Article
How to care for wool clothing
Published 15/5/2026
Wool is a soft material that insulates well and is naturally stain and odour resistant. Properly cared for, wool clothing stays warm and lasts for years to come. It is important to wash wool clothing correctly so that the garment does not shrink or felt. The care instructions given here work for all wool clothing.
Storage
- Store wool clothing lightly folded on a shelf or in a storage box.
- Avoid hanging heavy wool clothing on a hanger or coat rack. Wool clothing may stretch out of shape if you store it hanging up.
- When your woollens are not in use, clean them and store them lightly folded in plastic boxes in a wardrobe to protect them from moths and similar pests.
Stain removal
- Remove stains as soon as possible. It is not necessary to wash the whole garment because of a small stain.
- A dry stain can be gently scraped to remove any dry residue. If the stain is still wet, try patting it with a paper towel or cloth to soak up any liquid.
- Apply liquid wool detergent or bile soap directly on the stain. Do not rub the garment.
- Rinse the stain with lukewarm water.
Washing
- Wash wool clothing by hand or machine wash on a wool setting or a delicate cycle. Follow the instructions on the garment label and the specified washing temperature.
- Use a special wool detergent. The use of fabric softener is not recommended.
- Do not put wool clothing in a tumble dryer, because the garments will shrink and felt.
- If you wash by hand, squeeze gently. Do not soak, rub or wring the garments. Dry the garment by gently rolling it into a terry towel after the final rinse.
- Shape the garment to its original size. Dry it flat on a towel.
Other care instructions
- Wool clothing can be refreshed by hanging it out to air. Clothes can be aired all year round, as long as they are sheltered from rain and direct sunlight.
- You can also try steaming your clothes to refresh them. Steam the clothing with your steam iron or a steamer on a wool setting at a distance of about 2–5 cm from the surface of the garment.
- Use a soft clothes brush to remove dust, dirt and pilling from the surface of the garment. You can also use a wool comb to remove pilling.
These instructions have been compiled in collaboration with Marttaliitto.