How Do You Hand Wash A 100% Merino Wool Sweater Or Other Merino Knit Garment?
Merino wool feels great, but hand-washing it can be tricky. Follow these instructions to clean and restore your favorite merino sweater. (If you’re washing a merino-wool blend or “superwash” marked merino garment, see the article under that name.) Here’s how to hand-wash a merino-wool garment without shrinking (felting) it. The key to not shrinking your merino wool sweater is to minimize agitating the wool and keep water temperature consistent. Agitating the wool and changing the water temp will shrink your sweater. Please listen to me on this – I have a trail of Barbie-doll sized sweaters to show for my previous mistakes. First, you’re going to make a pattern that will ensure that you can reblock your sweater after washing to maintain its original shape. Place your sweater on an old terrycloth towel and, using permanent marker, draw its outline. You’ll use this towel to reblock your sweater. If you don’t have an old window screen (see below) you can also use the towel as a surface for
