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Never dry woollen clothes directly. Let them drain first, then lay them out to dry. Drying woollen clothes directly can cause them to lose their shape
Place all your woollen clothes, including sweaters and jackets, in the sun for at least a day. (News18 Gujarati)
Winter is here, which means it’s time to take out your warm clothes, blankets, and eventually, quilts out of the storage. Woollen clothes tend to develop an odour after being packed away, especially in a bed box, for months. If there’s moisture in the air, mould can also grow on them. Even if you’ve had your quilts and pillows dry-cleaned, you may not want to wash them directly. So, here are some tips to make your winter clothes bacteria-free and odour-free before you use them.
How to Remove Odour From Woollen Clothes?
First of all, don’t try to clean everything at once. Sorting and cleaning all the woollen clothes, quilts, and blankets in one go will make the house look messy and raise your stress levels. Instead, work on each family member’s warm clothing and blankets one day at a time and clean them using the steps mentioned below.
The first step is to place all your woollen clothes, including sweaters and jackets, in the sun for at least a day. After they’ve been sun-dried, press them with a thin cotton cloth. If you have a steam press, you can use that too. If you’d like, lightly spray the clothes with a fabric refresher before ironing. This will not only add fragrance but also eliminate the musty smell that comes from clothes being stored away for a long time.
If any of your woollen clothes have developed a slight fungal smell, soak them in cold water mixed with a woollen washing liquid for a while. After soaking, rinse them two–three times with cold, clean water. Never dry woollen clothes directly. Let them drain first, then lay them out to dry.
Drying woollen clothes directly can cause them to lose their shape. Once dried, iron them lightly.
Easy Way to Dry Clean Quilts and Blankets at Home
Now, let’s talk about thicker items like quilts and blankets. Traditional Indian quilts don’t need to be washed. Simply wash the quilt cover like other woollen clothes. Quilts do, however, need to be placed in the sun. After that, if you’d like, you can spread a thin sheet over the quilt and press it. The heat will help clean the top layer.
For soft blankets that have mould or that you want to wash before use, start by wiping off the fungus with a dry cloth. Prepare a mixture of very cold water and woollen detergent in a large tub. Soak the blanket or quilt cover in it for about half an hour. Gently rub the fabric, then wash it with cold water.
Let it drain for a while in the bathroom or in the same area where you washed it. Once most of the water is drained from the woollen cloth, dry it in the sun. After drying, spread the blanket on the bed, cover it with a thin cotton sheet, and iron gently. You can also spray your favourite perfume for a fresh fragrance, and your woollen clothes will be dry-cleaned at home.