How To Wash a Merino Wool to Maintain Its Quality?

Merino wool products can be relatively pricier when compared to other kinds of material. Purchasing products made of merino wool is an investment considering the value you will obtain from the products if you take care of them well.

Unlike other synthetic kinds of material and fiber, merino wool products require the utmost care to retain them for a long time and keep them in high-quality condition. Therefore, you must be extremely cautious when handling your merino wool clothing. This article gives insight into how to care for merino wool to extend its longevity.

 

Fundamentals of Merino Wool

To take care of merino wool appropriately, you need to have some background information regarding the fundamentals of merino wool. This information will help you determine how to take care of the materials. While some manufacturers make clothing purely made of merino wool, some use different blends and incorporate them into the merino wool fabric. Such is done for various reasons, including cutting costs, making the fabric lighter, and increasing the quality of the product in terms of aesthetics. Therefore, you need to study the clothing label to understand this specific blend used to increase your chances of taking care of the material well.

 

Cleaning Merino Wool Products

Unlike many other materials, cleaning merino wool products requires extreme caution. You have two options available to you when cleaning merino wool. This is the use of machines or hand washing.

1.     Using a Washing Machine

Generally, washing machines are often very rough on clothing. Therefore, you must take extra precautions if you wash merino wool clothing using a washing machine. The most important aspect to remember when considering how to wash merino wool clothing in a washing machine is the kind of temperature you use. The best option to go for is using a cold cycle.

However, you can consider using a warm cycle if the labeling on the material allows it. Nonetheless, it would help if you never used a hot cycle when handling merino wool. This is because merino wool clothing is delicate and likely to peel under hot temperatures.

Additionally, depending on the kind of washing machine, there are options for using wool or a gentle cycle to clean the cloth. The best setting for washing merino wool garments is the gentle cycle. This helps preserve the quality of the product, considering that merino wool items are likely to peel when exposed to strong or rough conditions. Therefore, to take care of the material and keep it in top condition, a gentle cycle will benefit you greatly.

Lastly, when using a washing machine to clean merino wool material, it is advisable to wash the clothing separately.

All the clothes should be passed through the washing machine individually instead of in bulk. However, dividing them into small portions would be a good idea if your clothes are too many and you are pressed for time.

 

2.     Hand Washing

Hand washing is the best way to take care of merino wool clothing during washing. Hand washing is gentle on the clothes and does not compromise the integrity of the fiber through constant tugging and pulling. When hand washing merino wool materials, you should first pass the clothing in lukewarm water to help remove the stains that may have accumulated. Next, soak the clothes in lukewarm water for around 10 minutes.

However, avoid soaking the clothes for a long time since it might cause the material to shrink. Remember, merino wool is highly hydrophilic. This is to say that the material is attracted to water. Soaking the materials in water for a long time might cause them to shrink.

Next, rub off every part of the clothing softly and gently using a mild detergent. Avoid wringing out the clothes when they are still soapy. After rubbing out the dirt on the clothes, you must pass it through fresh water and rinse the soap.

It is advisable to rinse out merino wool fabric twice to ensure that all the soap is removed. Unlike other clothing, it is not wise to wring out merino wool to remove water. This is because you are likely to deform all the clothing shapes. All you need to do is gently press out the water and air it to dry.

The best way to dry out merino wool is by placing it on a flat surface away from sunlight which is likely to discolor it. Additionally, placing the clothes on a hanger could create deformities that will compromise the quality of your clothes.

 

3.     Tips For Caring For Merino Wool Material In General

Caring for merino wool extends beyond cleaning them on the actual wash cycle. Washing merino wool clothes regularly could compromise their quality. As such, it is advisable only to wash the clothes when you are confident, they are dirty as opposed to after a single wear.

When putting your dirty merino wool products in the laundry basket, avoid placing them in the laundry basket for a long time as this may cause them to commingle with other items in the laundry basket and reduce in quality of the fabric.

Whether you should iron out merino wool clothing is subjective, depending on the circumstances. Before ironing out your merino wool products, look at the tags on the clothes to see whether they permit ironing. Merino wool is susceptible to heat.

Even if ironing is permitted, use the least possible heat to remove the creases. Otherwise, generally, avoid ironing the material.

 

Wrapping Up

People that regularly use merino wool products will affirm that taking care of them for a long time will increase their quality and duration of use. Following the tips illustrated above will allow you to enjoy the possible benefit of your merino wool. Considering how pricey this material is, no one wants to use them for a short time. Therefore, follow the tips above strictly, especially when washing your merino wool products.