Wool throws and blankets, such as our raspberry throw blanket, can provide the cosiness you need in your home and on the go for decades with the right care.
Over time and without a bit of TLC, wool items can quickly lose the softness and shape that they are known and loved for. But you don’t have to recycle your wool blankets and buy a brand new throw to keep enjoying this comfort inside and outside of your home.
With spring officially here, most of us will still be using our wool blankets and throws as much as ever to keep those seasonal chills at bay. Here are a few tips to ensure your wool blankets and throws are just as tactile as the day you bought them.
Alter your wool washing habits
Thanks to its natural antibacterial, odour resistant, and hypoallergenic qualities, wool doesn’t need to be washed as often or as vigorously as other fibres.
When keeping your wool blankets and throws fresh and clean, a simple spot clean and a quick spritz of our Fabric Spray is the way to go. By changing your wool washing habits, you can keep blankets and throws soft for the long term.
This doesn’t mean wool blankets and throws shouldn’t ever be washed, however. We’ll let Tidy Diary explain how often is enough when washing your wool blankets to keep them super soft and smelling great:
“If you are frequently using your wool blanket, you can wash them once every three months. Fresh wool blankets are hypoallergenic. Mould, mildew, and bacteria can’t thrive on their surfaces. This characteristic makes them suitable for people with allergies. They are also water repellent and thus require less cleaning. Indeed a wool sweater or blanket is resilient, but washing wool needs utmost care.”
When washing your wool blankets, always choose a wool-friendly detergent, just like our Wool & Silk Delicate Wash. It’ll keep the most delicate wool fibres well-nourished, sumptuously soft and sparkling clean without the nasty and often drying chemicals.
Treat your blanket to a deep condition (literally)
Soaking your wool blanket in a bathtub filled with warm water and adding a drop of detergent is a great way to revive any woolly wonder. For added softness, put a small amount of leave-in hair conditioner into the water and mix well. A drop of conditioner will work wonders for rougher, love-worn wool blankets.
Soak your wool blankets in this concoction for around 20 to 30 minutes before pressing out the excess water. Don’t wring or pull the fabric as this will cause the blanket to lose its shape.
Dry your wool blanket with care
Contrary to popular belief, wool blankets shouldn’t be line or tumbled dried, and either should they be left to dry on the radiator or in direct sunlight. Hanging any wool item can quickly loosen fibres causing them to lose their shape. The quick-drying time offered by a tumble dryer or radiator may be convenient but it can cause those softened fibres to become coarse once again.
Drying wool is a delicate process. Wool items, including blankets and throws, should be laid flat and left to air dry naturally to keep fibres soft and in shape.
Invest in a clothes brush to lift lifeless fibres
Clothes brushes are fantastic investments, and can be used on wool blankets and throws too. In addition to removing surface dirt and debris, a good quality clothes brush – like our Vegan Clothes Brush – can gently plump flat, dull and lifeless fibres. With a quick brush here and there, you can restore softness and lustre in an instant to enjoy a comforting experience for the long haul.
Shop our full range of textile care products to discover the wool saviours everyone needs in their lives.