How to care for wool products?

In the following lines, you will learn how to care for wool products, especially how to wash wool blankets, throws, rugs, and other wool products so that they do not get damaged and last as long as possible. Wool is a very durable material, but there are a few basic rules to keep in mind. They are not complicated, and if you follow them, your woolen treasures will bring you joy for decades and, in the case of our hand-woven rugs, even your children and grandchildren.

How to care for wool blankets, throws, rugs, and other wool products in your home?

Wool blankets or throws generally do not need to be washed very often. Wool fiber has excellent self-cleaning properties, thanks to which wool products retain their excellent quality for a long time. A proven method of keeping a wool blanket looking like new for as long as possible is to air it frequently and hang it in direct sunlight. This revives the wool and the sun's rays act as a preventive measure against moths and other pests.

In frosty weather, it is recommended to spread blankets and other woolen bedding, carpets, kilims, etc. on a layer of snow for several hours on both sides. The snow will remove all dirt and dust from the blanket, refresh the fibers, and, together with the frost, act as a protection against moths. Ventilation, sun exposure, and freezing are very effective and the simplest and least laborious methods of keeping woolen products clean, beautiful, protected from pests, and maintaining the proper function of the wool fiber. We can therefore recommend them with a clear conscience as a very suitable way of caring for all our woolen products!

How to protect wool from moths?

If you do not use wool blankets or bedding and have them stored in a closet, we recommend placing a pillow with dried lavender flowers or a pillow with a few drops of lavender essential oil inside the folded wool product. You can use one of ours, for example, which contains nothing but 100% oil from real lavender - Lavandula angustifolia. Lavender repels moths and acts as a completely natural protection for woolen products, while also giving them a beautiful scent. We recommend applying this protection to all stored woolen products - even merino T-shirts and sweaters that you don't use for part of the year. Even so, stored woolen products should be checked and aired out from time to time, dried in the sun or frozen (see above).

How to wash wool blankets and throws?

All our blankets can be washed at home without having to take them to the dry cleaner. All you need is a washing machine with a wool wash cycle. It should have an automatic preset washing temperature that does not exceed 25 degrees, or 30 degrees in extreme cases. If your washing machine does not have a wool wash program, select the delicate wash setting and set the lowest possible temperature, no higher than 30 degrees, but ideally lower. Do not set the pre-wash, soak or spin cycles. Do not use regular detergents or fabric softeners, as these may damage the wool. Use a wool detergent containing lanolin.Lanolin is a sheep fat that is naturally present in wool. Detergent with lanolin ensures that the wool fibers are thoroughly cleaned and properly cared for, and that the washing itself does not have a negative effect. In addition, our lanolin gel complements the natural scent of wool with the fresh scent of Balkan mountain herbs.

After washing, never dry woolen products in a tumble dryer - they may shrink. First, remove the woolen fabrics from the washing machine and let all the water drain out - we recommend placing them folded on a dryer and waiting until all the water has drained out. Only when the woolen product is damp, not completely wet, can you hang it up to dry completely. If you rush to hang it up, your blanket may stretch under the weight of the wet material and lose its shape.

How to wash woolen products by hand?

If you are unsure whether your washing machine can wash wool, or if the woolen item—such as a rug—simply does not fit in the washing machine, you can wash it by hand. Fill a sink or bathtub with lukewarm to cold water, add a lanolin-based detergent and immerse the woolen fabric. Leave to soak for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Then drain the old water, fill with clean water and repeat the process, stirring gently, until the wool is completely clean. All blankets, bedspreads, rugs, runners and woolen clothing can be washed in this way.

How to care for wool carpets?

We offer several types of carpets. The simplest but also very effective method is the airing, sunning, and freezing method described above. Wool carpets, whether they are smooth woven rugs or kilims, or high-pile or chalište carpets, can be cleaned and cared for very well using these most natural methods of wool care. It will take very little effort on your part. All carpets in our range can also be vacuumed.

Smaller and less bulky carpets can be washed in the washing machine just like blankets. If you follow the instructions, you don't have to worry about damaging your rug in the washing machine. We recommend putting high-pile rugs in a laundry bag before washing to prevent loose fibers from getting caught in the washing machine drum. We do not recommend washing our hand-woven kilims in the washing machine due to their high value. Carpets that do not fit in the washing machine can be washed by hand as described above.

If your rug only needs to be cleaned in a specific area, we recommend soaking the stain with cold water, rubbing it with natural soap, such as Aleppo soap, leaving it to work for a while, and then rinsing it again with cold water.

If you are still concerned that you will not be able to clean your rug yourself, please contact a dry cleaner. For our hand-woven kilims and Persian rugs, we can arrange for gentle hand washing with natural soaps by our partner, who specializes in cleaning hand-woven kilims and Persian rugs. If you would like to take advantage of this service, please write to us at info@balkanova.eco.

How to wash woolen clothing - merino sweaters and shirts, wool and cashmere scarves, or wool socks?

Clothing made of wool and merino wool can be safely washed in the washing machine on a wool cycle in the same way as described for blankets.Therefore, only use a product containing lanolin,not regular products. Do not use any fabric softener. If you do not have a wool program, wash on a gentle cycle at the lowest possible temperature, ideally around 25 degrees. Do not wrinkle or tumble dry woolen products. First, allow the water to drain and then hang as described above. If you are unsure about your washing machine, you can also wash our woolen clothing and accessories by hand.

How to wash cotton towels and bath towels?

You can wash these products as you would wash regular cotton clothing. Select the cotton program and a maximum temperature of 40 degrees. Our cotton products can also be tumble dried.

We hope we have helped you find your way around our wool products and convinced you that it is not difficult. If any of your questions are not answered in this article, please write to us at info@balkanova.eco.