Written by Angela Reviewed by Daniel

People Feel Duped After Finding Out How Often Wool Really Needs To Be Washed

Ever wonder if you’ve been totally hoodwinked by your laundry routine?

Picture this: you slip on a soft, cosy wool jumper, confident you’re wearing the comfiest, most sustainable fabric on Earth… and then you toss it into the wash basket after just one wear.

Is that really the right move, or are you unwittingly wasting time, water, and elbow grease?

Strap in, because we’re about to pull back the curtain on some surprising wool care truths that could completely transform your wardrobe habits. Intrigued yet? Let’s learn about the wonderful (and surprisingly low-maintenance) world of wool!

Table of Contents

The Shocking Truth About Washing Wool

It turns out, you don’t need to wash your wool gear half as much as you think. Seriously, unless it’s honking or visibly grubby, just leave it be. Experts reckon you can wear your wool jumpers five times (or more) before they need a spin in the wash.

And don’t even think about chucking it in the machine after just one wear, unless you want to waste your time, energy, and potentially ruin your favourite jumper. If you wear an undershirt underneath your wool jumper, it’ll last even longer between washes without starting to stink.

Pro tip: If it smells fine, it is fine. Give it the old sniff test, and Bob’s your uncle.

Why Don’t You Need To Wash Wool After Every Wear?

Top laundry experts and clothing manufacturers all agree that washing wool after every wear is bad. Here’s why:

Wool Is Basically Self-Cleaning

Here’s the mad bit: wool’s got these nifty natural antibacterial powers. Yeah, really. The fibres can actually repel bacteria, which means your clothes don’t end up stinking like a teenager’s gym bag after one wear.

Fun fact: Fancy wool like Merino even resists odours, which is why it’s used in activewear. Imagine sweating buckets and still smelling decent, absolute magic, right?

It Takes Special Care To Wash Wool

If you’ve ever tried washing wool, you’ll know it’s not exactly straightforward. Do it wrong, and you’re left with pilling (those annoying little bobbles) or shedding (when it looks like your jumper’s moulting).

There are 3 ways to clean your wool the right way:

Dry Cleaning
Too lazy to deal with it yourself? Fair play. A trip to the dry cleaner will sort you out. But heads up: even they can mess it up sometimes. If you don’t want to risk damaging your favourite wool top, you’ll be better off swerving the dry cleaners.
Machine Washing
Thinking of bunging your wool in the washing machine? Always read the care label first and be careful! Normal detergent is a no-go, it’ll wreck your jumper faster than you can say “oops.” Use something gentle, like a wool shampoo (yes, that’s a thing). And for the love of all things cosy, don’t shove it in the dryer. Squeeze out excess moisture gently and then lay it flat to dry, like it’s having a little nap.
Handwashing
This is the safest bet. Good old handwashing. It takes a bit of effort, but it’s the gentlest way to keep your wool looking fresh. Use cold water and wool shampoo, and be as delicate as you would with a newborn baby. Squeeze gently, lay it flat to dry, and remember to treat it gently.

Pro Tip: Always read the care label before you even think about washing your woollen garments. It could save your sweater from disaster!

Don’t Wash Wool Too Much

So there you have it. Wool doesn’t need constant washing because it’s practically a superhero fabric. Just don’t forget to wear an undershirt if you’re worried about sweat, it’ll save you even more washes.

In between washes, you should air your wool items by letting them hang outside out of direct sunlight. This works best in highly humid conditions. If you get a whiff of a stale smell after airing, it’s time to start washing.

And let’s be honest, the less time spent doing laundry, the more time you’ve got for binge watching your favourite shows or hitting the pub.

How To Hand Wash Woollens

Hand washing is always going to be the safest way to wash woollen items because it’s the most gentle. To ensure your woollens get washed properly without damage, do the following;

Fill A Container With Water
Fill your sink, bath or basin with cool water and add a splash of wool detergent.
Soak Your Garment
Make sure that you completely submerge the garment in the water/detergent mixture.
Allow The Wool To Soak
Gently swirl the woollen garment around for about ½ a minute and let it soak for around ½ an hour.
Give It A Rinse
Drain away the dirty water and rinse using the cold tap.

How To Machine Wash Wool Clothes

You should always check the care label first but if it says it’s OK, then you’re golden. Just;

Protect Your Woollens
Place your woollen item in a mesh bag to help protect the garment from the mechanical action of the washer.
Set The machine To Delicate
Select the delicate cycle on your machine and select a cold wash with a slow spin speed. If your woollen garment gets too much agitation it’s likely to shrink or felt, keep it on the low action setting.
Take It Out Of The Drum ASAP
As soon as the cycle has finished, get that wool out of there. This will reduce creasing and save you time later (no ironing).

How To Dry Woollen Clothes

It doesn’t matter how you wash your woollens, whether in a machine or by hand, you should never use a tumble dryer to get them dry! And don’t even think about wringing them. When wool fibres are wet they’re weak which could damage the style of your jumper. To dry your woollens properly just do the following;

Squeeze Excess Moisture Out
The safest way to do this is to press your garment into a ball to remove as much moisture as you can.
Reshape It
Lay the woollen garment on a dry towel and manipulate it back into its original shape.
Roll With It
Then fold the towel in half over your garment and roll the towel up like a burrito.
Lay It Out To Dry
Use another dry towel and lay the garment on it until it dries.

Steam The Wrinkles Away

Using an iron on woollen clothes will crush the fibres, many woollen garments won’t gather any wrinkles. But lighter wools like merino or cashmere are more likely to wrinkle.

The best and safest way to remove wrinkles is to use a steamer. You can even use a steamer between washes to fluff up the fibres and refresh the fabric. It also kills bacteria too!

Over to You!

Have you been over washing your wool like a mug? Got any horror stories of jumpers gone wrong in the wash? Or maybe you’re one of those people who avoids doing laundry at all costs?

Drop us a comment below, we’d love to hear your woolly tales. And don’t forget to share this with your mates who might still be ruining their wool jumpers. They’ll thank you later!

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