Why You Should Allow Professionals to Clean Your Wool Sweaters

Once a staple in everyone’s wardrobes, sweaters made from pure wool are less common today. Perhaps that is why those who have wool sweaters are not clear on the best ways to clean them. Cameo by Copeland Cleaners has attended to the wardrobes of New Yorkers for generations. We strongly advise that to dry clean a wool sweater is the only process that will both clean and extend the wearing life of your garment.

At the onset, we have to caution sweater owners to never, repeat never put their wool sweaters in a machine machine, even on the gentle cycle. Wool, we want to remind you, is a natural, organic product, that is spun from the shorn fleece of sheep. The yarn must retain its natural oils for the sweater to keep both its shape and color. A washing machine’s agitation cycle will not only stretch the yarn to its breaking point, but also strip the oils from the fibers which cannot be replaced. Some folks are still not convinced that the best way to maintain their garment’s shape is to dry clean a wool sweater and they opt to hand wash the item in cold water instead. Here’s what’s wrong with that process.

There is a household name product that many use to wash their woolen garments. It even has “wool” in its name. It may be great for washing socks, and lingerie, but never to hand wash a wool sweater. To begin, as soon as water and wool yarns meet, the fibers become saturated and stretch. At this point, the yarns can break. Also, even if the water temperature is cold, wool fibers begin to shrink. Yet another issue is that hand washing and removing the soap by twisting the garment and then soaking yet again in cool water, colors can run, and the fibers can be roughed up, causing tiny balls of wool, called pills.

Once soap and water have been removed, the garment cannot be put in a clothes dryer, even on the “fluff” setting. Many who wash their wool sweaters by hand dry them by laying them on a flat surface between two towels. It can take days for a sweater to dry, and the results are far from optimal. For sweaters washed by hand, there remains a tedious and time-consuming process called “blocking”. That involves carefully stretching the shrunken sweater back to a semblance of its original shape. It is time-consuming, and seldom entirely successful

Instead, bring your handknits, cashmere, and bulky ski sweaters to Cameo by Copeland Cleaners. Our experts know the best processes to use to dry clean a wool sweater so that it not only retains its shape but looks as fresh and bright as the day you purchased it.

Cameo by Copeland Cleaners is not only renowned for our dry cleaning, alterations and tailoring, and more, but our customer service is legendary. We value our clients’ time. If dropping by with your garments is not convenient, contact us to arrange pickup and free delivery. For over 80 years we have been building a loyal client base, one garment at a time. Learn more about the extensive services we offer- call today!