To ensure that you can enjoy the beautiful pieces you sew from our fabrics for as long as possible, we have compiled the best care tips for you.
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It is advisable to pre-wash the fabric before sewing – using the same washing instructions as you intend to use it later. Fabrics can shrink differently depending on the washing machine, so pre-washing prevents the finished garment from coming out misshapen.
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In principle, the wool wash program (cold or 30 degrees) in modern washing machines is gentler than hand washing! (In winter, it's best to use only the cold wool wash program.)
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It is best if the washing machine is not filled too full, so that there is enough space in the drum.
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It should be washed with a wool detergent. We have found Sonett wool detergent to be effective, and it's also available from us: https://danischpur.de/collections/wollpflege-1
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Pay particular attention to color matching during the first wash, as individual colors can bleed. It's especially important not to leave wet laundry in the washing machine drum for too long or to soak it in the sink – this is when colors are most likely to bleed. Therefore, remove it from the drum and hang it up immediately.
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Heavily used wool clothing feels drier and therefore sometimes a bit scratchier. A wool conditioner can help here: https://danischpur.de/collections/wollpflege-1 - Many people also add the wool conditioner to the fabric softener compartment with every wash to care for their wool clothing.
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To make boiled wool more resistant to rain and wind, it can also be treated with a wool conditioner (a wool conditioner is sufficient here; excessive lanolizing is unnecessary – too much lanolizing can make the boiled wool sticky and attract dirt. Therefore, do not lanolize a boiled wool coat like a cloth diaper, but only treat it with a wool conditioner).
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Wool should never be dried on a radiator! The best way to dry it is to briefly pull the fabric into shape and then lay it flat. It can also be dried flat on a towel.
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Wool can withstand high temperatures if it isn't agitated too much. It can even be dyed using conventional methods and heated to high temperatures – but be sure to avoid agitating the wool too much. For sterilization, for example after a gastrointestinal infection or hospital stay, it can be boiled in a large pot without much stirring or agitation. To do this, place the garment in lukewarm water and then slowly heat it until it boils. Do NOT remove it from the hot water afterward, but leave it to cool down slowly in the water before removing it. Please note that this method can cause the colors to bleed, so only put similar colors in the same pot and avoid using striped wool!
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Bad odors (even urine and sweat!) can usually be removed from wool fabrics by airing them out – to do this, hang the garments overnight in the fresh, humid air on the balcony, protected from the elements. Hanging them in the bathroom also works well. The moisture carries the odor particles out of the fabric.
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Coarse dirt such as mud or similar can be left to dry and then brushed out. (Never brush while wet, as this will push the dirt into the fabric.) The Wonder Brush (https://danischpur.de/products/wunderburste%C2%AE) is recommended for brushing. It can also be used to remove pilling from wool fabrics. Therefore, the brush is suitable for all types of wool.
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Many stains can be removed by sunlight. These include tomato stains, carrot stains, and stool stains, especially breast milk stools. This method works best if the fabric is hung wet in direct sunlight. In summer, a single day is usually enough for the stains to fade. This method also works in winter, as there is still sufficient UV radiation. In winter or on hazy days, it may be necessary to hang the fabric in weak (winter) sunlight for several days.
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For grease stains, dish soap has proven effective. Simply apply regular dish soap directly to the stain, work it into a lather, and rinse. It's best to test this on a scrap of fabric first, as some types of dish soap can leave stains, which is obviously not the desired result.
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Chocolate ice cream stains can be rinsed out with warm milk or sparkling water.
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We've read, but haven't tried it ourselves, that you can remove oil stains with hairspray. Alternatively, you can try ironing. To do this, place a very wet towel underneath and iron over the stain. Repeat several times until the stain is gone.
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Strawberry stains can sometimes be rinsed out with warm milk. It's also possible to pour boiling water over the stain – the important thing is that the garment must not be rubbed under any circumstances, otherwise the wool will felt! If you simply leave it to cool, the wool can withstand boiling water. Then wait a while until the garment has cooled down.
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Always rinse bloodstains with cold water, otherwise the protein will denature and the stains will harden so that you can no longer remove them!
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Sonett stain remover spray helps against fruit stains, ballpoint pen ink, and more: https://danischpur.de/products/fleckenspray-von-sonett
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For heavily soiled garments, we recommend pre-treating them with hand-washing before putting them in the washing machine. However, we explicitly advise against prolonged soaking. Prolonged exposure to moisture can cause color to bleed. Therefore, soak only with solid-colored garments of the same color.
- Fabrics can fray when washed without seams. Finishing the raw edges before washing is usually unnecessary if the fabric is folded so that the raw edges are on the inside – like folding it into a package. Since wool washes don't spin very hard, experience has shown that this precaution is sufficient to prevent fraying. If you sew, then sew or finish the raw edges on the inside to prevent fraying over time.
Please always test new things on a scrap piece first!