How To Wash Wool Blankets at Home

Can Wool Blankets be Washed and Dried?

Yes, you can safely wash wool blankets at home. It takes care and proper handling of the blanket during the washing process. Depending on the care label instructions, you can wash your wool blanket either by hand washing or in a washing machine if your machine has a delicate or hand wash cycle option. 

Do not use harsh chemicals or cleaners on the wool. You must properly care for the wool as it is a natural fiber that is susceptible to shrinkage and felting with improper washing and drying. You will need a detergent that is made specifically for use on wool. You should opt to air dry your blanket after washing since heat can harm the wool fibers. Most of the maintenance of your wool blankets can be done on your own. That being said, in the case of heavy soiling or odors, you may need to take the blanket to a dry cleaning professional that has experience cleaning wool. 

Wool blankets can stand the test of time if we do our part in maintaining them. They can be passed down in families from generation to generation and are a staple of warmth and comfort. 

Wool is an incredibly resilient fiber and can even keep you warm when it is wet, making it a must-have for military personnel out in the field. But how do we wash wool? Isn’t it challenging to do without a professional? It turns out that we can wash our wool blankets at home no matter if they are a family heirloom, army-issued rugged type, or grandma’s treasured handmade crocheted afghan.  

Other blanket materials need to be washed on a regular basis. However, wool blankets don’t need to be cleaned nearly as often. You should only be washing your wool blanket about twice per year. If it is time to give your blanket a wash, we have you covered. 

How To Wash Wool Blankets

You’ll Need:

• Laundry detergent made for wool 
• Washing machine with a delicate/gentle cycle or tub for hand washing 
• Clean, soft cloth  (optional for spot cleaning)
• White vinegar (optional for spot cleaning)
• Soft garment brush
• Drying area that can support the weight of the wet blanket such as a clothesline or shower rod

1. Consult care instructions label

The very first thing to do is to look at the manufacturer’s recommendations for washing your wool blanket. You can find this information on the blanket’s label. If your blanket is handmade and does not have care instructions, we will have general washing instructions below. 

The concern with wool is that water, heat, and agitation can cause damage to the blanket, so we must take these things into consideration while washing. 

2. Shake out loose debris outdoors

Take your wool blanket outside and shake it out well. Depending on the size and weight of the blanket, you may need more than one person to accomplish this task. The shake out will get rid of the dirt residing in the wool fibers.  

3. Inspect and brush the wool 

Lay the blanket out flat and use a soft garment brush to lightly brush over the wool. Be sure to brush in the natural direction of the wool fibers. This will help to remove any surface dirt and refresh the wool. While you are brushing, take note of any stains that will require treatment.  

4. Spot clean stains

Most of the time, a little warm water on a cloth will take care of any stains. If you find you have a tougher stain, you can use a bit of vinegar to blot up the stain. Don’t scrub or rub the wool. Gently blot with a soft cloth in a dabbing motion until the stain is gone. 

5. Optional pre-soak

If your wool blanket could use some extra TLC, you can do a pre-soak for 10-15 in your machine, a tub, or a laundry sink with a little detergent. No need to rinse. Just drain and transfer to your washing machine (or start the cycle if soaking in the machine). Note: front-loading washing machine users may have to do this step anyway since most don’t have a soak option. 

6. Set washer water temperature to cold

Most wool blankets are best washed in cold water to protect the integrity of the wool.  

7. Add a small amount of your wool-safe laundry detergent

If you did the pre-soak option with detergent, be careful not to add too much more to the wash cycle. Less is more here. 

8. Use a delicate/gentle/hand wash cycle washer setting

The agitation of the wash cycle should be minimal. The name of the cycle settings will differ depending on the model of washing machine.  

9. Stop the machine after just a few minutes of agitation

The less agitation, the better. Too much agitation with the water in the machine can cause the wool to felt. Stopping the machine after just a few minutes will reduce the risk of damage. 

10. Do a rinse cycle and spin

Rinse on cold. If your washer has the ability to control the speed of the spin cycle, set the speed as low as possible. 

11. Hang to air dry

Do not put your wool blanket in the dryer. Hang the blanket over a clothesline or shower rod. If you hang your blanket to dry outdoors, make sure that it is not in the direct sun as the sunlight can “sun-bleach” your wool’s colors. 

Using HE Front Loading Washing Machines

Washing your wool blanket in a front-loading high-efficiency washer is different from a top-loader, and there may not be as much cycle and setting adjustability. Water level, temperature, agitation speeds can be very different. Stopping a front-loading machine mid-cycle is the hardest part, and you may have to get a little creative with it. 

Here’s what Samsung says about stopping the machine mid-cycle. While instructions for other brands and models may be similar, you may still need to google your machine brand and model to be sure. If at all in doubt, call the manufacturer of your washer, and they will be able to help. 

Be aware that some front-loading washing machines won’t have the adjustability you will need to properly wash your wool blanket. If you find that this is the case for you, the other option is to follow the hand washing instructions below. 

Here are my basic instructions for how to wash a wool blanket in a front loading washing machine. You may need to modify these directions for your specific machine. Note: these instructions are only for the machine part of the process, and steps 1-5 should still be done.

1. First, you will need to find out if your machine can be stopped mid-cycle and reset or forwarded to the rinse and spin cycle. Most can, but there are always exceptions.

2. If your washer can be stopped mid-cycle, you will pause or stop the cycle after 2-3 minutes of agitation and reset the cycle to the rinse and spin cycle.
3. If you have a spin speed control as I do, set it on low to be as gentle to the wool as possible. 

How To Hand Wash a Wool Blanket

Due to washing machine restrictions, manufacturer instructions, or personal preference, you may decide that hand washing your wool blanket is the way to go. I would recommend hand washing any handmade or crocheted wool blankets. The wools in handmade items are often handcrafted and dyed, so you will want to be sure to protect the integrity of those special and unique wools. 

The hand washing process follows all the same preparation steps 1-5 as the machine instructions. See above for more detailed instructions on these steps.

1. Consult care instructions label 

2. Shake out loose debris outdoors

3. Inspect and brush the wool

4. Spot clean stains

5. Optional pre-soak

6. Fill your washing tub

Fill your bathtub or large washing tub with cold water. 

7. Add a small amount of wool-safe laundry detergent

You do not want suds! Add a very small amount of wool-safe detergent to the tub and gently mix it into the water. If you find you’ve added too much detergent, don’t risk it and start over. If you’ve done a pre-soak, you may not need any more detergent at this point. 

8. Place your wool blanket in the tub of water

Submerge your blanket and agitate it around gently in the water with your hands for a few minutes. If you did the pre-soak method from step 5 you just need to agitate.

9. Rinse and remove excess water from the blanket

Discard the washing water by draining or dumping your tub and rinse your blanket thoroughly with cold water. You may want to fill your tub again with clean water or use the shower sprayer to make the job easier.

Don’t wring out the blanket since doing so can damage the wool. Instead, gently roll the blanket to squeeze out the remaining water. 

10. Hang your blanket to air dry

Do not put your wool blanket in the dryer. Hang the blanket over a clothesline or shower rod. If you hang your blanket to dry outdoors, make sure that it is out of the sun as the sunlight can “sun-bleach” your wool’s colors. 

Caring for a Wool Blanket is Easy 

That’s it. That’s how to wash wool blankets. It’s easy to do, but will take some time and care to do it right. Just follow the rules and don’t use heat on the wool at any point in the process so as to avoid shrinkage of the wool fibers. Also, don’t over agitate the wool while it is wet. Always remember that heat, water, and agitation can cause felting and can possibly ruin your beautiful wool blanket. On the other hand, with proper care, your wool blanket will last for many many wonderful years.