Soft, fuzzy blankets are the best to snuggle up in, on a cold evening. Wool blankets on the other hand are among the most durable and desirable of all bedding. But cleaning them is a task. Here are a few tips that should help you take care of stains on them.

• Brush your wool blankets with a soft-bristle brush. Most wool blankets, whether heavily soiled or just a little dingy, will benefit from brushing. Lay the blanket flat on the floor. Brush down the long axis of it. This will ensure that the fibres of the wool are all lying in the same direction, which gives a great deal of structural strength and cuts down on the abrasiveness found in many wool blankets.
•  Clean liquid stains immediately.  Since wool is extremely dense, once stains set in, they’re almost impossible to remove. Use warm water and mild detergent to clean stains as soon as possible. Don’t scrub the fabric. Instead, soak the area of the spill in warm water and detergent and blot with a soft cloth.
•  Wash heavily soiled wool blankets by placing them in the washer with cold water and a wool-safe detergent. Place blankets in the washing machine and allow them to soak for 15 minutes in the detergent-and-water mixture. Set the washer to the gentle cycle and let it run for two minutes. Stop the cycle, cancel it and then manually switch the washer to the rinse cycle. Allow the rinse cycle to complete.
•  Hang your wool blankets up to dry. Hang them outside but keep them out of direct sunlight as it can fade the delicate colours in wool, and it may cause wool to dry too quickly, making it very coarse. Avoid putting your wool blankets in the dryer, as this can crush the delicate wool fibres, destroying the softness of well-worn blankets.
•  Store them properly. Store your wool blankets in a dark, cool place. Heat and direct light can easily fade even the highest quality wool bedding. So it’s essential that you don’t leave your wool blankets out on the bed when they’re not in use.

These are couple of tips you need to bear in mind for better maintenance of your woolen blankets. To know how to clean other varieties of blankets await our next blog.