How to Care for Wool Blankets and Throws

Why Wool Rewards a Little Care

Wool is one of the most forgiving fibres in the home, but it does not respond well to the habits we have learned from cotton and synthetics. Hot water, harsh detergent and a tumble dryer will shrink, felt or dull a wool blanket surprisingly quickly. Treat it with a bit of patience, though, and it will last for decades, often getting softer and more beautiful with age.

The reassuring part is that wool is naturally self-cleaning to a degree. It resists odour, shrugs off light soiling and holds its shape well. What it mostly wants is fresh air rather than water. Most of the advice below is about doing less, not more.

Airing Is Your Best Habit

Give your blanket an airing once a month, or after a few weeks of daily use. Choose a dry, breezy day and hang it in the shade for an hour or two. Avoid damp weather, and avoid strong direct sunlight, which can yellow pale wool and weaken the fibres over time.

Drape it over a clothes airer or across two washing lines rather than a single line, so its own weight does not pull it out of shape. Shake it well before and after airing to release dust. If a throw smells fusty, fresh air usually solves the problem without any washing at all.

Between airings, a soft bristle brush run gently along the nap lifts dust, crumbs and pet hair. You can also vacuum on the lowest suction setting using an upholstery brush, holding the fabric flat with your free hand. Rotate throws around the house so one is not taking all the wear, and deal with small marks straight away rather than letting them settle in.

Spot-Cleaning Spills and Marks

Acting quickly makes the difference between a mark that lifts out and one that lingers.

• Blot, never rub. Press a clean white cloth or paper towel onto the spill. Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the fibre and roughens the surface.
• Use cool water only. Warm or hot water can set protein-based stains and encourages the fibres to felt together.
• Choose a pH-neutral wool detergent diluted in cool water, and apply it with a cloth or sponge. Work from the outer edge of the stain inwards so you do not spread a ring.
• Rinse by sponging with clean cool water, pressing rather than scrubbing, then blot dry with a towel and leave the area to dry flat.
• Skip the home remedies. Bicarbonate, vinegar and washing-up liquid can all leave residue or strip the natural lanolin. If a mark will not shift with cool water and wool detergent, a specialist dry cleaner is the safer route.

Hand Washing: Only When It Truly Needs It

A wool blanket seldom needs a full wash — twice a year is plenty for most households, and less if it is aired regularly.

Fill a basin or bath with cool water below 30°C and add a capful of wool or delicates detergent. Never use biological washing powder, and never add fabric conditioner, which coats the fibres and reduces the natural loft and softness that make wool so lovely to curl up under.

Submerge the blanket and press it gently through the water, then leave it to soak for about ten minutes. Squeeze softly with flat hands. Do not wring, twist, scrub or leave it sitting for hours. Rinse in water of the same temperature, because a sudden change can shock the fibres and cause shrinking. When lifting the blanket, support its full weight with both arms — wet wool is heavy and stretches easily.

Drying, Reshaping and Pilling

Never tumble dry wool. Roll the blanket in a clean towel and press down to remove excess water, then lay it flat on a dry towel or mesh airer and reshape it to its original dimensions while still damp. Keep it away from radiators, hot air and direct sun, in a well-ventilated room. Turn it after a day; a thick blanket can take 24 to 48 hours to dry completely.

Small bobbles, known as pilling, are a normal part of wool's life. Remove them with a wool comb or a fine-toothed brush, working in one direction, rather than pulling them off with your fingers.

Storing Wool Between Seasons

Always store wool clean. Moths are drawn to food crumbs and skin oils rather than the fibre itself, so a wash or a thorough airing before storage matters.

• Fold, do not hang. Hanging stretches the shoulders and distorts the weave over time.
• Use a breathable cotton bag or pillowcase. Plastic traps moisture and encourages mildew.
• Add cedar blocks or lavender sachets to deter moths, and refresh them each season.
• Choose a cool, dry, dark spot and check your blankets every few months. Small holes, a gritty deposit or pale casings are signs of moths — air the blanket outdoors, brush it, then clean it before returning it to storage.

Looked after this way, a good wool blanket becomes one of those quietly dependable things in a home, softening year after year and worth every bit of the small effort.