How to Wash a Knitted Blanket?
There are two ways to clean knitting blankets: machine washing and hand washing. When choosing these two ways, we should pay attention to many aspects. There are not only different problems but also the same matters needing attention. Let's take a look.
Machine Washing Your Knitted Blanket
Pick a gentle detergent
When washing a knitted blanket, you should use a mild detergent, especially if the blanket is made of fine yarn, such as cotton or linen. The choice of detergent for general hand-woven blankets may be more
complicated.
Put your knitted blanket in a mesh laundry bag
If you keep your blanket in a mesh laundry bag while it’s in the washing machine, this will help to protect it from becoming too agitated, felting to other items or catching on anything
Machine-wash blankets made of synthetic fibres and plant fibres
Knitted blankets made of synthetic material (such as polyester, acrylic and rayon) or plant fibre yarns (cotton and linen) can be safely machine washed unless they are particularly delicate.
（1）You can also find machine-washable wool yarns but check the label carefully, as most wools need to be hand-washed.
（2）Be sure to read the label on your blanket or yarn for washing and drying instructions.
（3）It sometimes requires a few washes for the dye in a knitted blanket to set completely. You might like to wash your blanket without any other items for the first few washes just to be safe. You can also soak the
blanket in citric acid to help the dye set.
Customize your machine wash to your yarn
While many yarns can be machine washed, they shouldn't all be treated identically. If you’re washing a knitted blanket made of plant fibre yarn such as cotton or linen, it’s best to wash it in cold water and on a gentle cycle. In contrast, synthetic fibres such as acrylic can be washed as normal with your other items.
Tumble-dry your knitted blanket
Synthetic yarns, linen and some cotton yarns can be safely tumble dried.
However, linens should be tumble dried at a low temperature. If you’re unsure what yarn you’re using, or whether tumble drying will be safe, you can air-dry your blanket instead.
Tumbling your knitting in a mechanical dryer can cause your knots and stitches to come undone, so it's best to lay your knit blankets flat to dry, whenever possible
Hand Washing Your Knitted Blanket
Use a gentle detergent suited to hand washing
Items requiring hand washing need an especially soft touch. Pick a detergent that will be gentle on both the blanket and your hands and one that is suited for the yarn you're working with. This will enable you to wash your blanket, without damaging its colour, texture or shape.
You should be able to find machine-friendly wool washes in the supermarket, as well as gentle, alcohol-free detergents. Baby shampoo is another good alternative for delicate yarns.
Hand-wash blankets made of delicate fibres
If your knitted blanket is made of animal hair yarns such as wool, alpaca and cashmere, or an unidentified yarn, it will need to be hand-washed. Delicate cotton yarns should also be hand washed.
（1）The label on your blanket or yarn may also provide helpful and specific instructions as to cleaning and drying.
（2）If you put most yarns in the washing machine, the wool will felt, causing it to shrink.
Soak the blanket in cold water
Gently soak the blanket in a large bowl or sink using cold water mixed with detergent. Move it around in the bowl gently, so that the blanket absorbs the water and soap. Be careful not to press on the blanket or agitate it too much - this could stretch it out or felt it to other items.
Wash your knitted blanket by itself when washing it for the first time, to ensure the dye is set and it doesn’t stain any other items. If the blanket continues to bleed colour, soak it in citric acid
Rinse the blanket
Rinse your blanket with cold, freshwater until the garment is free of any soapy suds. Especially for some thick knit blankets, though the drying time can be quite long, be especially careful to not wring out your knitted blanket - this can lead to stretching and felting. Instead, gently squeeze out the water once you’ve finished cleaning the blanket.
Ventilate woollen blankets
If you have a woollen blanket, you may like to ventilate it instead of washing it, as wool is a really delicate yarn to wash and takes a long time to dry. Simply shake your woollen blanket and hang it in an area with good airflow.
Air-dry your knitted blanket
Animal hair yarns and delicate cotton yarns need to be air-dried. Gently remove excess water by squeezing the blanket, then roll it up in a towel to absorb leftover moisture. Remove from the towel and allow to dry.
（1）If your blanket is cotton lay it flat on a towel to dry. This will ensure it doesn’t stretch out or become saggy.
（2）If your blanket is woollen, hang it on a clothesline or horizontal clothes rack. You may also like to leave
your woollen blanket in direct sunlight for a few minutes, as this helps to counteract any musty odours.
However, don’t leave it out any longer than this.You can also shape the blanket as it dries, to make sure that it dries to your liking.
Some light and thin knitting blankets are recommended to be washed by hand. Some hand knit chunky blanket can be washed by machine. However, during the operation, we still need to pay attention to various matters.
So we are a knitwear business, we have been making high quality and comfortable knitted blankets for many years, so if you are interested in this, please do not hesitate to contact us!