A hand knit wool scarf is an attractive accessory, but the unique qualities of wool fibers call for some specific care when it comes to washing. Yarn made from animal fibers, like wool, will "felt", or mat together, if they run through the washing machine - the agitation of your washer plus the high heat from the wash water encourage the fibers in the yarn to tangle. The agitation also can stretch and pull your scarf out of shape. Fortunately, hand-washing your wool scarf is simple and inexpensive, and usually only takes a few minutes of effort.
Step 1 - Washing Your Scarf
Fill a wash basin, bucket, or your sink with warm water. Make sure the water is not too hot - you should be able to comfortably hold your hand in it for a few minutes. Add a capful or two of a laundry soap, such as Woolite, which is safe to use with fine fabrics. Gently swish your hand through the water to create suds.
Completely submerge your scarf in the sudsy water. Do not rub or scrub your scarf - this may encourage the fibers in the yarn to start felting together. You may very gently squeeze the scarf once or twice to make sure it is completely soaked. Once your scarf is completely submerged, let it soak for ten minutes.
Step 2 - Rinsing Your Scarf
After ten minutes, gather the entire scarf into your hands and carefully lift it out of the water. You may squeeze it gently to get rid of excess water, but do not squeeze too tightly or wring it out. Set it aside on a folded towel for now. Drain out the wash water, then refill the basin or sink with clean fresh water - again, make sure the water is warm, but not hot. Submerge your scarf in the rinse water, gently squeezing it and pressing it against the bottom of the basin. Do not wring or twist your scarf, and do not swish the scarf rapidly in the water.
After squeezing out the suds a few times, gather it up into your hands again, gently squeezing it again to get rid of excess water, and set it back on the folded towel. Drain or dump the rinse water.
Step 3 - Drying Your Scarf
To dry your scarf, spread out a large towel, such as a bath towel, on a large flat surface. Gently lay it down the center of the towel lengthwise - be careful not to pull or stretch it out of shape. Then, fold the left and right sides of the towel over your scarf, then roll up the towel from one end to the other. Press down hard on the rolled-up towel - this will gently squeeze out the excess water and the towel will soak it up. Unroll and unfold the towel, and gently remove the scarf. Set the towel aside to air-dry.
Lay out a second dry towel in a warm place; make sure it isn't directly in the sun, as sunlight could fade the colors in your scarf. Gently lay it onto the towel. Let air-dry on the second towel, flipping over your scarf halfway through if necessary.
