Wool care is easy!  We promise.  Before we get into all the details, here are just a few basic things to remember when caring for your wool.

DO’s and DON’Ts when Caring for Wool

DO wash and lanolize all brand new wool covers and other garments before using them on your baby.

DO leave your woolens to soak for a bit when washing, but not for too long! (wool fibers can swell under prolonged soaking, causing wool to shrink & felt)

DO wash your wool from time to time, but only after it is either visibly soiled or very stinky (as opposed to never washing, which can be tempting, but which we do not advocate!)

DO use a good quality wool wash (ideally one that contains lanolin)

DO use solid lanolin as opposed to liquid lanolin when lanolizing your wool

DO spot clean your wool covers if they get a small poo stain; you can easily do this with a wool wash bar.

DO allow your wool cover to air out between uses …this will keep it smelling fresh and clean

DO wash wool by hand

DO lay your wool flat to dry

DO support your wet wool with both hands when transporting it (this will keep it from stretching)

DO expect a bit of shrinkage after washing a wool cover for the first time

DO expect some felting to occur after many uses on your baby (this is actually helpful in preventing leaks!)

DO lightly press your wool while hand washing, but DON’t rub or wring out

DO melt the lanolin with very hot water & add a little wool wash to prevent it from clumping when you lanolize your wool

…and the DON’Ts

DON’T wash your woolens with water that is very hot or very cold (extreme temperatures can shock the wool, causing it to shrink and become matted and hard)

DON’T wash your woolens in the washing machine, even if you have a “wool” setting  (this will cause extreme shrinkage)

DONT dry your wool in direct sunlight

DON’T wash your wool until it’s visibly soiled or stinky!  (unless, of course, you really love doing laundry and just can’t get enough of it!)

DONT wring, rub, or stretch your wool while it is wet; this can cause it to stretch and become misshapen.

DON’T use woolite on your wool

DON’T dry your wool in the dryer (even if you have a wool/delicate setting)

It’s not as complicated as you thought, right?   Washing wool is really a piece of cake… and once you start using wool on your baby and experience all of the benefits of wool, you won’t even bat an eye when it comes to caring for your wool.

 Next on the blog:  Wool Care Part 2:  Washing Wool