How to wash merino wool properly – Washing instructions

Anyone who wants to wash merino wool textiles should keep a few things in mind so that merino socks, merino shirts, or merino underwear do not shrink and the wool’s properties are preserved.

This guide applies in particular to high-quality merino wool yarns from the Schoeller spinning mill in Hard, Vorarlberg (Austria), which Bolter Sockenmanufaktur uses to knit merino socks. Other, lower-quality yarns may not meet these requirements.

You can wash Bolter merino socks as follows

• It is best to wash them as little as possible and simply air them out overnight instead. A smell test will show that washing the socks once or twice a week is sufficient. This minimizes wear on the wool, helping the socks last a very long time.
• If washing the merino wool is necessary, it can be safely washed in the washing machine; hand washing is not required. A wool cycle at 30 to 40 degrees maximum is ideal.
• To minimize pilling, turn the socks inside out before washing.
• According to merino wool yarn manufacturer Schoeller, the socks can even be dried in a tumble dryer. However, at Bolter we recommend doing this only in an emergency or using a program that is not too warm. Tumble-dryer programs that are too hot could shrink the socks, while even cool programs cause considerable wear to the wool.

What you should not do when washing merino wool

• Do not use bleach.
• Please do not iron them – it is unnecessary and would damage the delicate merino fibers.
• Do not dry-clean them! Merino wool is a natural product, and dry cleaning would impair the wool’s properties.
• Merino wool is naturally fine and comfortable against the skin. Therefore, do not use fabric softener.