How to wash wool and silk safely

5 minuten read time

Wol en zijde wassen: zo doe je dat veilig

Author: Erika Candelario

A cashmere jumper or a silk blouse can felt, shrink or lose its shine faster than you think if it's washed the wrong way. Wool and silk are delicate fibres that need a different approach from cotton or synthetic fabrics. In this article you'll discover how to wash them correctly, and why the choice of wool detergent is at least as important as the right temperature.

Why do wool and silk need a different approach?

Cotton and synthetic fabrics can cope with friction and heat just fine, but wool and silk can't. Wool fibres have a scaly structure that hooks together under friction, causing the fabric to felt and shrink. Silk is made of fine protein fibres that weaken on contact with harsh cleaning agents or enzymes.

That's why a mild wool detergent without harsh enzymes is not a luxury for wool and silk, but a necessity. A special detergent for wool keeps the fibre structure intact, so your garment keeps its shape, shine and softness for longer. That spares you the disappointment of a shrunken jumper or a dull scarf.

What temperature should you wash wool and silk at?

Good to know

Delicates is a collective name for garments made from fragile fibres such as wool and silk. They need a gentler, more precise wash than your regular laundry, at a much lower temperature than cotton or synthetics can handle.

In wool, the natural lanolin in the fibre provides extra protection against dirt and moisture. That layer of grease gradually disappears through wear and washing, which is another reason not to wash too often or too harshly.

For cashmere, lambswool and angora, it's best to stick to 30 degrees. Most other types of wool can handle 40 degrees without damage. Silk is safest washed cold up to a maximum of 30 degrees, especially if the garment is brightly coloured.

Water that's too cold is, incidentally, just as risky as water that's too hot. Wool fibres react with a kind of shock to sudden temperature changes, which can still make them shrink. A steady temperature is therefore more important than washing as cold as possible.

How do you wash wool and silk correctly, step by step?

Good news: with the right steps, washing wool and silk is less complicated than it sounds.

  1. Turn inside out or use a laundry bag. This protects the fibres from friction with zips, hooks or other laundry.
  2. Choose the wool or hand-wash programme. This programme washes with minimal movement and a gradual change in temperature.
  3. Add a mild laundry strip or wool detergent. Follow the dosing instructions, because too much detergent is hard to rinse out and stays in the fibres.
  4. Avoid a high spin speed. Keep the spin speed as low as possible to prevent distortion and damage to the fibres.
  5. Dry flat on a towel. Choose a spot out of direct sunlight and away from a heat source.

For extra delicate pieces, hand washing is the better choice. Fill a basin with lukewarm water, dissolve the laundry strip or detergent well and carefully submerge the garment. Don't rub or wring, just move it gently in the water and then rinse calmly.

Why a laundry strip is better than regular detergent for wool and silk

Regular detergent often contains enzymes that break down proteins, which is exactly what wool and silk are made of. On cotton that works well against stains, but on your cashmere jumper or silk blouse it attacks the fibre itself.

What makes a good detergent for wool and silk?

  • Mild, without harsh enzymes or bleach: protects the fibre structure instead of breaking it down.
  • Easy to dose: handy for small loads or if you have little storage space.
  • Plastic-free and compact: fits in any drawer and is lighter on the environment than a heavy bottle.

The POWR laundry strips tick all these boxes: they're suitable for all temperatures from 15° to 95°C, also work for wool, silk and cashmere, and are dermatologically tested and approved. On top of that, you can dissolve them just as easily in a hand-washing basin as in the washing machine.

One strip, no mess. Handy, right? Find the laundry strips for wool and silk here

What are the most common mistakes when washing wool and silk?

Even with the best intentions, things quickly go wrong with delicates. These are the mistakes we see most often, and what to do instead.

  • Washing too hot. Stick to 30 to 40 degrees, never hotter, not even for an extra thorough wash.
  • Spinning too long or too fast. Choose the lowest possible spin speed or skip spinning altogether.
  • Rubbing or wringing. Gently pat the garment dry or simply let the water drain away.
  • Drying in the tumble dryer or in direct sunlight. Lay it flat to dry on a towel, somewhere out of the sun.
  • Using a detergent that's too harsh. Choose a mild wool detergent or laundry strip without harsh enzymes.

FAQ

Het beste wasmiddel voor wol is mild en zonder agressieve enzymen of bleekmiddel. Klassiek wasmiddel bevat vaak enzymen die eiwitten afbreken, en dat tast de wolvezel zelf aan. Kies daarom een speciaal wolwasmiddel of een wasstrip die ook voor wol en zijde geschikt is.
Was 100% wol op het wolwasprogramma van je machine, bij 30 tot 40 graden afhankelijk van de wolsoort. Hou het centrifugetoerental zo laag mogelijk en gebruik een mild wolwasmiddel of wasstrip. Laat het kledingstuk daarna liggend drogen op een handdoek, uit direct zonlicht.
Bij voorkeur niet. Wol en zijde verdragen wel dezelfde temperatuur en een zacht wasprogramma, maar tijdens het wassen kan zijde aan de wolvezels blijven kleven. Was ze daarom liever apart, zeker als het om kwetsbare of fel gekleurde stukken gaat.
Voor kasjmier, lamswol en angora hou je het bij 30 graden. De meeste andere wolsoorten kunnen tegen 40 graden. Zijde was je het veiligst koud tot maximaal 30 graden.
Ja, de POWR wasstrips zijn geschikt voor wol, zijde en kasjmier. Ze werken bij alle temperaturen van 15° tot 95°C en lossen even makkelijk op in een handwasteiltje als in de wasmachine. Zo hoef je geen apart wasmiddel in huis te halen voor je fijne was.

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