How to Clean Angora Wool Sweaters and Other Angora Clothing

How to Clean Angora Wool Sweaters and Clothing

3/30/2017

Infinity scarf made by hand using mixed English Angora rabbit fibers. Fibers were spun into yarn & then knit by hand to produce this unique scarf.

Angora sweaters & other angora garments, when properly cared for, can bring you years of comfortable luxury & beauty. People often have the mistaken impression that caring for wool sweaters are tricky & difficult, which is not so. To simplify things, we have compiled a collection of Angora wool sweater care tips to help you easily get maximum wear out of your beautiful clothing.

Caring for your Angora garments:

Clean angora only when it gets soiled.
Cleaning angora too much can break down the sweater.
Dry cleaning angora is the best way to care for it, but you can also hand wash it with cold water.
Avoid sunlight & bleach, as they can damage the material. Never tumble-dry or wring out an angora sweater, because it will stretch & pull the fibers.
Add salt to the water to prevent colors from running when washing angora.
Place an angora sweater in the freezer for 20 minutes to restore fluffiness.

Washing instructions for your Angora garments:

Fill a sink or bathtub with barely warm water.
Add approx. 1 tbsp. of clear natural liquid soap. Do not use any soap that has dyes or perfumes.
Swirl the water around to mix the soap into the water & make it a little sudsy.
Place the Angora sweater into the water. Push down on the sweater & gently squeeze, use the same action as if you were kneading dough. Continue to do this all over the entire sweater. Do not twist or pull on the sweater.
Let the water out of the sink or bathtub and refill with clean water, press down & gently squeeze the sweater.
Let the water out of the sink or tub.
Press down on the sweater to remove some of the excess water. Do not twist or wring the sweater.
Lay the sweater flat to dry on a clean, dry, white towel. Do not press on the sweater with the towel because you will flatten the fluffy finish of the sweater. Change the towel often & flip the sweater over while it is drying. When flipping or handling only handle the towel & use the towel to flip the sweater to avoid stretching the sweater out of shape. Do not allow an Angora sweater to dry in the sun.

Hand spun & hand knit childs hat using 100% English Angora Rabbit wool.

10 Comments

Susan Ulevitch

6/24/2017 03:26:40 pm

I bought a wool/angora blend jacket and forgot about the shedding issue! Kinda big to put in my freezer as recommended with sweaters. Any suggestion to minimize the shedding? Would dry cleaning it right away help?
Thank you,

Running Bug Farm link

6/26/2017 07:03:38 am

Hi Susan,

You can try dry cleaning. Freezing is the best option. If you have a friend or family member with a large storage freezer maybe they would let you use it (if they have the space)? Good luck!

Pontsho

8/28/2019 01:30:13 pm

I really want to know what to use to wash a mohair garment

Lynnette Mohr

5/31/2018 12:58:14 am

What I do to put my jacket in the freezer, is put it in one of those huge oversized bags, that way I can put it easily 8n the freezer

Paige

7/1/2018 10:48:19 pm

What would you suggest for cleaning a jacket that is 30% angora and 70% polyamide?

Arlene Casey

8/27/2018 07:10:03 pm

thank you for providing me with this information

denise anderson

4/16/2020 02:47:07 am

How long will it take to dry

4/22/2020 08:06:59 am

Hi Denise,
Everyone's dry time will be different depending on the time of year and climate. For example, it will take longer in a humid area, and it will dry faster in a hot area with low humidity.

DWAINE CASSIDY

8/19/2020 02:36:55 pm

MY WIFE HAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ANGORA SWEATER ADORNED WITH DIFF. COLORED STONES.
SHE CAN'T WEAR IT BECAUSE OF THE ITCH.

ITCHING OR SCRATCHING WHEN IT'S BEING WORN
HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED ONCE IN THE HUNDREDS OF ARTICLES.

HELP, HELP !!!!!!

JACQUELINE IS MY WIFE.

9/16/2020 06:19:13 am

Hi Dwaine,

You can try the following cleaning method. If it doesn't work, it's possible that your wife is allergic.

-Turn it inside out & soak in cold water mixed with 3 tbsp. of white vinegar for about 15min. After 15min. let the water drain.
-Very gently massage in hair conditioner. Be careful not to over agitate as this can cause the sweater to felt. Let the sweater sit for about 30min. Then rinse thoroughly with cold water. Do not wring or twist the sweater. You can gently press out the water. You don't want to agitate the fibers which can make them felt.
-Lay it flat on a towel to air dry*. Do not hang (this can ruin & stretch the shape) or put in the dryer (this can cause it to felt & shrink). *See original blog post for more on drying.
-Once it is completely dry (how long this will take depends on the time of year & climate. For example, it will take longer in a humid area, & it will dry faster in a hot area with low humidity), carefully place it in a large plastic bag & put it in the freezer for several hours or overnight.

If this doesn't work & your wife knows she is not allergic to angora rabbit wool, the garment could be made using lower quality short fibers or the wool might not be angora rabbit, but mohair or another animal fiber. Angora rabbit & angora goat aka mohair are often confused. Your wife could be allergic to one & not the other.

How to Clean Angora Wool Sweaters and Clothing

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