Do you dry clean wool blankets that sit on bed + how often?

[Anonymous]

I kee a folded wool Pendleton blanket at the foot of my bed. It's almost entirely decorative. I already have a down comforter, so it's for looks. I've had it for at least 5 years and have never cleaned it. I can't tell if the white parts of the blanket were always kind of cream or it's just dirty.

Do you dry clean your wool bankets? How often? Is it really going to make it any cleaner? I usually hand wash most things that say dry clean only. This is Pendleton blanket if it matters.

[Anonymous]

I'd just put it in the dryer on the fluff/air dry cycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd just put it in the dryer on the fluff/air dry cycle.

Good idea--this never occurred to me. Is this to kill germs versus to improve the appearance? I'm wondering if the blanket will look better/fresher if I get it dry cleaned. I also live in an apartment complex, and our dryer is kind of crummy. It only has the basic settings--not like the newer machines where you can select fluff or air dry. I only have High/Medium/Low as options.

[Anonymous]

I wash mine in cold water on delicate with woolite and dry outside in the sun. I know you are not supposed to wash in water, but it doesn’t seem to have damaged mine.

[Anonymous]

I’ve put mine in the washing machine on cold as well. A few minutes on air fluff in the dryer then hung to air dry the rest of the way. No harm done. I have one Pendleton that is 30 years old and doesn’t look significantly different than when it was new.

[Anonymous]

Wash it! Omg. I could not live like that. No dry cleaning of bedding (the chemicals! Ugh. No.). No non-washed bedding!


In the washer with wool detergent if you like (I like Outback Gold - it has a barely there but really nice smell) or a little Tide won't kill it since it's washed so infrequently. Delicate cycle, cool water. Low spin. hang or lay flat to dry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wash it! Omg. I could not live like that. No dry cleaning of bedding (the chemicals! Ugh. No.). No non-washed bedding!


In the washer with wool detergent if you like (I like Outback Gold - it has a barely there but really nice smell) or a little Tide won't kill it since it's washed so infrequently. Delicate cycle, cool water. Low spin. hang or lay flat to dry.

PS, it will probably shrink a little. I don't see how that's a problem.

[Anonymous]

Why do you have a dust collector on the end of your bed?

[Anonymous]

Just shake it vigorously outside, with a partner, a couple times a year. If you don't have a dog or cat lying on it, that should be fine.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't run it through the washing machine, but I would shake it vigorously with a partner and then submerge it in the bathtub. Rolling it up in towels will get it part way to dry, then just lay it out somewhere to dry the rest of the way. If it is a queen or king size blanket, I probably would just have it drycleaned.

[Anonymous]

If it is decorative not used, you really just need to get the dust out of it regularly. Tumble in the dryer or shake it outside.

Think about what 'dirty' means and what kind of dirty the item gets. Something never touched, just gathers dust.

[Anonymous]

You people must have a much cleaner house than mine if you are down to worrying about the blanket that is decorative on the bottom of your bed.

Good for you.

[Anonymous]

Why do you have a dust collector on the end of your bed?

I have a wool dust collector on my bed, too. DH insists in the winter even though he never uses more than a sheet. I can't stand to have wool touch my skin at all and I use cotton or fleece blankets. I guess the cat likes it.

I just sort of toss it aside when I change the bedding. It goes to the dry cleaner very rarely. Putting it in the dryer occasionally sounds like a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people must have a much cleaner house than mine if you are down to worrying about the blanket that is decorative on the bottom of your bed.

Good for you.

Lol this made me laugh. I’m OP and live in a small apartment so I have less big ticket items to clean. I’ve also somehow been cleaning/tidying for the past year and still have some projects to go including this dust collector blanket. I keep it there bc of the added esthetic value. I like all white bedding and then I have an Aztec/unusual pattern on the wool blanket. I ended up brushing it with a suede brush yesterday and hanging it out for a few hours to let it air out. I don’t have a bathtub so might end up dry cleaning down the road. I do have a small dog who sometimes sits on it.