Laundering Blankets, Woolen
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.