’t particularly upset, because such blankets are truly magnificent, and they don’t require much care - I took them to the dry cleaner, and hello. Everything changed dramatically after the birth of children. Our long-suffering “sheep” didn’t get cleaned of all sorts of things: they ate cookies on them, wrote on them, painted on them, poured milk and compote on them. As a result, I got the strange impression that my husband would soon start working exclusively for dry cleaning. I had no idea how to wash a blanket made of sheep wool, on which it is written in black and white - do not wash.

In this article:

We wash blankets by hand

When the blankets reached such a state that using them was no longer entirely pleasant, or rather, completely unpleasant, I decided to wash them by hand. At first, only one of them, just for the sake of experiment. I first stocked up on a special lanolin-based wool detergent and started the execution. Added to cool water detergent and dipped the blanket in there, without rubbing or washing away the dirty spots. I simply dipped it in water several times and then rinsed it until the water was clear. And again she repeated the whole procedure from the beginning.

Of course, I didn’t dare to squeeze a blanket out of sheep’s wool. And physically I wouldn’t be able to - these things are just hellishly heavy when wet. I simply left the blanket in the empty bathtub to let the water drain, and then laid it out on the floor dryer, on all the wires at once. My blanket dried completely within about a day, it was not damaged at all: it did not shrink, did not fade or lose color. After making sure that hand washing does not affect the quality of the blankets, I decided to wash the second large blanket, and then the children’s ones. They all survived the wash successfully.


How a wool blanket can survive in an automatic machine

When all my sheepskin blankets needed washing again, I no longer doubted it, but, remembering the hellish effort spent on the whole process, about my back and arms, which ached for another week, I decided to take a risk and wash them in the machine. I conducted an experiment on one of them again. I washed the blanket in the machine, setting the regulator to the “wool” mode and a temperature of 30 0 . I didn’t even turn off the spin mode in honor of sheep wool blankets. After all, when wet they are as heavy as a carload of bricks, and I didn’t have the courage to drag them out of the washing machine. Everything worked out fine again, not a single “sheep” was harmed. They dried instantly, fluffed up and lost their stale smell. Now I have boldly decided to machine wash my camel wool blanket.

Dry wash

As it turned out later, in the process of lengthy research, it is not at all necessary to bring sheepskin blankets to the state of a floor rag. And you don’t need to wash them almost weekly either.

There is a special lanolin-based product for dry washing woolen items.

It is diluted in cool water according to the instructions and whipped into a dense foam. With this very foam, in no case a liquid, the dirt is carefully wiped away. The spots disappear right before our eyes, disappear unpleasant odors. In this way, of course, you cannot save your blanket from a liter of milk, but it helps one hundred percent against less radical dirt.

I hope the results of my experiments are useful to you. Just remember that for wool blankets a temperature of forty degrees is too much. If you forget to move the adjuster, you risk turning your double blanket into a baby blanket. And this, you see, is unpleasant. Good luck and soft wool!

A blanket made from natural sheep wool will serve you well if properly cared for. for a long time. In our article we will give practical advice and recommendations that will help you extend the life of a quality product, preserve its unique appearance and tell you how to wash a wool blanket. Remember that an alternative to washing can be dry cleaning.

First of all, about Wool-Collection blankets

Our quality wool products can be washed in a washing machine according to the wool program. This is much easier than washing according to the rules for blankets from most other manufacturers. Our blankets, even after repeated washing, retain their original shape, size and pleasant fabric texture.

Features of washing wool products

Woolen blankets, like blankets and pillows, are not recommended to be subjected to cleaning, spinning and drying. washing machines. It is advisable to wash manually and in cold water. The blanket is pre-soaked for ten or fifteen minutes.

During the washing process, it is allowed to use specialized detergents containing lanolin or ordinary shampoo. This will help you ensure the longevity of your sheep's wool product. The use of powders containing coloring and bleaching components is prohibited.

After washing, you need to rinse the wool blanket twice. warm water. Then you need to wait until the water has completely drained. It is not recommended to squeeze or stretch wool products. This may cause the blanket to deform or change its shape. It must be dried completely flat.

  • when rinsing, add one tablespoon of vinegar (wine) solution to the water;
  • dirty stains can be easily removed by cleaning with a regular dry clothes brush; for this, the blanket must first be dried well;
  • if the product turns yellow, place a wool blanket in water and add a slice of lemon, this will help restore the color;
  • The following procedure can be used effectively as a spin cycle: let the water completely drain from the product, and then wrap it in a large terry towel. Do not use physical force or attempt to wring or twist the woolen product;
  • To dry the blanket, it is recommended to lay it out on a flat surface. Do not hang the product from a rope or bar, as this may cause deformation or stretching.

Following the recommendations for washing wool blankets will help extend the life of the blanket and maintain its aesthetic appearance. Products from expensive and quality material deserve careful and regular care. Extend the pleasant and comfortable moments of your life in warm company!

Washing wool products should be delicate and careful, and use special products, since this is a valuable natural material that requires special care. Eat different ways cleaning wool blankets, the choice depends on the type (open wool or filled, quilted). I will describe all these methods.

Determine the type of blanket you want


If you decide to wash the blanket yourself, study the label. Such products are:

  • with open fur: winter (double), summer and blankets;
  • quilted, cassette with filling: cashmere (Kashmir goat down), camel and sheep (merino) wool.

Based on the type, choose the washing method. These products are great for dry cleaning, but you can wash them yourself.

Cleaning blankets with exposed wool

Sheep wool is an environmentally friendly, natural fiber with unique advantages. Wool blankets are warm and comfortable. They will provide comfort, but require careful care. And the developers modern programs for washing units have provided for them optimal conditions washing.

Method 1 - machine wash


Optimal temperature water, washing mode, drying conditions are indicated on the label. If there is no tag, then the symbol on the washing machine indicating the washing of woolen items guarantees ideal and safe cleaning.


8 rules of a quality process:

  1. Consider the capacity of the drum. Its characteristics will tell you whether a wool blanket can be washed in a machine. If the machine is designed for 5 kg, it can handle it easily.
  2. Use a mesh bag. Be sure to place the product in a washing net or duvet cover. Then the wool fluffs will not clog the filter.

  1. Gel for wool products. Only the gel solution actively removes dirt, and the powder will have to be washed off with an additional rinse.

Prefer gel to powder - it is easier to rinse.

  1. Special balls for washing. IN washing machine Along with the blanket, you should also put a few tennis balls. Then they will fluff the product and prevent the formation of lumps.

  1. Low only temperature conditions . 30-40 degree water will not damage the material.
  2. Place minimal amount rpm. It should be programmed for delicate washing with a minimum of speed, or the “wool” indicator should be set.
  3. Rinse thoroughly. The rinsing procedure should be repeated twice so that the product is completely washed out.

The rinse program usually runs at 1000 rpm, which is unacceptable here. It is better to set the “wool” again, but do not pour the gel, but only the conditioner into the rinsing compartment. So in 30-40 minutes any gel or powder will be completely washed away.

  1. Uniform drying. It is better to dry the blanket by laying it out on the table, although you can hang it on several parallel clotheslines. After drying, you need to shake it, then the pile will become fluffy again. Lumps that form here and there during drying need to be fluffed up.

Method 2 - hand wash


Gently rub the stain with a brush from the edges to its center so as not to increase the extent of the contamination. Then just as carefully remove the foam with water.

For hand washing there are some universal tips:

  • Pour 2/3 bath of water 30 degrees.
  • Submerge the blanket, folded crosswise 2-3 times (crumpled ones wash out unevenly).
  • Let it soak for 15 minutes without your participation.
  • Dilute the detergent with water special for woolen items and pour the solution evenly over the surface of the blanket.

  • Lightly crumple and turn the product over, but do not lift it so as not to deform it.
  • Open the bathtub drain To remove the water, lightly press the blanket to the bottom of the bathtub, this is the only way to squeeze out the water.

  • Rinse Be sure to change the water 2-3 times.

When washing, do not rub or twist a blanket made of sheep yarn - it will stretch unevenly, and do not use bleaches or dyes.

  • To enhance elasticity During the final rinse, add a spoonful of wine vinegar to the product in cool water.
  • From yellowing A spoon will get rid of the fur lemon juice, followed by washing this product out with another rinse.

  • Plaid spinning manually in a terry sheet without twisting is safe.
  • Next, drying is recommended. products when ventilated and in a dry place.

Ventilation and lavender bags guarantee safe storage wool and longevity of such things. Lavender repels moths.

Method 3 - wet cleaning


Now about how to clean sheep's wool at home. Natural sheepskin bedspreads usually do not require washing.

Caring for a product with exposed fur:

  • vacuum cleaner;
  • shake well;
  • ventilate on the balcony to remove odors;
  • In winter, a sheepskin blanket can be cleaned with frosty fresh snow.

To avoid losing the beautiful appearance and fluffiness, it is recommended to strictly adhere to necessary conditions carrying out cleaning. Small stains can be removed by hand washing:

  • Dilute a special cleaning product with lanolin with warm water.
  • Beat to a rich foam.

  • Clean the product only with foam, not liquid. Do not rub the dirt in, but remove it from the surface with a sponge.
  • When drying a damp blanket, turn it over several times. If the wool has curls, it means it is of the highest quality.

Use the same techniques for cotton wool, since washing cotton blanket You can’t - the filler will crumple. But wet cleaning is possible.

Washing quilts

A quilted or cassette item is very bulky, and when wet it also increases its weight many times over. Therefore, if this blanket still fits in the washing machine, then when it gets wet excessive weight may break the mechanism.

Features of hand washing


Washing sequence:

  • Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from sheep's wool quilts in advance.
  • Of course, you will need cleaning products specifically for wool. After all, ordinary powders are difficult to wash out. They are aggressive and can deform the natural structure of the fibers.
  • It is also important to know at what temperature to wash your blanket. It should not exceed 40 degrees.
  • After half an hour, you can replace the cleaning solution if necessary.
  • It is better to rinse the item by hand three times.
  • Be sure to dry with ventilation. Ideally - under the sun.

If you are planning to replace the covering material, it will be useful for you to learn how to clean sheep's wool at home. Wash a small amount of it in the bathtub in washing nets. And rinsing and drying is similar to caring for a quilt. Finally, fluff the fur with your hands.

Conclusion

Now you know how to properly clean any wool blanket. The proposed methods will restore the beauty and novelty of the product and ensure long term use. Check out the video in this article - instructions for cleaning wool products are collected here. If you have a question, ask in the comments!

Got your favorite blanket dirty? Before you wash your sheepskin blanket, here are a few tips to keep it soft and warm. With things made from natural materials, and especially those made of wool, must be handled with care and delicacy. This does not mean that they cannot be washed using a washing machine. However, it is worth following some rules regarding cleaning this item.

Let's start washing

Blankets made from sheep wool are light, warm, environmentally friendly - you can’t count all the advantages! And as you know, you quickly get used to good things, moreover, you literally fall in love with such things. Therefore, no one would want the blanket to be damaged after washing. The best option: clean it depending on what and how much it is dirty. Will fit following methods washing, which will be discussed in more detail below:

  • dry cleaning (or foam cleaning);
  • handwash;
  • washing in a washing machine;
  • dry cleaning

You can easily find out whether these methods can be used by looking at the label. As a rule, you can find the following information on it:

  • ban on washing;
  • ban on ironing;
  • ban on bleaching;
  • ban on centrifuge drying;
  • gentle dry cleaning mode.

Just prohibition signs! Therefore, after studying the label, the housewife may doubt: is it still possible to use the washing machine, since the label prohibits this? You can care for your blanket according to the manufacturer's instructions and have it dry cleaned each time. However, practice shows that delicate hand washing and washing in a washing machine are not contraindicated if you are careful and follow the recommendations for cleaning woolen items. Thus, the answer to the question of whether a wool blanket can be washed is yes.

Now let’s figure out which cleaning option to give preference to in a particular situation. Dry cleaning should be chosen in case of light occasional surface contamination. In other words, a stain that appears on the blanket needs to be treated with foam, without soaking it entirely. If the contamination is more severe, it has penetrated deeper - for example, if something was spilled on the blanket - you will have to wash it without waiting for the fibers to fall off and it to become saturated with a foreign smell.

The ideal option is to take the blanket to the dry cleaner or call a specialist from a cleaning company. This is fully consistent with the manufacturer’s information about proper cleaning and does not require any effort or effort, but the method is quite expensive. Another option is to wash the blanket. We have already considered the question of whether it can be washed and came to the conclusion that it is possible. If only this procedure takes place according to the rules.

Useful tips - sheep wool blanket:

  • should be protected from contamination and washed as rarely as possible;
  • you need to wash with a product that contains lanolin;
  • cannot be ironed;
  • must be dried on a horizontal surface;
  • Do not dry near radiators or in direct sunlight;
  • cannot be squeezed in a centrifuge;
  • cannot be twisted;
  • It is useful to air your sheepskin blanket from time to time to eliminate unpleasant odors.

We erase

Now let's take a closer look at how to wash a sheep's wool blanket by hand and in a washing machine, as well as how to remove stains from it.

Partial foam washing involves the following steps.

  1. Dilute wool detergent in cool water according to the instructions on the label.
  2. Whip up a stiff foam.
  3. Apply foam to the dirt with a sponge or brush.
  4. Remove the foam with a clean sponge, rinsing it several times.

To wash a sheepskin blanket by hand, do this:

  1. fill the bath with cool water, temperature no higher than 30 °C;
  2. dissolve a lanolin-based wool cleaner in water (it envelops the fabric fibers and prevents them from deforming, thereby preserving their original properties);
  3. put the blanket in the water, do not rub or squeeze it; the most that can be done is to slightly lift it and lower it back into the water;
  4. Next comes the rinsing procedure, which must be repeated until the water becomes clear;
  5. leave the blanket in the bath to let the water drain from it;
  6. When the blanket stops leaking, lay it out on a horizontal surface to dry naturally.


Washing in a washing machine consists of the following steps.

  1. Set the “Wool” or “Hand Wash” mode (if there is no “Wool” program).
  2. Pay attention to the temperature: it should be at 30 ° C or at the “cold water” mark.
  3. Turn off the spin function.
  4. Wash with a powder marked “for woolen items”; you can also add conditioner.
  5. When the wash is finished, remove the blanket and dry it by laying it on a horizontal surface.

Washing by hand and using a washing machine costs several times less than dry cleaning, but this will require remarkable physical strength. Especially if we are talking about a one-and-a-half or double blanket. Imagine how much it will weigh when wet! Despite the fact that the washing machine does everything itself, it is quite difficult to remove an unwrung blanket. Also, drying it requires a lot of space, and its location should exclude proximity to radiators.

Can a sheepskin blanket be washed in a washing machine? It is possible, but not often, but in extreme cases heavy pollution. And in order for the item to remain as soft, attractive and loved as before washing, you need to follow the tips and recommendations described in the article.