One of the most common ills of winter is the dreaded cracking of dried hands. While moisturizing your mitts and keeping lotion in your bag is always a good call, keeping your hands out of the cold is essential. Gloves are excellent for this, but knowing how to wash wool gloves is a talent that alludes many. I include myself in this. Until I left home for college several years ago, I didn't even know to separate whites and colors let alone how to care for certain fabrics. That's why learning proper care is essential.
Thankfully, gloves don't need to be cleaned quite as often as other winter weather essentials, but that doesn't mean they should be ignored. Your mittens and gloves should be cleaned about three to five times per season, or if my estimation is correctly, take care of them about once a month. While there are several tips to washing regular gloves, wool can require a but more care. Any time you're dealing with a special fabric or even a blend, it's a good idea to research the best ways to care for those items. So, if you've broken out your cold weather accessories for the winter, I've got the secrets on how to clean wool gloves just for you.
Avoid The Machine
Fox Mittens, $29, Article Apparel
Wool can absorb a ton of moisture and can become misshapen. Don't simply chunk your gloves into the washing machine.
Wash Gloves In Small Basin
Unisex Wool Blend Gloves, $14, American Apparel
Since you're forgoing the washing machine, grab a small basin or use your sink to wash the gloves.
Use Dish Soap Or Gentle Detergent
Kate Spade 'Pretty Lady' Gloves, $72, Nordstrom
You don't want to risk damaging or staining the wool in your gloves. To avoid this, grab a dish detergent or a gentle laundry detergent.
Let Soak
Ragg Wool Gloves, $30, LL Bean
Instead of swishing the gloves or hand washing, let them soak. They won't lose shape this way, and it'll allow the soap to soak into the already extremely moisture absorbing material.
Rinse With Cool Water
Eddystone Wool Gloves, $40, Mod Cloth
In order to get the soap out of the gloves, gently rinse them with cool water. Be sure that all of the soap has been removed, but do not wring them out. They'll warp and easily loose shape.
Lay Flat To Dry
Manhattan Accessories Co. Wool Tech Gloves, $10, Kohl's
Lay flat to dry and do not hang. Hang drying will cause the gloves to stretch, and no one wants excess fabric puddling at their fingertips.
With this advice, you'll know exactly how to wash wool gloves and keep your hands warm all winter long.
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