Shampooing a Wool Blanket

Taking a favorite knit out of the closet after having sent it to the cleaners,
and spending a moment just looking at it.
It feels a bit like reuniting with an old friend.

So today, we'd like to share our experience washing a KLIPPAN half blanket at home
that we bought a year ago (and, truth be told, had been using through spring and summer as well!).

The "dry clean" symbol.

When you see this mark, it's easy to assume it means
"this item must be dry cleaned,"
but actually, its precise meaning is
"this item can be dry cleaned (i.e., dry cleaning is permitted)."
If a hand-wash symbol is also included, then
washing it by hand at home in water is fine too.
KLIPPAN blankets fall into this category.
 

Dry cleaning removes dirt using petroleum-based or chlorine-based
organic solvents, so while it's effective for oil-based stains,
it isn't well suited for dust, dirt, and
water-soluble stains (like a child's food spills or a baby's drool!).

Given that blankets are often used every day—
draped over a sofa or bed—
we recommend washing them in water at home to keep them fresh and clean.

By the way, we heard that at KLIPPAN's home country of Sweden,
they say, "Wool doesn't get dirty easily, so you don't need to wash it very often!"

Since wool is naturally highly water-repellent and resistant to staining,
there's no need to be overly anxious about getting it dirty—
it's better to use it freely and comfortably in everyday life,
and simply care for it at home each season.
That kind of relaxed attitude might just be the right approach.

1: Do not use tumble drying (drying by machine).
2: Bleach cannot be used.
3: Ironing is allowed up to 150°C.
4: Petroleum-based dry cleaning is safe to use.
5: Water temperature should be kept under 30°C, and gentle machine washing is fine.

This was our first time washing a large blanket.
Since we were worried about shrinkage after washing,
we measured its size beforehand.
The manufacturer's listed size for the half blanket is 130*90,
but our KLIPPAN measured 135*86.
It may have stretched slightly lengthwise through use.

If you notice slight shrinkage after washing,
you can improve it by hovering a low-temperature steam iron over the fabric
and gently stretching it as you apply the steam.

It takes a bit of courage to suddenly hand wash
a large blanket or
a favorite cardigan.
Since the key to washing wool is to work quickly and gently,
we recommend practicing first with something small, like socks or a scarf.

1: Used The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo
2: Rinsed with a shower in the bathtub
3: Rolled it up in a bath towel to remove excess water
4: Always dry wool in the shade

This time, we used about 15ml of the
Wool & Cashmere Shampoo to hand wash one half blanket.
Since the palm-sized mini bottle can be used 3 to 4 times,
it's the perfect size if you're thinking,
"Maybe I'll try hand washing my knits this year?"

Once you've experienced hand washing at home,
you'll be surprised at how pleasant it feels to have your items come out clean and fresh.

So, how was our experience hand washing wool?
We imagine many of you are worried—"Is it really okay to wash it with water?"—
but by actually washing it ourselves, we were able to feel, with our own hands,
the simple truth that "wool is sheep's fur."
Wool stoles, too, originally come from sheep's fur.
There's no reason it should be forbidden to touch water.

If you have a wool stole or blanket that's been bothering you a little because it seems dirty,
please give washing it at home a try.