Material file · Clothes
Wool and cashmere: what it can take
Covers wool, merino and cashmere sweaters, cardigans and coats. A wool sweater can be wetted, but gently: dab, swish and press, never wring or scrub.
- Water
- Gently
- Max temperature
- 30 °C (86 °F)
- Rubbing
- Never
- Stain files
- 27
01 What it is
A wool sweater is made of keratin, the same protein as hair, so it reacts to alkalis, oxidisers and protein-digesting enzymes the way hair does.
It is delicate: short contact times and gentle handling matter as much as the product.
Wool felts when heat, moisture and agitation combine, and felting is permanent.
02 House rules
- A wool sweater can be wetted, but gently: dab, swish and press, never wring or scrub.
- No rubbing at all; every step is a press-and-lift.
- Soak only if the garment and fabric-specific detergent labels permit it, using their dilution and contact time. Ordinary enzyme detergent and alkaline oxygen-bleach powder are not substitutes for a wool- or silk-compatible wash.
- Water stays at or below 30 °C (86 °F) the whole way through.
03 Field notes
- Wool is keratin, the same protein as hair, so enzyme detergents that digest protein stains also digest wool.
- Wool fibres have overlapping scales; heat plus rubbing locks them together, which is felting, and it cannot be undone.
- Wool resists stains naturally: its outer layer repels liquid for a few seconds, so blotting fast pays off more than on cotton.
04 Every cleaner, rated
| Cleaner | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Acetone | Test first | Wool and silk tolerate acetone, but dyes may not; test first. |
| Baking soda | Test first | Mildly alkaline; rinse it out of wool completely. |
| Citrus adhesive remover | Test first | Test first and wash out the oil promptly. |
| Cornstarch | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Dish soap | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Lemon juice | Test first | Wool tolerates mild acid, but the sun-bleaching effect can lighten dyes; rinse well. |
| Oxalic acid cleanser | Test first | Diluted rust remover is used on wool, but test and rinse thoroughly. |
| Rubbing alcohol | Test first | Usually fine on wool, but test dyes first. |
| White vinegar | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Borax | Avoid | Alkaline soaks harm wool and silk. |
| Enzyme cleaner | Avoid | Protein-digesting enzymes can attack wool and silk; only use a product specifically labelled wool-safe. |
| Hydrogen peroxide 3% | Avoid | Professional peroxide spotting is not a universal home method for wool or silk. Use a product explicitly approved for the garment or consult a specialist. |
| Steam cleaner | Avoid | Heat and moisture can shrink and brown wool. |
| WD-40 | Avoid | Oil in wool or silk is hard to shift without a dry cleaner. |
| Chlorine bleach | Never | Chlorine bleach dissolves wool and silk; it can eat holes in them. |
| Bio detergent | Never | Protease enzymes digest protein, and wool, cashmere and silk are protein. Use an enzyme-free wool wash. |
| Hot water | Never | Heat plus agitation shrinks and felts wool and cashmere, and weakens silk. |
| Household ammonia | Never | Alkalis damage wool and silk; ammonia yellows and weakens them. |
| Magic eraser | Never | It destroys delicate fibres. |
| Oxygen bleach | Never | Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so. |
05 Stains on wool sweater
| Stain | Difficulty | Never |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | Specialist | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Scorch marks | Specialist | Rubbing |
| Sweat and yellow underarm stains | Specialist | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Turmeric and curry | Specialist | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Ballpoint ink | Tough | Hairspray, Rubbing |
| Berries | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Bar soap |
| Coffee | Tough | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Grease and cooking oil | Tough | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Lily pollen | Tough | Your bare hand, Water first |
| Lipstick | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Rubbing |
| Mascara and eyeliner | Tough | Rubbing, Hot water |
| Red wine | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Salad dressing | Tough | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Soy sauce | Tough | Bio detergent, Oxygen bleach |
| Tomato sauce and ketchup | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Blood | Stubborn | Bio detergent, Hot water |
| Butter | Stubborn | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Candle wax | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Cola and soda | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Foundation and concealer | Stubborn | Rubbing, Hot water |
| Gravy | Stubborn | Bio detergent, Hot water |
| Hair and body oil | Stubborn | The dryer, Rubbing |
| Matcha | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Perfume | Stubborn | The dryer, Ironing |
| Tea | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Bronzer, blush and eyeshadow | Manageable | Water first, Rubbing |
| Deodorant marks | Manageable | The dryer, Chlorine bleach |
06 The most common mistakes on wool sweater
Counted across all 27 stain files for wool sweater:
- The dryer before it is gone (23 files). Dryer heat locks in whatever is left. Air-dry and check first.
- Hot water (17 files). Heat helps tannins bond to the fibres, and any milk or other protein in it cooks on.
- Rubbing or scrubbing (17 files). It spreads the stain and grinds it deeper; blot instead.
- Oxygen bleach (OxiClean-type powder) (13 files). Alkaline peroxide damages wool, cashmere and silk; the packs say so.
- Enzyme ("bio") detergent (6 files). Protease enzymes digest protein, and wool is protein. Use an enzyme-free wool wash.
- Bar soap or soap flakes (5 files). True soap is alkaline, and alkalis set tannin stains such as wine, coffee, tea and fruit.
07 What the wool sweater files use most
These are the products the 27 stain files for wool sweater rely on most. Enzyme-free wool wash leads because surfactants have a water-loving end and an oil-loving end.
08 When to call a professional
Coats, tailoring, felted wool and any dry-clean-only label.
Specialist-rated stains on wool sweater: chocolate, scorch marks, sweat stains and turmeric.