We have always said, that if you take care of your Woolerina’s they will love you back and you will have them for many years to come!
As we move into the warmer months you may be thinking about packing your woollens away and, as many of you know (and probably because you have learnt the hard way), that little vermin like to feast on our favourite woolly pieces; this often happens over the Summer when they are packed away. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good time to share our top tips for caring for our woollens to hopefully avoid any nasty surprises when you pull them back out next Winter.
1. WASH
Washing your woollens before storing them is a very important first step! All Woolerina clothing is machine washable; wash on a gentle cycle at, or below, 40'C using a wool approved detergent. We recommend our all-natural wool wash, it has a beautiful Eucalypt smell which helps to keep any nasty critters at bay.
2. STAINS
For any stains or marks we love using Bon-Savvy stain sticks! These stain removal sticks are used for pre-wash stain removal treatment, spot treating stains and as a travel laundry soap.
The sticks are scented with a natural blend of Lavender and Australian Lemon Myrtle. If you are unsure how to treat a stain you can read our top tips for removing stains from your favourite woollens here.
2. DRY
We recommend you hang or lay your garments flat to dry and in the shade. Do not tumble dry your Woolerina garments.
3. IRON
Use a steam iron on the wool setting (medium heat), lay the garment flat and lay a damp cotton cloth over the garment - this is important as an iron which is too hot will lead to discolouration, melted threads or worst case, may leave a scorch mark.
4. FOLD
Knitted garments should always be stored flat in a folded manner, rather than on a hanger (hanging can lead to the garment stretching out of shape and the formation of bumps on the shoulders, where the hanger sits).
5. CALICO STORAGE BAG
Each Woolerina garment comes packaged in a calico storage bag which has been especially designed for storing your garment in - calico was chosen as it is a non-protein based fibre, meaning that moths and other nasty critters are not attracted to the woollens wrapped inside! The calico also allows for air flow around the garment, enabling it to breathe. Simply place your folded Woolerina into its calico bag before storing it.
6. MOTH DETERRENT
Your woollen garments should ALWAYS be stored with a moth deterrent! We recommend something natural such as fresh bay leaves or whole black peppercorns or, one of our Bug Busters. Our Bug Busters are a herbal anti-moth protector with a lovely scent, designed to keep your precious woollens smelling nice and to help protect them from any nasty critters. One thing to note with these, Bug Busters should never be placed directly on your garment but between the calico bag layers. One Bug Buster is enough for use in a medium sized drawer/chest. Should you wish to use naphthalene, always place the flakes or 'tablets' in the top of the storage area as the chemical gas they emit is heavier than air.
7. STORING
Before placing your folded woollens into your chest or drawer, ensure it is clean by giving it a good wipe out with a damp cloth. Layer your woollens and moth deterrent and hopefully they will be safe and ready for wearing next Winter!
And our final tip if moths are a particular problem in your area, you can also pop your woollies into a sealed zip-lock bag and pop them in the freezer for a couple of weeks before storing as per our regular recommendations. This process helps to kill-off any eggs which may be lurking on your garments and prevent them from hatching!
I hope these tips help to avoid any little critters destroying your favourite wool garments, ensuring they will be ready when you need them for next Winter.
Happy caring!
Pippa xx
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