As one of the expensive types of wool, it’s necessary for you to know the four steps on how to wash cashmere blanket or any cashmere fabric.
After all, washing is the trickiest part of owning treasure items.
Cashmere is an abbreviation for cashmere wool which adopted its name from the species of goat.
The cashmere goat is the primary source of wool coming from its undercoat.
Since this coat protects the animal during winter, cashmere wool is usually used for sweaters and blankets.
Cashmere goats have started getting raised in the US but most of them are tended in the East.
These countries include China, Nepal, Mongolia, Myanmar and others.
Without randomly sacrificing animals for this fabric, these eastern countries have been producing cashmere for centuries.
Cashmere blankets are popular during all seasons of the year.
Though cashmere goats are usually producing brown, black and gray, it’s possible to dye this type of wool.
Before learning how to dye, let’s first talk about how you should clean it.
Basic Steps On How To Wash Cashmere Blanket
To make sure your blanket stays intact for a long time, you have to give extra care and attention to its usage.
Wool fabrics require elaborate washing procedures to be able to keep their shape.
Here are some steps you can try for your cashmere blanket.
Step #1. Thoroughly rinse the blanket
Since cashmere can be sensitive to dry cleaning substances, the safest route is hand washing.
To start up with this process, fill a tub, basin or sink with tap water. Fully submerge the blanket on it until all its parts are wet.
Step #2. Submerge and soak the cashmere blanket in soap
Take the blanket out of the rinsing water, and push most of the water out of it.
Meanwhile, mix some gentle liquid detergent with enough water on another basin.
You can also use shampoo for this part.
After which, transfer the blanket to the soapy water and swirl it to distribute the soap. Let it sit for about 5 minutes on the basin.
Then, squeeze and push on the blanket to remove any stains.
Step #3. Rinsing
Check first if there are any stains stuck on the blanket before taking it out of soap. Some stains on wool require specific treatment.
However, if there are no more stains, take the blanket to a bin and push the soaps and suds off.
Fill a large basin with tap water then rinse the blanket on it. Rinse the blanket on clean water until no more bubbles or suds surfaces.
Transfer it to your sink and press the water out of it.
Avoid wringing and twisting your blanket since this will damage the wool.
You can easily see this deformation where your blanket no longer retains its original shape.
The stretches made during wringing are quite hard to undo.
Step #4. Dry
Lay the blanket on a dry and flat surface for drying.
If you have a washing machine, you can place the blanket on a cloth bag then set it into a spin-dry cycle.
You can use an additional cloth to absorb the water from the blanket and assist in drying.
Does cashmere fabric shrink in a washing machine?
Washing machines don’t necessarily shrink a cashmere blanket.
While this type of fabric is sensitive as it is made from expensive natural fiber, it still allows safe machine wash.
This is provided that your machine has a gentle cycle, which is the safe set up for the blanket.
If you’re going to machine wash your blanket though, we suggest you don’t include other fabrics or clothes with it.
The wool might get tangled and damaged while getting swirled with these items.
The same thing would happen if you force the blanket on a heavy and rigorous cycle of the machine.
How to unshrink a cashmere blanket
Cashmere blankets are wools sensitive to heat attacks.
This may come from drying your blanket out in the sun or on a heated machine drier.
If you’ve mistakenly placed your blanket near anything of high temperature, here is a way to unshrink it.
Rinse the blanket then soak it for 20 minutes on shampoo or gentle soap like Woolite.
This will make the wool react with the substance which relaxes and allows stretching of the wool.
After which, push the blanket against the side of your sink to remove the liquid.
Unlike washing, in this process, you shouldn’t rinse the blanket. Let the soap or shampoo remain on the blanket.
Settle the blanket on a flat surface then stretch it back to its original shape and size.
You have to do this stretch while the blanket is still wet so the fibers won’t get permanently damaged.
You can pin the blanket to a board to keep the shape and dimension that you achieved.
Let the blanket naturally dry. You can lightly tap on it with a terry cloth if you want to hasten the process.
However, do not put your blanket to another episode of heat stress.
Conclusion
Caring definitely goes beyond learning how to wash cashmere blanket by yourself.
It also includes being considerate on how and where you use your blanket.
Paying attention to these one at a time is sure to guarantee that your blanket will last a lifetime.