Can I wash wool in hot water?

No. Hot water increases the risk of shrinkage and felting, especially if the garment is also agitated or rubbed.

Can I put wool in the dryer?

No. Heat and tumbling can shrink wool quickly and permanently. Always dry wool flat.

Why did my wool sweater shrink?

Wool fibers have tiny scales that can latch together when wet, especially with heat and friction. That felting process causes shrinkage and is often not reversible.

Can I use regular laundry detergent on wool?

It is not ideal. Regular detergents often contain enzymes and other ingredients that can damage protein fibers like wool.

Is it safe to hang wool after washing?

No. Wet wool is heavy and can stretch out of shape on a hanger. Dry it flat instead.

How to Wash Wool Safely

By Zach Pozniak, VP of Operations at Jeeves of Belgravia New York and fourth-generation dry cleaner · @jeeves_ny

Quick answer: How to wash wool: use cool or lukewarm water, a wool-safe detergent, and gentle up-and-down motions. Rinse well, squeeze out water, then dry flat—never wring, scrub, or hang wool to dry.

How to wash wool safely

Wool is a protein fiber with tiny scales on the surface. When wool gets wet, heat, agitation, and rubbing can make those scales latch together and felt, which causes shrinkage and distortion. Once wool has felted badly, it usually cannot be reversed, so the safest approach is gentle cleaning and careful drying.

Before you wash: check the label

Not all wool is the same. Some wool garments are more forgiving than others, but if the care label says dry clean only, take that seriously. If the item is structured, lined, or especially expensive, professional cleaning is often the safest choice.

The safest hand-wash method

Fill a basin with cool to lukewarm water. Avoid hot water, which can encourage shrinkage.
Add a detergent made for wool or other animal fibers. Choose a formula without enzymes, bleach, or optical brighteners.
Submerge the garment and press gently. Use up-and-down motions only. Do not rub, twist, or scrub.
Let it soak briefly if needed. Keep the cleaning time short and gentle.
Rinse thoroughly. Remove all soap so residue does not stay in the fibers.
Remove water by squeezing, not wringing. Wringing can distort the shape and stress the fibers.
Roll in a clean towel. Press out extra moisture with a towel before drying flat.
Reshape and dry flat. Lay the garment on a dry towel or mesh rack and smooth it back to its original size and shape.

Can you machine wash wool?

Only if the care label allows it and your machine has a truly gentle wool or hand-wash cycle. Even then, use cold water, a wool-safe detergent, and low spin. If you do not trust the cycle, hand washing is safer.

What not to do

Do not use regular detergent with enzymes on wool.
Do not use hot water.
Do not rub or scrub stains aggressively.
Do not wring the garment.
Do not hang wool to dry. The weight of the water can stretch it out.
Do not try to “unshrink” heavily felted wool. Severe felting is usually permanent.

If wool has already shrunk

For mild shrinkage, steaming and gentle stretching may help a little. For more noticeable shrinkage, a soak with wool-safe conditioner can sometimes relax the fibers enough to reshape them. If the garment has felted badly, professional restoration is unlikely to fully fix it.

Best habit for long-term wool care

Wash wool only when it truly needs it, and store it clean in a breathable bag during the off-season. That helps prevent moth damage and keeps the fibers in better condition.

Got a tricky wool sweater?

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Can I wash a wool blazer at home, or should it be dry cleaned?

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Or ask about any laundry or garment care question

Watch Jeeves NY demonstrate these techniques:

Why wool shrinks and felts

About the author

Zach Pozniak is VP of Operations and co-owner of Jeeves of Belgravia New York, the Madison Avenue dry cleaner serving New York since 1979, and the fourth generation of his family in the trade. Zach posts garment care techniques as @jeeves_ny on TikTok to over 620,000 followers, and his book The Laundry Book, co-written with his father Jerry Pozniak, was featured on Good Morning America in October 2024. Jeeves NY's clients include the Metropolitan Opera, the Met Museum, and FIT, and the business has been profiled by The Wall Street Journal and New York Magazine.