Okay, so you wanna know if wool shrinks? I had this awesome wool sweater, right? Super comfy, but I was always kinda scared to wash it. I mean, everyone always says wool shrinks, and nobody wants a kid-sized sweater all of a sudden. So, I finally decided to bite the bullet and see what would happen. Here’s the lowdown:
The Prep:
- First, I read a bunch of stuff online. Some folks swear by hand washing, some say dry cleaning is the only way. I was feeling kinda lazy, so I wanted to try a gentle machine wash if possible.
- I checked the sweater’s label. It just said “100% wool” and had a symbol that looked like a sad face (probably meaning “don’t you dare wash me!”). No actual instructions, helpful!
- I grabbed some Woolite – the stuff specifically for wool and delicates. Figured it couldn’t hurt to use the right detergent.
The Wash:
- I flipped the sweater inside out. Read that helps protect the fibers.
- I set my washing machine to the “delicate” cycle, cold water, and the lowest spin speed. Seriously, this was the gentlest setting my machine had.
- I poured in a small amount of Woolite – like, a capful or less.
- Then, I held my breath and pressed start.
The Dry:
- This was the part I was most nervous about! Heat is the enemy of wool, right?
- I took the sweater out of the washing machine. It felt a little damp, but not soaking wet.
- I laid it flat on a clean towel. Some people use a special drying rack, but I didn’t have one of those.
- I gently reshaped the sweater and smoothed out any wrinkles.
- Then, I waited. And waited. And waited. It took almost two days for the sweater to dry completely.
The Verdict:
Okay, so drumroll please… Did it shrink?
YES… but barely! Seriously, I put the sweater on, and it felt maybe, maybe a tiny bit snugger. Like, if I had eaten a huge Thanksgiving dinner, that kind of snug. I’m talking negligible shrinkage. So small, I might have imagined it.
My Takeaways:
- Gentle is key. Cold water, delicate cycle, low spin – all crucial.
- Don’t even think about putting wool in the dryer.
- Woolite (or a similar wool-specific detergent) is probably a good idea.
- Laying flat to dry takes forever, but it’s worth it to avoid shrinkage.
So, can you wash wool without it shrinking? Turns out, yes, you can! Just be careful, take your time, and maybe say a little prayer to the wool gods. Good luck!
