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Posted: 2024-08-08 23:56:54

Do you have a woollen jumper you've been giving a precautionary whiff before throwing back on again? 

It's often tempting, and even advised, to outsource cleaning to the local dry cleaner.

It can help you dodge the risk of shrinking your jumper, but it can also be expensive.

Senior textile conservator at Artlab Australia, Kristin Phillips, says woollen jumpers will "last indefinitely" if you look after them.

"You just have to be careful," she says.

How to wash your wool 

Use wool-specific detergent

Most garments have a care label that you can refer to for specific instructions, as well as information about the fabric's composition. 

When it comes to wool, Ms Phillips says "anything that's valuable or you care about significantly, hand-wash".

She recommends a good quality wool wash and lukewarm water.

"Other detergents that we use are highly alkaline, and that will cause a lot of damage to your wool," she says, while wool wash has a "neutral PH".

A woman wearing a colourful cardigan sitting at a desk with colourful jumpers laid out.

Kristin Phillips says she has 40-year-old wool knits that will last for years to come with care.(Supplied: Kristin Phillips)

Nga Wun (Doris) Li, a fashion and textiles researcher at the University of Technology Sydney, also recommends handwashing woollen jumpers before turning to the washing machine.

"I soak [the item] for around 10 to 15 minutes [in water that's about 30 degrees] and then gently swish the jumper around in the water for two to three minutes."

Machine wash

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