The socks go in the regular laundry since they're tougher, but I have shirts now too. I've been handwashing them with delicates soap, and drip drying. It would be nice if they could go in the washer, but they seem a little fragile for that. What do you do?

In the washer on a wool wash. I've been doing this for many years with different brands and thicknesses of merino and none has suffered.

I have a front-loading washer and dryer. All merino (socks, shirts, baselayer bottoms) goes on delicate cycle with mild liquid detergent as part of a full load of other delicates, then dries on delicate (low) setting. My baselayers are ~150 wt 100% merino. Has always worked great for me--no shrinking or other damage. I've also handwashed and drip-dried these pieces while traveling, with no noticeable difference.

Edited by DavidDrake on 06/30/2011 11:08:53 MDT.

I throw them all in (shirts, socks) to my front loader on ultra delicate (sometimes I do warm/warm, because that's what the tag says, but I don't see any differnce with cold/cold) with a dye free detergent. then I lay them flat to dry... just like the directions say i think.

You mean all all-wool load, wool-specific detergent, delicates cycle, or some combination of those? Do you drip dry or use the dryer?

I've been using a specific wool wash (revivex wool wash concentrate), washing in a top loading washer, like normal laundry, and drying them on a dry rack. Heat is the bane of wool...avoid at all costs. Plus it's cheaper to drip dry

If I have access to a more gentle front loading washer, i'll use that

Try to avoid using normal detergents...I've read that it breaks down the protein in wool, thus removing a lot of wools beneficial properties. I recently picked up a huge bottle of atsko sports wash which is very cheap, and is marketed as being safe for outdoor synthetics and wools. I haven't tried it yet, but many testify to its awesomeness.

If you're really worried about damage to your wool clothing, I suggest putting them in mesh ditty bags and washing them in that. You can find these bags in the laundry section of many stores, and they are meant for delicate clothes etc.

Edited by Konrad1013 on 06/30/2011 11:05:26 MDT.

I have a top loader. Would that make a difference as far as how gentle the gentle cycle is?

I already do a lot of my drying on a rack, yeah. Right now I'm using a "silk and wool" soap from the grocery store (they didn't have regular woolite). I don't think it's meant for machine loads, though.

Honestly, I've never bothered to put it on a gentle cycle, and have always washed my 140 wt base layers on the normal agitation level, and so far so good. The only time I've washed my wool using mesh ditty bags and a gentler cycle is when i'm washing non-outdoor related wool...like my wool sweater for work.


Dude, despite that woolite has "wool" in it's name, avoid it. That stuff is way too harsh for wool. Its ironic and somewhat decieving but its the truth. I use wool wash for dark jeans and thats about it.

Edited by Konrad1013 on 06/30/2011 11:08:57 MDT.

I'll probably pick up some of these. Thanks for the suggestion. I might be being overcautious, but I really can't afford to replace them. Given my finances it probably would have been smarter not to have bought them at all! But since I did, and since they're awesome, I need to make them last.

Ibex indie and smartwool microweight both in in the regular laundry with all my other camping clothes, using regular detergent. I use them too often to bother babying them. Hang to dry. No visible damage.

Thanks for the dirty on woolite. I didn't know it was so bad. I'll probably use up the rest of the handwashing soap so it's not hanging around, then switch to machine wash as suggested.

I bounce back and forth between synthetics and wool. I always prefer wool, but sometimes I go with polyester/nylon because I know it's somewhat of a task to wash the wool after I get home from a trip.

Generally speaking, if you want to keep any of your outdoor clothing in tip top shape, use the right type of cleaning agent. Avoid the majority of stuff at the supermarket. Most detergents leave behind residue so it'll clog up and gunk up the material, resulting in less breathability, less wicking properties, less water repellency etc. So again, avoid woolite. Some use simple soap flakes, to avoid all the extra stuff that comes with detergent. A lot of other people buy nikwax brand stuff, but its way too expensive for what it is. Hence, I tried to go with the revivex concentrate which gives me more loads per bottle. I'm hoping that atsko sportswash will be my do-it-all cleaner because its so cheap, and readily available (via amazon)

Edited by Konrad1013 on 06/30/2011 11:18:35 MDT.

Cold water wash, normal laundry detergent (in my case, 7th Generation Free and Clear). I don't have a delicate cycle on my top-loading machine. I usually have at most 1-2 wool items besides socks, so they go in with my other wash. If the wash load isn't stuff requiring a short cycle, I put the wool items in after most of the wash cycle is done. I generally do a second rinse. I always hang to dry. I hang my synthetic base layers to dry, too--I don't want them in the dryer with fabric softener sheets, which lessens their wicking ability.

Most merino wool outdoor clothing these days are designed to be machine washed. I have one item that does say "hand wash" and I did that the first couple of washings. However, I inadvertently put it in the machine and discovered no ill effects. It's not a piece I wear very often, and it's a bit big for me anyway, so shrinkage is a good thing. It's best, though, to follow the care tag on the specific garment.

Edited by hikinggranny on 06/30/2011 11:44:28 MDT.

After my idiot brother threw all my laundry, including half my merino shirts, into the dryer on medium heat, I've just been washing them normal with all my other non whites laundry. If you use cold water, nothing is going to bleed. Then I throw everything in the dryer on low heat. Been working fine for years. Oh yeah, I buy all my wool shirts a size or two too large now (depending on how snugly it's intended to fit). They do shrink, but only the first time.

I didn't see it mentioned, but the tags, iirc, on my Ibex cycling gear specifically mentions using a dry/powder detergent like Ivory Snow. It's a bit harder to find, but my wife manages (she does all the shopping). I wash it using as little detergent as I can, and lay flat to dry.

My favorite thing about wool is its total immunity to body odor. It's great if I have to wear my riding clothes more than one time between washes (ie. putting the same jersey back on for the ride home after work...). My synthetic stuff stinks after a short 30min commute. I also seem to recall Ibex suggesting you not wash your wool every time you wear it...but that's up to you...

BM

It goes along with the rest of the family delicates, cold water, regular detergent, low/delicate dry cycle.

No problems.

We only air dry/block for fashionable sweaters, etc.

Mine still stink, although it takes longer for them to do so than it does for cotton or underarmour baselayers. I rotate and air out the stinky ones for a few days before I re-wear. That seems to take care of it. I try to re-wear at least twice between washings.

I use Nikwax wool wash on a delicate cycle and do not use the dryer.

All washed with socks and synthetics in my front loader, delicate cycle, with Atsko Sport Wash. Socks are dried on medium in the dryer, everything else air dried flat