Merino wool care…
Equipment
I pretty much wash in cold water and line dry. Do you guys do anything different?
I generally turn mine inside out and make sure nothing with velcro is in the same load. I've had several mishaps with hats and gloves sticking to the wool. Wash on delicate cycle and either line dry or dry on low heat.
I just washed a pair with ice cold water inside my waders if that counts?
I think the instructions on some of my merino from Icebreaker says to use warm water?
I usually wash and line dry. A lot of my stuff gets dried on accident. But to be fair, I wear a lot of merino. All my everyday undershirts are merino from Icebreaker and a couple from Kuiu. Most of my everyday socks are darn tough or smartwool merino, and I have several REI merino long sleeved quarter zips, and several Icebreaker merino polo shirts. I'm a merino fan boy to be honest and wear it quite a little bit every day. Then some of my hunting stuff like long underwear and quarter zips are merino as well.
Most of the stuff does ok if dried on accident every now and again. Might shrink a little, but usually not too catastrophically.
Wash on delicate, dry on low heat, per directions
Gentle hand massage and then shake it dry and let it hang. Don’t take chances with shrinkage.
Wash in cold, hang on the pull-up bar in front of a fan.
Cold delicate cycle. I don't have a pull up bar so I drape it over the whisky bar instead.
Cold water wash on delicates with a "free and clear" laundry detergent. Lay out on a towel to dry on the floor.
I use a non-scented detergent year round. It doesn't cost any more. Besides, I can't stand the smell of laundry detergents or softeners.
A good friend who pretty much lives in wool clothing 8 months of the year swears by Woolite. I wash in cold and dry on low, remove from the dryer when it’s still a little damp then hang to dry. I’m going to begin washing in Woolite based on his advice and do everything else the same.
Bou'Bound, that's good advice for middle school boys...
"I just washed a pair with ice cold water inside my waders if that counts?"
Almost sounds like a Bill Dance moment duck hunting or flyfishing ??
Live2hunt,we're your feet at least still warm?
Wash in the machine; I often use hot water, but sometimes warm or cold if it goes in with something that isn't dirty. Sweat-soaked or soiled stuff always gets hot for me. Throw over a chair, the bed, or the kids' furniture to dry usually. I would say my stuff is no worse for wear from the wash cycles, but I have some stuff that is pretty heavily worn now from use.
I generally was cold using Atsko Sport Wash. using a fast spin cycle gets the bulk of the water out and then I drape over a drying rack.
"we're your feet at least still warm?" Yes they were. These were breathable waders with the neoprene booty on the bottom so they would not fill like old waders would. So, yes, the initial inlet of water was cold, but they stayed warm. Uncomfortable but, was not going to stop steelhead fishing because of it.
I wash it and hang to dry, love merino. If it doesn't stink or is visibly dirty I don't wash it. Unless its post moose hunt and I've been wearing it for 2 weeks
I’m a horrible person, I’ll admit I do none of the above “proper” washing and drying techniques. I throw it all in the washer with some magic Tide pods, then throw it in the dryer and puts “normal” and start. Never been a real big issue for me personally.
—Jim
" I throw it all in the washer with some magic Tide pods, then throw it in the dryer and puts “normal” and start".
That's me as well, Jim.
Probly why all mine look like Swiss Cheese...
Unscented Eucalan wool wash every once in a while to soften mine, non scented detergent in the machine and line dry or machine dry most of the time.
I use the free and clear type detergent on gentle….then air dry.
One step I think is key, I stretch the clothing out of the washer……tugging on sleeves and the body to bring it back to original size.
Otherwise I end up with sleeves and body too short.
"Wash in cold, hang on the pull-up bar in front of a fan."
Midwest, please be more specific-- you have so many fans... which one? Brotsky? Z? T? So many to choose from!!!
Thanks! Never owned any wool clothes, other than what needed dry cleaned. I ‘preciate it.
Bou… you’re a fn asshole! But, I’m sure you already know that.
Rinse and hang on line outside. I wear alot of wool, being in the UP. A nice go out sweater, sure my wife uses Woollite, has for many years Hunting stuff, never cleaned during season, except hang on line, as it rains. If stuff gets real dirty, I put in 7 gallon bucket, some wool lite, and hand wash using toilet plunger, air dry out side. I have stuff that has lasted years. My hunting clothes don't see a washing machine. Dry clean after season, and hang outside, and pack away.
I just throw it in the washer on warm wash and laundry soap. Goes in the dryer on the warm setting. Done 45 minutes later. Never had a problem washing Merino this way.
I thought cold water CAUSED shrinkage???
“I'm a merino fan boy to be honest and wear it quite a little bit every day.”
Absolutely. I normally wash in cold and air dry or tumble on low.
But I have exceptions to the rule. Some of my most versatile pieces are ones which I bought a size too large and deliberately shrank to fit me better and to increase the heft of the piece.
You guys should try it. I’ll be happy to provide a home for anything that gets shrunk too much… Merino generally won’t shrink, but I have had some luck forcing the issue….
What do you mean increase heft of the piece
I read a few years ago that one of the "wool clothing makers" said that cold was just as bad as hot. He recommended Luke warm(tepid) water. My washer rinses only cold no matter what the setting, so I hand wash and can control temp.
Heft = thicker & warmer and more windproof, like boiled wool
Machine wash cold , hang dry
I wear quite a lot of merino, almost all Ice Breaker.
I take it off and throw it on the bedroom floor when it starts to get funky. It shows back up, clean and folded, in my dresser drawer. Never given much thought to how that happens, I just accept that it will.
