wash a wool sweater

wash a wool sweater - woman's day - march 2011 - alison gootee l.l. bean - llbean.com

i have been washing my cashmere sweaters for years. i have also been purchasing a good many of them second hand. i wash mine on the hand wash cycle of my washer, i hang dry them on padded hangers. I have never had an issue with wrinkles, i smooth the sweater out before hanging.

but my aunt washes hers very similar to the article below and has had equally as good luck....

step 1 fill a basin or sink with cool water and add 1 tbspn of mild detergent that's free of bleach, such as woolite extra delicatesx care; swish the water to create suds. place the sweater into the water and swirl it ournd until its completely wet. don't scrub or stretch the sweater, which can damage the shape and fibers. let sit for 10 minutes while the detergent breaks down the soil.

step 2 gather the sweater in your hands, lift it out of the water and gently press a few times (don't wring) to remove excess water. empty the soapy ater and refill the basin or sink with the cool water. submerge the sweater and swirl around to rinse. empty and refill the basin again with fresh water, repeating the swirling process until no detergent remains in the water.

step 3 gather the sweater, gently press and remove water and lay in on a white or colorfast towel that has been spread on a flat waterproof surface. spread another white or colorfast towel on top so that the sweater is sandwiched between the towels. starting from the top, tightly roll the towels downward together - they'll absorb most of the moisture in the sweater.

step 4 unroll and pick up the sweater, lay in on the third white or colorfast towel that has been spread on a flat waterproof surface away from sunlight and heat (to keep the wool from becoming brittle). gently reshape the sweater, extending the arms and buttoning, if necessary. let dry. to touch up wrinkles turn inside out and iron on low heat with steam (but first, test on small area).