this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2025
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As part of the holiday unKAOS I want to wash all my blankets. Am gonna enlist some outside line time from a mate. Cotton ones are fine but how do I wash those old woolen ones? You know the ones with the various check patterns that no-one ever buys but everyone has? Tips?
Short gentle cycle with cold or warm water - NOT hot. Most machines have a 'wool/delicates' setting. Use woolwash liquid as it's formulated a bit differently and rinses out very well. Add 1 teaspoon of eucalyptus oil to the rinse water. Spin well at slow or medium speed. Line dry by pinning across two parallel washing lines - peg every 30-40 cm across the top & bottom edges to keep them straight with the bulk of each blanket making a trough between. All that is best done on a hot day with a brisk northerly wind. Do not under any circumstances put the blankets in a tumble or spin dryer, or they will emerge half the size they were before. Which is great if you want to make dog blankets but not very useful for bedclothes for people. Nearly forgot - clean your lint filter between each load as it will collect truly vast quantities of lint from washing blankets.
Awesome. Thanks..yes I am gonna wait for a 35 degree day.
The higher the fire danger rating, the more suitable for blanket washing.
Mine are an especially unattractive pinkish brown and puke green ๐น
That's the one! Haha
With woolwash on a cold gentle cycle. If you don't have woolwash use liquid washing detergent and if you don't have that dissolve some powder into some water before adding.
Usually you would wash woollens in cold water so they don't shrink but warm water for blankets should be fine if you prefer.
Wait for a nice warm day to hang them out.
Awesome that's what I was thinking. Will take them to the laundromat and use one of the bigger machines too.
In that case definitely use cold water.
Second this.
I don't recommend you put the blankets in the washing machine, they will be too heavy for the machine when wet.
if they really do need a wash take to the dry cleaners.
I usually wouldn't wash them unless they have some sort of wet grot like cat sick on them. Just hang them on the line and beat the shit out of them with a broom or suchlike. If wet wash is needed make sure it's cold and gentle. Stomping on them in a bathtub is a better idea than a machine. Hot water and too much agitation will get you lumpy felt.