How to wash and store wool blankets and knits without ruining them

By Luís Serra, co-founder of Ra-Ro · View profile

About a 5 minute read

Most wool blankets are not ruined by use. They are ruined in the wash. It sounds like an exaggeration, but the pattern repeats itself: a piece that survived years on the sofa comes out of the machine at half its size, with the texture of a doormat. The point is that wool does not need more care than the rest of your clothes. It needs a different kind of care.

A wool blanket should be washed rarely, by hand, in cold water, with a wool soap, without rubbing or wringing, and dried flat in the shade; most of the time, airing and brushing is enough. To store it, it has to be clean and completely dry, in a cotton bag or a box, with lavender or cedar to keep moths away. That goes for a papa blanket woven in churra wool in Maçainhas, near Guarda, for an Ecolã blanket made in Manteigas, in the Serra da Estrela, or for a burel coat by Capuchinhas, from Campo Benfeito in the Serra de Montemuro.

Why does wool shrink?

Felting is what happens when the tiny scales covering the wool fibre open up with heat, strong soap and friction, and lock onto each other. The piece shrinks, goes stiff, and there is no going back.

The funny thing is that this process, which ruins a jumper at home, is exactly what is used on purpose to make burel: wool beaten in water until it becomes dense, as we explain in Burel: what it is, how it is made and how to care for it. The difference is intention. Which leaves only one rule that matters: handle wet wool as little as possible. Everything else is detail.

How do you wash a wool blanket without ruining it?

The first step is not to wash it. That is not laziness, it is strategy: wool gets dirty less than you think and fresh air solves a lot. Hang the blanket out on a dry day, go over it with a soft brush, and often that is the end of it. Stains are dealt with straight away, with a damp cloth and a little wool soap, dabbing rather than rubbing.

When it really has to be washed, fill the bath with cold or lukewarm water, dissolve the soap before the piece goes in, submerge it and press gently with your hands for a few minutes. Rinse at the same temperature, because sudden changes also cause felting. To remove the water, no wringing: press with your hands, then roll the blanket in a thick towel.

And the machine? Some have a cold wool programme that works for small, sturdy knits, if the label allows it. For handloom pieces, thick blankets, burel and crochet, the answer is no. The tumble dryer does not even enter the conversation.

With a papa blanket, the maths is different. The Papa Blanket (Shepherd's Blanket), woven in Maçainhas from churra wool, is thick and compact, made to stand up to mountain cold. Wet, it is so heavy it can lose its shape just by being lifted. The advice here is simple: shake it out in the open air, brush it in the direction of the pile and, if it really must be washed, take it to a laundry that handles wool by hand. Risking the machine to save a trip to the laundry is one of the worst trades you can make. There is more on this piece in Papa blanket: price and where to buy.

The Wool Blanket (Shepherd's Throw) by Ecolã, made in Manteigas, follows the same rules: air, brush and, rarely, a cold bath. Burel is even easier. It is so dense that it cleans with a brush and air, and the Light Mottled Burel Coat by Capuchinhas should only go near water when there is no alternative. Knits and crochet are washed by hand, without rubbing; pieces coloured with natural dyes need cold water and mild soap so they keep their colour.

How do you dry wool and store it away from moths?

Drying is where a lot of people undo all the good work. The piece goes flat on a dry towel or a flat rack, in the shade and away from radiators, with its shape adjusted by hand while it is damp. Hung up wet, the weight of the water stretches it. Knits and crochet dry with the stitches lined up, so they do not take on new shapes.

About moths, there is a misunderstanding worth clearing up. The damage is not done by the little moth you see flying around. It is done by the larvae, which feed on the keratin in wool and prefer dark, quiet places and pieces with traces of sweat or food. In other words, moths are not looking for wool. They are looking for dirty wool.

Hence the logic of storing at the end of winter: air, brush, wash what needs washing and make sure everything is completely dry, because damp brings mould. Then cotton bags or boxes, never sealed plastic; fold rather than hang, because heavy blankets and knits lose their shape on hangers; and open the wardrobe now and then, because moths do not like light or being disturbed. Lavender and cedar help keep them away, but they do not kill eggs or larvae. They are a complement, not a solution.

In the end, looking after wool is more about doing less than doing more. To choose well before you get to this stage, there is our guide Portuguese wool: breeds, burel, Ecolã and how to choose and the one on Portuguese blankets. And for the wardrobe, the Lavender Pouch by A Oficina, in linen with Guimarães embroidery, does the job with more grace than mothballs.

Frequently asked questions

How do you wash a wool blanket without shrinking it?

Wash it by hand in cold water with a wool soap, with no friction and no wringing, and rinse at the same temperature. Then leave it to dry lying flat.

Can I machine-wash a wool blanket?

Only if the label allows it, on a cold wool programme. Thick blankets, burel and handloom pieces should be washed by hand or at a laundry that specialises in wool.

How do you dry wool?

Horizontally, on a towel or a flat rack, out of direct sun and away from heat sources. Hung up wet, wool stretches.

How should I store wool clothes to avoid moths?

Store them clean, dry and folded, in cotton bags or boxes, and air the wardrobe from time to time.

Does lavender keep moths away?

It helps, as cedar does, but it does not get rid of eggs or larvae. So it does not replace storing wool clean.

How often should you wash a wool blanket?

Rarely. In most cases airing and brushing is enough; washing is for stains or smells that will not go.