Washing woolens

[HeyGirlHeyBoy]

I've left almost all my knits pile up in the handwash pile and I'm looking at them now wondering if I can safely avoid the handwashing chore and put them in a woolen wash (or a rinse with some detergent even?) Three say 30 delicate, 4 say handwash only.. Would love the OK from someone wise!

I wash mine on the wool setting - try it one you don't like that much first!

Ha, yes there's a hierarchy alright. Do you put the handwash onlys in there too?! I'm wondering if putting them in a pillow case makes a difference.

I do mine on a wool setting. All of it - cashmere, merino and wool.

No problems at all.

I don't use a pillow case, just throw them in. I use normal powder detergent too.

I

That's great. Thank you! I have some woolite so will probably use that.

Stretch after washing or no?

I have messed up a few nice tops over the years so trying to take more care while also avoiding too much work

I wash all my woollens in the machine. I've never had an issue.

Yes I always use the handwash cycle. But I do mine on cold after having an incident with cashmere on 30 degrees. Use the lowest spin option, mine is 400 rpm.

I do my wired bras on that setting as well.

I don't have a handwash cycle, just a wool 40 degrees or a 30 degree but think that speed is faster so think wool cycle better.

I put mine and DH’s cashmere and wool jumpers on a delicate cycle (30 degrees) the cycle is only 15 minutes.

Also don’t use any fabric softener - just detergent

If any are cashmere I wouldn't do those on 40. 30 would be max temp I would use.

Tread carefully. I’ve found some things wash fine in the machine, others don’t. It seems quite random. I think it depends on the quality and weave pattern of the wool/cashmere. I find cashmere particularly goes kind of ‘fluffy’ after a machine wash, even with a wool detergent and on a delicates/wool programme.

No cashmere, wool and mohair.. No, don't ever use softener so OK there. Seems to be the speed of the cycle that can vause problems so I erring on side of wool cycle..

A 40 degree 600rpm wool wash on my washing machine felted two sea salt wool jumpers when I first got it. I use hand wash now if I’m going to use the machine and knock the temp down to 20 but mostly just hand wash in the sink then get the water out using a top loading spinner afterwards. It’s worth every penny, I have a lot of knitwear.

I think my spin cycle is faster than the wool spin iykwim... That's a worry tho. Not sure what felted means.

@HeyGirlHeyBoy

I think my spin cycle is faster than the wool spin iykwim... That's a worry tho. Not sure what felted means.

Any fibres used for knitting or weaving are 'combed' so they all line up ready for spinning. Natural fibres (wool, silk, cotton) have scales that all go in the same direction. If that 'direction' is disturbed the scales get tangled up and cannot be untangled. Felting occurs, elasticity is lost (garments shrink). Be careful with machine washing. Things I value I hand wash, but spinning in the machine is OK

Ok thank you.

Heat, temperature changes and agitation ( the spin cycle) felt wool ( mat it together and shrink it).
How quickly it will felt depends on what type of wool it is and if it is blended with anything else.
I don’t risk it and hand wash

i dont trust mine in a machine on the delicates or woolwash after a favourite one came out shrunken. I handwash then bung in machine on a short rinse and spin- no more than 400rpm

Cheap stuff and things that day delicate wash in the label get bunged in on the wool cycle with a silk and wool detergent, I decrease the temp to 20 and the spin is at 800.

For good stuff and handknits I wash it by hand in lukewarm water with pure soap flakes, rinse it three times then put into the machine on the spin cycle at 800 for 13 minutes.

For really fine Cashmere pashminas etc I do the hand wash as above then roll in a towel instead of spinning.

Johnston's of Elgin stuff really is hand wash only ,(even the lambswool) but woolovers is fine in the machine. Debbie bliss Marino wool is hand wash only and stretches really badly if you aren't careful when hand washing it. M&S lambswool machine washes fine (and is even forgiving of using normal detergent).

Oh gosh that's the midfield that makes me doubt myself

Minefield

Learn from my mistakes: don't machine wash anything you'll cry about ruining, otherwise knock yourself out!

I don’t mean your washing machine spin cycle! Don’t use that! I mean one of these www.hughes.co.uk/product/kitchen-appliances/laundry/tumble-dryer/indesit/nisdg428