Help me wash wool shawl

[Albrecht]

I'm preg and my dh's aunt has given us a wool baby shawl his granny knitted before she died, 15 years ago. Has been in a cupboard and smells musty, also some kind of small stain - probably from one of aunt's 7 cats!

Have hand washed once with delicate wash liquid. Still stinks and stain still there.

Should I risk the washing machine delicate cycle or leave to soak over night? Or just keep re-washing?

Thanks in advance.

Is it definitely wool? The worst things you can do to wool is agitate it too much, or go from very hot to very cold water. Either of these things, or a combination will felt and shrink it.

You could always try sprinkling it with some bicarb to get rid of the smell. Or wrapping it up with some lavender bags?

Or you could handwash it again. Lay it out flat to dry, don't hang it up or it'll stretch.

I have 3 wool baby shawls knitted by by mum and a neighbour. I have machine-washed all 3, in a delicate cycle. I also put the shawl into a laundry bag to stop it getting stretched on the spin.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm ashamed to admit I've already hung it up to dry rather than flat!

Try hand washing it with shampoo. It's mild and usually smells nice ;) I have done this with wool jumpers.