Instructions: how to properly wash a wool coat at home?

How do you know if a wool coat can be washed in a washing machine?

First you need to assess the size of the disaster. If there is a little dirt from cars on the hem of the coat or a trace of spilled coffee on the sleeve, then local washing or dry cleaning is enough.

Important! The label on the clothing tells you what you can do with it. If there is an inscription “No wash/Do not wash” or icons of a crossed out washing machine or basin with water, in this case washing is contraindicated, only cleaning will do.

Can a wool coat shrink or stretch when washed?

If used incorrectly or not following the instructions on the tag, the clothing may become too small or too large. It is possible to return to the previous form if the following conditions are met.

How to properly wash a wool coat if it has stretched?

To restore its size, it should be completely immersed in water, then removed without squeezing, and wrapped in a dry, thick cloth. When the excess liquid is gone, the item must be carefully laid out horizontally, giving it a compact size to reduce it.

When machine washing, you can increase the temperature to 50-60 degrees, this also promotes shrinkage. You will have to dry it, as with hand washing - carefully, without hanging it on a line.

If your wool coat shrinks after washing, what should you do?

This is not difficult to fix, just wet it well again and hang it on a hanger to dry. The hem and sleeves will lengthen slightly under your own weight. You can carefully place small weights on them if you need to stretch them more. How to stretch a product both in length and width? You need to make a model of the required size from cardboard or a piece of plywood, secure the wet product on it with clothespins or pins and leave it in a horizontal position until it dries completely.

How to wash a wool coat so that it retains its size?

The main thing is to read the symbols on the tag correctly. If the maximum temperature is indicated as 30 or 40 degrees, it means you cannot wash in hotter water. A crossed out iron cannot be ironed. There are gentle wash and no steam symbols - if you do not follow these instructions, your clothes will be damaged.

Basic properties of polyester fabrics

Polyester is made from polyester fibers. This explains its main characteristics. Among the positive qualities, the following stand out:

• wear resistance and strength;
• lightness of fabrics and low cost of their production;
• preservation of structure and shape after a large number of washes and long-term wear (polyester is often used as a filler for pillows and jackets);
• water-repellent properties;
• resistance to fading and absorption of odors.

Like any material, polyester has some negative qualities :

• does not allow air to pass through well, steams the skin and creates discomfort in hot weather;
• electrified (as a result of the characteristics of the fibers).

The presence of such shortcomings has led to the production of mixed fabrics, which mostly include natural materials - cotton, wool and viscose. With this synthesis, polyester exhibits only its positive qualities.

Cotton with added polyester is sometimes used in the production of poplin, a fabric for bed linen.

Step-by-step instructions: how to properly wash a wool coat in a washing machine

Preparation

• Before you start washing, be sure to check your pockets;
• Next, unfasten all removable parts, if possible, disconnect metal parts that may oxidize;
• To avoid deformation, all fasteners, including zippers, should be closed;
• If the wool is fluffy, for example, mohair or angora, it can be lightly combed so that the ends of the threads do not become tangled and come out by the roots;
• The coat is turned inside out - and you can start washing.

Before the first wash, it is better to check the color fastness. To do this, moisten a corner of the cloth with warm water, then blot it with a napkin. If there is a trace of color left, the coat may fade and stain other things. It is better to wash such clothes separately. Experienced housewives also recommend adding a tablespoon of vinegar when washing to fix the color.

Important! Items made of wool should be washed separately from other types of fabric, so as not to remove lint from them later and so as not to deform woolen items.

Loading laundry into the washing machine

Unless otherwise indicated on the product label, you can wash your wool coat in the washing machine by placing it in a laundry net.

Important! If the item is made of 100 percent wool, it is better to wash it by hand.

At what temperature and on what cycle should I wash a wool coat?

• For woolen items, only the delicate wash program or the “Wool” mode is suitable;
• If technical parameters allow, it is better to turn off the machine spin;
• The water should not be hotter than 30-40 degrees. More precisely indicated in the manufacturers' information on the label;
• You need to pour detergent into the powder compartment and fabric softener into the other compartment to keep it soft.

How long does it take to wash a wool coat?

The washing time depends on the machine mode. As a rule, this is 30-40 minutes, but no more than 1 hour including rinsing. It is not recommended to keep a woolen coat in water for a long time to avoid shrinking and stretching.

Important! In order not to spoil woolen products, they must be washed and rinsed in water at the same temperature.

How to wash a wool coat? Which laundry detergent should I choose?

The best way to ruin a coat made from natural yarn is to wash it with regular powder containing alkali. This caustic chemical will simply dissolve the wool. To avoid pilling and to ensure that knitted clothes last for many years, you need to wash them with special products for wool, usually liquid or gel. They mix with water faster, soften the water and are easier to wash out when rinsing. There are also special shampoos for knitted items. Dry powders or granules do not completely dissolve in cold water and traces may remain on clothing. The same goes for laundry capsules.

How much detergent do you need to wash a wool coat?

To avoid white streaks on clothes, you need to adhere to the information on the label of the detergent. Liquid gel for washing wool is applied in a proportion of approximately 4 caps or 40 ml per machine or 2 caps when hand washing in a basin.

Is it possible to wring a wool coat?

Natural wool does not accept spinning, either machine or manual. You can only squeeze products with a large percentage of synthetic additives, but no more than 400 rpm and only if the instructions on the label do not prohibit this. It is best to slightly squeeze the woolen product with your hands and then lay it out to dry.

Material

Wool products are made from different types of this material. When processing wool raw materials, various technologies and methods of felting, weaving and processing of wool fiber are used. Thanks to this, wool coats come in several types:

• Products made from 100% natural wool . These clothes contain only natural materials. Wool can be goat, camel, or sheep. Models in this category are the most expensive. The quality of this material is very high, however, the care requirements are quite specific.

This category includes, for example, cashmere coats. They are made from the valuable undercoat of rare breeds of high-mountain goats. Collecting and processing the material is very labor-intensive and requires delicacy and accuracy.

• Drape coats are made from natural felted wool. This material consists of two layers, which provides it with special strength and gives high thermal insulation properties to the product. For additional insulation, there may be down filling between the layers of material. Coats made of drape are the warmest and are acceptable to wear even in frosty weather.
• Products made from boiled wool undergo unusual processing during the manufacturing process. Linen made from natural wool fibers is boiled in boiling soapy water. Hence the name of this material. After boiling, the fabric is cooled, dried, and goes through the dyeing process.
• Products made from mixed materials. Often, the manufacturer adds artificial wool and synthetic materials to natural wool fiber. The most common combination is wool and polyester. Clothing made from mixed materials is somewhat more affordable and less demanding to care for.

How to wash a wool coat by hand?

How to remove light stains and yellowness?

To remove small stains, you can soak these areas by hand. In this case, you will need a piece of foam sponge or soft cloth. With its help, foam from the detergent is applied directly to the dirty area, then you need to lightly rub it and rinse it in clean water. After this, the wet area should be thoroughly blotted with a terry cloth and placed to dry on a flat surface.

You can bleach woolen items with ammonia. It is enough to dilute 1 bottle in 10 liters. water, stir well and immerse the coat in this liquid for half an hour. Then normal washing occurs. In case of old yellowness, it is permissible to double the dose of ammonia to restore the color.

How to wash a wool coat at home by hand?

If machine washing is contraindicated, you will have to wash your favorite coat the old fashioned way, by yourself. Some types of wool - capricious cashmere, complex camel hair - can only be saved by your hands. This is not an easy job: the wool quickly becomes saturated with water and becomes very heavy. You will have to get a thermometer yourself to control the water temperature, arm yourself with detergent and a large basin and get to work.

• Preparation includes the same steps as for machine washing: remove and unfasten all excess, close the pockets and turn the product inside out.
• Pour warm water into a basin. At what temperature should I wash a wool coat? In manual mode, washing also occurs at a temperature of 20-40C.
• Add a couple of capfuls of detergent and mix it thoroughly with water until foam forms.
• Immerse the coat in a basin, lightly rub it with foam and leave for 10-20 minutes.
• After this, wash the contaminated areas with your hands or a soft sponge.
• Rinse several times in clean water at the same temperature.

How to wash a coat made with camel hair?

Camel wool is one of the most difficult to handle. This delicate fabric can only be washed by hand, observing the following rules:

• The water should be heated no higher than 20;
• Add 1 cap of washing gel and stir thoroughly;
• Leave the clothes in the water for a few minutes, then rub gently with your hands;
• Rinse well in several waters.

Is it possible to wash a coat made of camel hair? Only if it is very dirty. In general, there is a steam cleaner for these types of wool. This is a device for cleaning with hot steam generated by heating water, the purpose of which is to safely disinfect. In this case, the fabric can be cleaned without deformation.

Dry clothes after hand washing in the same way as after machine washing.

How to properly dry a wool coat after washing?

When drying, you must follow certain rules:

• The coat is placed on a terry towel and rolled together with it so that it does not stretch. The fabric will absorb moisture and slightly dry the yarn.
• Then the item is placed on a piece of dense, dry fabric, without straightening or crumpling. It is not forbidden to use a drying cabinet or clothes dryer.
• In a room with good ventilation, but without drafts, away from heating devices, the coat is left until completely dry.
• Experienced housewives advise leaving products made from mohair and angora in the freezer for a day. This cryoprocedure will return their fluffiness.

Important! Do not wring out wet woolen items! After this it will be difficult to save her.

Is it possible to iron a wool coat?

One of the advantages of wool is that it does not wrinkle. But if creases suddenly form due to improper drying, then how to smooth out a woolen coat?

How to steam a wool coat?

The safest method is to use a vertical steamer. This will protect the wool from overheating and burning. For those who do not have a steamer at home, we can use this method: open hot water in the bath and place the coat that needs to be ironed in a horizontal position away from the stream of water. The room will soon be filled with hot steam, and after 2-4 hours the folds will straighten out. After turning off the water, clothes should be allowed to dry and cool.

How to iron a wool coat?

The iron can be used as a last resort if the information on the label allows it. With minimal heat, it is not scary to iron a slightly damp product through gauze. The reverse side can be ironed without gauze.

Ironing

Dried wool can be ironed, but with certain precautions. These include the following items:

• iron the product while still a little damp, this will reduce the risk of shrinkage;
• the iron temperature should be between 130-160 degrees;
• it is necessary to iron the felt through the fabric;
• It is recommended to use the steam function.

Ironing will not only give the product a neat appearance, but will also allow it to dry faster.

Common mistakes when washing a wool coat

• It is believed that long soaking is a guarantee of good cleaning. Washing woolen items is not the case; a long stay in water will ruin the item and it will be difficult for it to return to its original size.
• Cleanliness is a good quality, but washing a wool coat in a washing machine should occur no more than 1-2 times a year.
• We must not forget how many degrees you need to choose for machine or hand washing a knitted coat, so that later you don’t have to worry about the question of how to restore damaged clothes. The temperature should not exceed that indicated on the tag.

Important tips for caring for a wool coat

Using these tips, you can have no doubt about how to wash a woolen coat at home in an automatic washing machine and by hand: at what temperature and in what mode.

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Whitening

Felted wool does not withstand chemical bleaching well. It is extremely undesirable to use aggressive compounds, and especially chlorine, on it. But this does not mean that it will definitely not be possible to return whiteness.

ARTICLE FOR YOU

How to properly wash chenille fabric

There are several effective remedies suitable for combating yellowness and gray tints:

• potato or corn starch;
• Wheat flour;
• crushed chalk;
• baking soda;
• semolina.

Starch is suitable for combating yellowness.
All of the listed products have absorbent functions. This allows them to be used on a dry surface. To achieve the result, they are simply applied to felt and left for several hours. After a while, the residues are brushed out or vacuumed.