How to wash an afghan blanket

For afghans made out acrylic yarns you can usually wash in warm soapy water in the gentle cycle and dry gently in the dryer as well. For all cotton blankets or afghans, use the washing machine with cool water on the gentle cycle.

Common Crochet Yarn Fibers

Items made from unknown content should be hand-washed in cold water and dried flat. Superwash wool can be hand- or machine–washed on the gentle cycle in cold water. Cotton, linen, and ramie yarn can be washed in the washing machine on a gentle cycle using either cold or warm water.

“If they are smelly you should really soak them in a 5 gallon bucket, with 1/3 cup of Washing Soda (not baking) and Borax and about a tablespoon of dish soap. Let it soak for at least 2 hours then throw it in the wash on gentle, and ether tumble try or if you have a sunny day put it out in the sun to dry.” – Sarah C.

You can use a gentle cycle. Add some vinegar to the wash as well as your detergent. There is also the air it out with baking soda option. Get a paper bag that is large enough for the afghan if you can.

If I’m gifting an item that is wearable, or will touch the skin in any way, I always launder the item prior to gifting it. If it’s something that will be used in the process of washing (a dishcloth), or an item that will be used to display in the home (a coaster, basket, or wall art) I never wash before gifting.

Sunlight & Vinegar

Add equal parts white vinegar and room temperature water to a large bowl. Dunk your yarn until thoroughly dampened. Unravel your yarn and let it dry in the sunlight for 1-2 days.

Apply a solution of one part bleach to three parts water to the stain and allow the solution to sit for a few minutes, then launder the clothing as usual.

For at-home odor removal from non–washable fabrics, hang them outside on a breezy day. Or, place the perfumed garment in a large, sealable plastic tub or bag with an open box of baking soda. Let the garment remain sealed for several days as the baking soda absorbs the odors.

Soap is the best disinfectant. I wouldn’t use alcohol, it will strip the wool of lanolin. The acrylic will take almost anything. Use a few drops of a mild dish soap in some warm water and you should be fine.

As long as the yarn is washed and let to fully dry while in a hank (moldy or rotten yarn is no fun at all!), I see no reason that washing would cause harm. Just be sure you follow washing directions for the fibers in the yarn and that the yarn is fully super dry before you ball it up again.

Some knitters, especially those using knitting machines, prefer to use oiled yarn and wash the finished items afterwards or the yarn can be washed prior to use. Yarn can be stored oiled for several years without detriment. If the yarn is on cones or in balls it must be re-wound into skeins/hanks for washing.

1 – Spot Cleaning

Spot cleaning is the best way to freshen up the blanket without using any kind of water. All you need to do is use a bit of detergent and apply it closely on the spots where the stains are. Then, leave it be for a while and allow the detergent to loosen up the stains in the fabric.

Using a neutral, mild detergent, preferably one that is Woolmark recommended, should be your go-to when hand washing or machine washing wool clothing. Avoid using heavy-duty detergents, “bio” detergents containing enzymes, or any detergents containing bleaches.

Certain wool garments can safely be dried in a tumble dryer without the item shrinking. If your garment does not say Tumble Dry, it is best to flat dry your wool garment. You may also notice that your wool garment’s sew-in label says Machine Wash.

The General Rule for all pure wool blankets is to always wash in cold water and gently wring or roll. A hand wash or delicate wash cycle and low-action washer spin on modern appliances can produce a good result.

Lay the wool garment out to air dry.

Unroll the towel and take out the wool item. Lay out another clean towel, then place the wool garment on top of the clean towel to air dry. To speed up the process of drying, place a fan or dehumidifier in front of the drying wool.

Tips for Unshrinking a Shrunken Sweater

Next time you hand-wash your salvaged wool sweater, you’ll wash out the shampoo, conditioner, or softener used to unshrink the garment. Or, bring the sweater to a dry cleaner, and explain what you did and that there may be some soapy residue in the fibers.

Begin by soaking the wool in a bath of warm water and baby shampoo or hair conditioner, then take the wool out and gently stretch it manually to get it to its original dimensions. In less than twenty minutes your garment should be back to its normal size and look as good as new.

Allow the garment to dry in the air naturally. Always flat dry wool sweaters or other knitwear if possible. Line drying or drying on hangers can cause knitted garments to stretch due to the weight of the moisture contained by the garment, with the result that the garment grows in length and loses its shape.