Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, accidents happen, liquids get spilt, stains happen. All of our next-to-skin garments are machine washable, but if you have a really stubborn stain, or want to remove a stain before washing, here are a few tips. Click here for our standard washing instructions.
Alcoholic Drinks
Dab gently with an absorbent cloth to remove as much excess liquid as soon as possible. Sponge the area sparingly with a mixture of warm water and surgical spirit in equal parts.
Black Coffee
Mix alcohol and white vinegar in equal parts, soak a cloth in the solution and lightly dab the stained area before pressing gently with an absorbent cloth.
Blood
Quickly dab a damp sponge on the mark to remove excess blood. Dab area very gently with undiluted vinegar followed by cold water. If the blood has dried and set then soak in cold water and then wash in warm water. First hand washing the affected area and then machine was as normal with a wool specific detergent. If the stain persists, then repeat, but do not dry first.
Butter/Oil/Grease/Sauces
If a greasy mark forms, first lightly scrape the surface of the stain with a spoon or knife to remove any excess oil. Then soak a cloth in proprietary dry cleaning fluid and gently dab the area.
Useful tip: Wool is natural hair, and some have found basic shampoo effective in removing oil and grease stains.
Chocolate/White Coffee/Tea
Dab gently around the edge of the stain with a cloth soaked in white spirit before following instructions for black coffee.
Egg/Milk
Dab gently with a cloth soaked in white spirit. Repeat the action with a cloth soaked in diluted white vinegar.
Fruit/Red Wine/Fruit Juice
Dab the stain quickly with a mixture of surgical spirit and water (3:1 ratio).
Grass Stains
Apply soap very carefully (using a mild tablet soap or flakes) or dab gently with a cloth soaked in surgical spirit.
Ink/Ballpoint Pen
Dab gently with a cloth soaked in white spirit. Repeat with a cloth soaked in white vinegar or surgical spirit.
Lipstick/Make-up/Shoe Polish
Rub gently with a cloth soaked in turpentine or spot cleaning spray or fluid. Rinse with mild soapy water.
Urine
Act as quickly as possible. Lightly blot the area with a dry sponge to absorb as much excess liquid as possible before applying undiluted vinegar. Then treat as for blood.
Wax
Carefully scrape off as much wax as possible from the garment with a spoon or blunt knife. Place blotting paper over the mark and iron gently on dot 2 setting.
Tip: Shake the garment. A lot of the odour particles will fall off.
Sunshine
Take the article of wool outside and pin it up to a clothesline in direct sunlight. Mould spores thrive off dark wet environments, so make sure that the location that you have selected receives plenty of UV rays and is clear of any sources of moisture. If any odour exists after the first day, you may need to hang it within direct sunlight for second or third day until completely deodorised.
White Vinegar
Fill your bathtub with six inches of water and proceed to pour a half gallon of vinegar within the tub. Submerge your woollen textile in the tub and work this household acid water into the fibre. Allow it to soak inside tub for an hour before removing the wool textile to naturally air dry outside.
Salt
Salt is a natural substance that works well in killing mildew. Before applying the salt, spray lemon juice over the source of the odour until the wool fibre becomes sufficiently moist. Finish by sprinkling liberal amounts of salt on the affected area and rubbing it into the wool.
Tea Tree Oil
Mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil with 6 ounces of water and pour inside a spray bottle. Hang woollen item outside and spray it down until it becomes sufficiently moist. The smell of the tea tree oil can be quite strong, however it will go away as soon as the wool dries.
Sources:
https://www.woolmark.com
