Wool is such a beautiful natural fabric with many benefits, but it can be incredibly itchy to wear. Yes, it’s eco-friendly, kind to your skin and incredibly warm, but newer wool in particular can be scratchy and irritating until it softens up a little with wear. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to speed up the process with a few household tricks.
How to make wool softer with vinegar and water
Whether your wool has come from a knitting kit from a specialist provider such as woolcouturecompany.com or you’re using a new pure woollen throw, this simple technique will help to make the yarn soft.
Steps to take
Take a bucket of cold water and add two tablespoons of basic white vinegar, making sure the bucket is large enough to completely submerge the woollen item (alternatively you can use your sink or bath.) It’s important that the water is cold so that the item doesn’t shrink. Turn the piece inside out and then plunge it into the cold water so that the fibres become saturated with water and vinegar.
Soak the item for around 15 minutes, giving the vinegar time to work its magic to soften the piece. Avoid stretching or scrubbing the wool fabric though, or it can stretch. After 15 minutes, rinse the item off with clean cold water, and pat out the excess. Dry flat.
The good news is that this is also a good way to revive your woollen item if it is older and has started to smell dirty or musty, as vinegar is a gentle cleaner.
This simple technique will help you to soften and revive woollen items whenever you need it, without needing to use harsh chemicals. It’s quick, easy and highly effective, and you probably already have vinegar in your kitchen!
