With the arrival of the warmer weather many of you will be popping your Woolerina's away until next Winter. We thought it was a good time to share with you some tips on washing and storing your Woolerina's so that you find them just as you left them when the cool snap suddenly dawns on us again!
Many of us know (and probably because we've learnt the hard way) that little vermin like to feast on our favourite woolly clothes...and they aren't silly, your super fine merino clothes are often the tastiest!
1. Washing
Always give your Woolerina clothing a good wash before storing them away for the Summer. Woolerina's are machine washable 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 tea tree + lemon myrtle scent which helps to keep any nasty critters at bay when your woollies are in storage. Being a concentrate, you only need a tiny bit in each wash, so a 500ml bottle will keep you going for many washes!
2. Drying
Do not tumble dry your Woolerina garments, simply lay them flat across a clothes horse over a towel. If you do wish to hang your Woolerina's to dry, we recommend pegging them on the line at the armpit of the garment.
3. Ironing
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 or, worst case, may leave a scorch mark.
4. Storing
Knitted garments should 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).
This year we introduced a calico storage bag. Many of our Woolerina's are now packaged in a calico bag and we recommend you hold onto this bag for storing your Woolerina's. Calico was selected as it is a non-protein based fibre, meaning that moths and other nasty critters are not attracted to it as a food source and therefore are not attracted to the woollens wrapped inside! The calico also allows for air flow around the garment enabling it the breathe.
Our calico storage bags are also available to purchase here
Finally, we recommend you store you Woolerina's with a natural moth deterrent such as fresh bay leaves or whole black peppercorns (yes, the ones from the supermarket!). Patchouli is another great deterrent - you can impregnate some oil on a cloth or cedar ball and then place this amongst your clothes. These products are completely safe to you and your garments. 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.
If moths are a particular problem in your area, you can also pop your woollies in a bag and pop them in the freezer prior to storing them! This will kill off any eggs/larvae which may remain in the fabric after washing.
Happy washing and storing your woollies! If you have any questions do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Pippa xx
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