Cleaning Merino Wool

I wear merino tops pretty much 365 days / year. Smartwool, Ibex, and Icebreaker. They just get washed with regular detergent (Tide). Never had a problem with shrinking or anything else. The only negative to merino wool is that you’ll never want to wear anything else.

Ivory Snow flakes detergent is excellent for wool.

Dan Goldenberg

I use good old Seventh Generation laundry detergent,handwash cycle,cold wash,hang to dry. Still looks great.

“hang to dry”.

i lay mine flat. i was under the, perhaps unwarranted assumption, that hanging might cause the garment to loose its shape due to the weight of the water.

please educate me: you haven’t found this to be true with your garments when “hanging” them?

Sorry! I use a clothes drying wood rack.I lay it over the top of it,part of it does hang over.

I hang my wool garments. I do however try to use a coat hanger (generally wood ones) that are wide with the ends forming a gentle curve where they are inserted in the shoulders of the garment otherwise they leave a “bump” on the shoulders.

I think the advice to lay wool garments flat probably applies to thick wool garments like sweaters that do soak up quite a bit of water and are heavy after hand washing. But with the garments of most interest to this group, ie thin base layers like smartwool/icebreaker etc I’d say you are generally fine hanging them, especially after going through the spin cycle of your washing machine.

A bit off topic folks – I’m looking for something I could use for wool that I would have in the pack for other cleaning (ie: baking soda=toothpaste+soap+food ingredient)Point being not to carry a single function soap just for that occasional use. For instance, would Pack Soap, or Dr.Bronner’s(yuch)qualify if watered down?…

i use a similar rack, so air circulates on all sides of the garments/socks.

I have merino wool stuff and “plan” on using my dr. bronners inside a ziploc baggie. If in town, or otherwise–I’ll probably use regular detergent on gently cycle

I’ve used Dr Bronner’s (yes, very watered down) to wash numerous synthetic articles. Never had any issue with residue or anything else, even smell.

Wayne,I use Tom’s of Main natural moisturizing body wash(unscented). Dr. Bonners I dont care for. I wash everything with this in the back woods when needed. It rinses out very nicely,gentle to skin,cuts most of the dirt. My clothes and body have not protested so far. I have very!!! sensitive skin. And I always go far from water source to clean up.I think anything that is a gentle for the skin could be used on your wool garments, thats my findings so far.

Liquid Castile soap. You can get it at a tack (equestrian equipment) store. Extra mild you can use it for every thing.

VGA