Easy Ways To Make Wool Fabric Less Itchy

Wool fibers create hundreds of tiny air pockets that allow body heat to circulate and stay close to your skin to keep you warm. This is how some breeds of sheep and alpacas can withstand extreme temperatures. But let’s face it–whether it’s mohair, merino, angora, or alpaca, wool is scratchy! Regardless of how warm it can keep you, wool can make you uncomfortable to the point where you’d rather just be cold.

Don’t give up hope, though! There are easy ways to make wool fabric less itchy so that you can stay warm and comfortable in frigid temperatures.

Soak and Wash Your Wool

First, fill a clean bucket or container with lukewarm water, then add about two tablespoons of wool wash or white vinegar into the water. Gently swirl the garment in the solution and let it soak for about two hours or until the fabric has puffed up. Then, rinse out all the washing solution with more tepid water, but avoid stretching or squishing the garment. Roll up the fabric with a clean towel, press out the excess water, and let it dry on a separate towel.

Condition Your Wool

To condition your wool, fill the same container with lukewarm water and massage a generous amount of high-quality hair conditioner into the fibers. If you’re looking for something fragrance free, you can add lanolin. Lanolin is naturally in wool, but some of it ends up removed when people turn wool into garments. It has natural moisture-wicking properties that benefit clothing. This is, in large part, why wool is such a popular fabric for winter activewear.

However, if you use lanolin, you’ll have to thoroughly mix it with hot water to add it to the soak, as lanolin is an oil. Whichever conditioner you choose, let it rest in the solution for about 30 minutes, then rinse and dry it as you did in the first step.

Pop It in the Freezer

While freezing your wool may sound a bit odd, part of what makes wool itchy is the short hairs that stick out and irritate the skin. When you freeze the garment, you lock the fibers together, preventing them from sticking out and poking you. Once the wool is dry, fold it up and place it in a large press-seal bag and let it sit in the freezer overnight. When you take it out in the morning, follow the wash and dry instructions on the clothing tag.

You may need to do some experimenting to see what conditioners and amounts work best for you. However, when you finish, the result should be soft and comfy wool fabric that you’ve successfully made less itchy!