It’s getting to that time of year when my knitted sweaters are almost being packed away, and washing them in this wool wash is a great way to clean them, and also keep them free of moths.
Growing up in Australia one of the things that I learnt was how to make a great wool wash using a few simple ingredients. Along with being a great budget alternative to shop-bought washes what I really like about it is that it is also a natural moth deterrent.
DIY wool wash
You will need:
-
4 cups of pure soap flakes (or grate some soap if you cant find flakes)
-
1 cup of methylated spirits (or rubbing alcohol)
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50ml of eucalyptus oil (or lavender. Both of these essential oils repel insects)
Step 1
Mix the methylated spirits (or rubbing alcohol) with the soap flakes.
Step 2
Add the eucalyptus oil (or lavender) and stir.
Step 3
Store the wool wash in a wide necked jar.
To clean your knits using this wool wash, use one tablespoon of mixture per garment. Dissolve in a small quantity of hot water and then pour into a basin of lukewarm wash water. Soak garment.
There’s no need to rinse (but I do, the sweaters still smell lovely and fresh). Squeeze and roll in towel to remove excess water. Dry flat and out of direct sunlight.
