Hello, I have a scarf from the 1950s made by Saks Fifth Avenue. It's all wool but smells musty and old. Needs a good cleaning!! I refuse to dry clean it as scarves don't hold up well at the dry cleaners. I bought the wool and cashmere shampoo from the Laundress, it has stellar ratings. Before I wash this scarf I tested the shampoo out on a more modern Pendleton, smells nice a clean and even feels a little softer. However....... I feel as if I messed up big time because I was washing it in my sink and it was quite bunched up most of time. Should I use the bath tub instead of the sink or is it fine? I sort of swooshed the scarf around to create suds and then sort of pushed it against the bottom when rinsing it out. When done the scarf was bunched up together because the sink isn't huge... I can't imagine this is good for the scarf? Would this create agitation? Any tips? I could lay it flat out in the bathtub if that is better? Should I buy a wash basin? Any help is great!!
How to wash vintage wool scarf?
- Thread starter Spartcom5
- Start date
-
- Tags
- howtoclean scarfquestion
bycinbyhand
VFG Member
Do you happen to have a picture of the scarf and label?
Here are some pictures. I must say my Pendleton scarf certainly doesn't feel the same after washing. The cleaner I'm using is definitely one of the best wool shampoos. Could it be agitation from being bunched up in a sink being swirled around? I noticed some of the fringe on the ends were stuck together and I had to pull them apart, wool has hook like fibers and I think it shrunk a tad. The scarf also feels very fuzzy now. I was thinking about going out and buying a big plastic tub so I can lay the scarf out flat in water instead of bunched up. Thoughts? I should note I rolled the scarf up in a towel to get excess water out but I doubt this is a problem.
Last edited:
It could be the agitation and also the hotness of the water that's causing something like felting. To be honest, I wash everything in the sink except long gowns and wedding dresses! If your bath is easy to use then you could use it and just lay the scarf out and fill with water, not agitating it at all. Empty the water and repeat with clean water rinses until you are comfortable all soap is gone. Perhaps also try less than hand hot water (our hands can actually take pretty darn hot water so try luke warm). And lay flat to dry, on a towel if you have the space is best.
Weirdly enough the water was colder than hot.... Would your recommend rolling it up in a towel after to get excess water out? Also, this sounds very paranoid, but I was thinking about buying a big plastic bin instead of using the tub. The plastic they use won't leach chemicals into the scarf will it?
I Read on pendletons website that if it has a dry clean label on it then it needs to be dry cleaned for sure. I didn't ruin my scarf however it is fuzzy feeling and definitely doesn't feel like it used to. Atleast I know now how not to ruin a vintage 1950s scarf! The Pendleton was modern $2 at a thrift store.
I would gently hand wash that in cool water. Important to use a good wool detergent, but even more important that water isn't too hot, as that will make the wool shrink. Lukewarm at most as Carnivale says. Don't over agitate, but if the water isn't too hot, gentle agitation won't hurt. Roll in a towel and dry flat.
Once it's dry it may need gentle pressing (this is not the same as ironing!) to help it back to it's original texture and shape. This may also help your Pendleton (though if the Pendleton has truly shrunk it won't unshrink it). Use a pressing cloth, such as a clean tea towel. Don't move the iron around on the scarf (as you would with normal ironing), press, lift and move to the next section - that way you don't stretch the fibres by moving the iron. Again use a very cool setting. Start with the iron as cool as possible, if it doesn't have any effect, try increasing the heat slightly. It might help to use a slightly damp pressing cloth and a dry iron - you can't really use the steam setting on your iron as that would be too hot for the wool. Try it on your Pendleton first, to see how it works.
Once it's dry it may need gentle pressing (this is not the same as ironing!) to help it back to it's original texture and shape. This may also help your Pendleton (though if the Pendleton has truly shrunk it won't unshrink it). Use a pressing cloth, such as a clean tea towel. Don't move the iron around on the scarf (as you would with normal ironing), press, lift and move to the next section - that way you don't stretch the fibres by moving the iron. Again use a very cool setting. Start with the iron as cool as possible, if it doesn't have any effect, try increasing the heat slightly. It might help to use a slightly damp pressing cloth and a dry iron - you can't really use the steam setting on your iron as that would be too hot for the wool. Try it on your Pendleton first, to see how it works.
When washing wool--be careful not to let water pour directly onto the piece. This can cause the fibers to tighten and you will felt your wool.
I wash everything in plastic bins. Fill the bin up first with water then add detergent--I agitate with my hands to make the water sudsy--then add the wool item. I try not to rub which can also cause the fibers to tighten. Just gently swish it around.
When its finished soaking. I remove from the bin and change to clean water--add it back in and gently swish to remove all detergent--you may have to do this a few times--just make sure to remove when filling the bin back up as water pouring directly onto wool is not good for the fibers.
I wash everything in plastic bins. Fill the bin up first with water then add detergent--I agitate with my hands to make the water sudsy--then add the wool item. I try not to rub which can also cause the fibers to tighten. Just gently swish it around.
When its finished soaking. I remove from the bin and change to clean water--add it back in and gently swish to remove all detergent--you may have to do this a few times--just make sure to remove when filling the bin back up as water pouring directly onto wool is not good for the fibers.
PastPiecesVintage
VFG Member
When I was in high school, I was horrified that Mama began hand washing my Villager wool cardigans in Woolite. She always said it was better for them. She did, and now I do the same...run COLD water in the bath tub and lay the sweater (or scarf) flat in the tub, pressing it into the water gently with no agitation. With the sweater laying in the tub, change the water and rinse a couple of times. Press the item against the bottom of the tub to get out as much water as possible, then blot on a thick towel. While the garment is still very damp, hand block it. She measured the sweater and hand blocked it back to shape and size while it was damp. She was especially careful to stretch the grosgrain ribbon on the placket so it would lay smoothly. Hand blocking is just smoothing and shaping the sweater back to its original dimensions. Once the item is blocked, let it air dry on another towel. Gently press when it's dry. This may sound like sacrilege, but Mama always put a little Downy in the last rinse (Mama loved Downy). This gave the wool a softer finish. When she pressed my sweaters, she always used steam.
I'd wash the scarf again in the tub, paying attention to shaping it and arranging the tassles at the end by hand also. Then I would press it, hand blocking it again as I did so.
I'd wash the scarf again in the tub, paying attention to shaping it and arranging the tassles at the end by hand also. Then I would press it, hand blocking it again as I did so.
Thanks everyone! The plastic tub I got isn't long enough to let the scarf lay flat length wise, is it fine to fold the scarf over once to make it shorter so it lays flat? It's hard to find a huge tub that is 55in long! Then, how do you recommend I take the scarf out to fill the bin with clean rinse water? Should I fold it up and take it out? Next, could hand pressing be used instead of iron pressing? Finally would this all be the same for a cashmere scarf and a cashmere wool blend?