| Laundering Blankets, Woolen Information |
Check that wools can be washed and dried, some labels may specify dry cleaning. Measure a woolen blanket before washing. It should be blocked or stretched to original size after laundering.
Pretreat spots and stains. If the binding is heavily soiled, brush it prior to laundering with a liquid detergent or a paste made of detergent granules or soap and water. Or use a prewash soil and stain remover. Wash only one large blanket at a time.
Fill the washer with warm or cold water depending on the degree of soil, and a cold water rinse. Add detergent or soap. Agitate briefly to dissolve the product completely. Stop the washer; add the blanket. Distribute it loosely and evenly around the agitator. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the amount of soil. Start the washer and advance the control until agitation stops and wash water has been pumped out of the tub. After about 1 minutes spin, slowly advance the timer to the deep rinse cycle. Allow washer to finish the wash cycle automatically.
Dry a woolen blanket on the high temperature setting. To absorb moisture and dry a blanket more quickly, place 3 or 4 dry towels in dryer. Preheat towels for 3 to 5 minutes. This helps absorb moisture, dry blankets rapidly and avoid pilling caused by long tumbling. Place the blanket in the dryer with the warm towels. Set dryer control for about 20 minutes. Check the blanket after 10 minutes. Remove wile still slightly damp to avoid shrinkage.
Place blanket on flat surface or over two lines to finish drying. Stretch it to its original shape. When the blanket is completely dry, brush gently to raise nap. Press binding with a cool iron, if needed.
This article was written by Anne Field, Extension Specialist, Emeritus with references from the Soap and Detergent Association.
MSU 2003
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