Wool wants very little

Air often, wash rarely

Wool cleans itself better than a machine does. Between wears, hang the piece somewhere airy overnight: smells and creases go on their own. A knit needs actual washing a few times a season at most.

When you wash: cold, gentle, quick

• Cold or lukewarm water, never hot.
• Wool soap, with lanolin if you have it. Never regular detergent: its enzymes digest protein fiber.
• Press the piece under, let it sit ten minutes. No rubbing, no wringing: friction plus water is felting.
• Rinse at the same temperature. Temperature shock felts too.

Dry flat, always

Press the water out between two towels, lay the piece flat, nudge it back into shape, keep it away from sun and radiators. A wet knit on a hanger stretches under its own weight; a heavy sweater can grow half a size in an afternoon.

Store folded, with air

• Folded on a shelf, never on hangers.
• Clean before long storage: moths come for skin oils, not wool.
• Cedar or lavender deters them; airtight boxes only for clean summer storage.
• Pilling on friction points is normal: comb it off gently once dry.