# Cleaning a wool blanket **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521 "2007-12-18T23:32:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/1 "2007-12-18T23:32:03Z")
Specifically, a Pendleton wool bedspread. What are my viable options other than drycleaning? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/2 "2007-12-18T23:35:15Z")
Wash it alone then line dry. I’ve got [one of these](http://www.big-cedar.com/!userfiles/store/bcl_shop_bedspread_rockart_f_lg.jpg) navajo wool blankets that I wash in a gentle cycle by itself and then I line dry it, though this time of year that would be done in the Laundry room and not in the 20 degrees outside here in CT. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/3 "2007-12-18T23:43:35Z")
[Here’s mine.](http://www.pendleton-usa.com/jump.jsp?itemID=477&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=joseph) Do you use detergent? I also have one from Pendleton’s limited design series that has a 3 x 4"-ish leather patch at the corner. Any idea how well that would wash? ETA: You can see the patch in the [lower right corner.](http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-52231520114112_1978_7340431) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/4 "2007-12-18T23:45:47Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] Wash it alone then line dry. [/QUOTE] I agree. I wash my blankets using a wool-wash detergent and then put them on the clothes line. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/5 "2007-12-18T23:47:00Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] [Here’s mine.](http://www.pendleton-usa.com/jump.jsp?itemID=477&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=joseph) Do you use detergent? I also have one from Pendleton’s limited design series that has a 3 x 4"-ish leather patch at the corner. Any idea how well that would wash? [/QUOTE] I use All Free & Clear, no dyes, hypoallergenic etc…etc.. and I use gentle 20 minute quick cycle. Then line dry. I’d be careful with it and personally I’d bring it to a trusted dry cleaner those are great blankets, mine is easily 20 years old. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/6 "2007-12-18T23:47:28Z")
If you wash it in cold water with Woolite or [Eucalan](http://www.eucalan.com/) (Woolite’s less expensive, I think) on gentle cycle and line dry it, it should be okay. I’m not sure what your best bet is for the one with the patch. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/7 "2007-12-18T23:58:00Z")
The leather should be fine, they didn’t skimp on the leather quality on these blankets. It’ll dry, but that patch will probably be the last thing _to_ dry. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/8 "2007-12-19T03:22:09Z")
There’s a special dry-sheet like product that lightly cleans and removes any bad scent from an item by placing it in the dryer at low heat. I hand wash most wool and hang to dry, but that dryer-sheet thing worked great on a sportcoat with some smoke stench. ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/9 "2007-12-19T03:36:31Z")
I dry clean mine; I figure with what those blankets cost, I’m not going to take any chances with it in the washer and I’ll stick with what the manufacturer recommends. (I have the Yavapai in blue; it’s gorgeous) I am probably being overcautious, but I have nowhere to line dry mine, and it’s a queen size, besides. If I were going to do it in the washer, I wouldn’t chance it in anything but a front loader on delicate/handwash only. If you only have a top loader, I wouldn’t try. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/10 "2007-12-19T06:55:50Z")
I do a lot of knitting with wool, cashmere and other fine fibers, so I’m familiar with how wool takes to washing. Wash it on the gentle cycle in cold and line dry, or lay flat. The less agitation, the better, or it could “felt.” You could even wash it in the bathtub (to reduce agitation) and put it in the spin cycle to get rid of excess water, then hang or lay to dry. You should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2007, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-a-wool-blanket/430521/11 "2007-12-19T07:26:37Z")
> [@](#): > > **How do I clean my Pendleton wool blanket?** > > Dry cleaning best maintains blanket size, hand and appearance. We have tested our wool blankets using different care methods. **When washed, the blankets experienced significant shrinkage, even with the mildest care methods.** With a gentle cold wash and dry flat care method, blankets lost 3-6" in length after one washing. And the shrinkage could increase with successive launderings. Also, if enough felting and shrinkage occurs, the fabric becomes stiff and dense, changing the soft hand and smooth appearance of the blanket. Source: [World-Class Wool Clothing, Blankets & Decor | Pendleton](http://www.pendleton-usa.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=203#4)