by B. Leslie Baird

Created on: February 20, 2011   Last Updated: February 28, 2011

Hand washing wool sweaters or any delicate clothing items can offer a significant savings over professional dry cleaning. The actual washing process is not difficult and the only time consuming part of the job is drying the sweater. Before beginning to wash a wool sweater check it first for any decorative items that could be damaged by water and remove them if possible.

When washing items by hand either wash only one item at a time or group smaller items by color if the sink or wash basin is big enough. Begin by filling the sink or basin about halfway with cool or cold water and a liquid hand washing detergent. Cool or cold water is best to prevent color fading. Powder detergents are also available but they do not always dissolve well and can leave soapy remnants. In a pinch a mild liquid dish soap can also be used but make sure that it does not contain any bleach.

Place the sweater in the sink and gently knead it so that it becomes thoroughly wet and the soap suds are evenly distributed. At this point the sweater can be left to soak for the amount of time recommended by the detergent manufacturer, usually from two to ten minutes. It is not necessary to agitate the solution during the soaking process. When the soaking interval is finished, knead the sweater again several times, and drain the soap solution from the basin.

If the sweater was heavily soiled a second wash bath may be needed. If not, rinse the sweater thoroughly in cold water, kneading slightly while rinsing, until the water runs clear of any soap. Gently squeeze out excess water but do not wring or twist the sweater. The sweater is now ready for the drying process. If a drying rack is available place the sweater flat on top of the rack and gently stretch any areas that appear to be out of shape. Placing the sweater on a dry towel and changing the towel when it becomes wet can help speed up the drying process.

Another drying choice for wool sweaters is placing the sweater flat on a thick absorbent towel and rolling the towel up into a tube shape. This process should be repeated with a dry towel once the original towel is soaked through. Do not place the wool sweater in a direct source of heat or outside in direct sun. An oscillating fan can also be used to speed up the process if needed.

Some items should not be washed even by hand in cold water. Suede and leather items will become damaged. If a sweater or other garment has ribbons or other embellishments that might be damaged consider dry cleaning the items instead.

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