Washing and Care

WASHING & DRYING  

Wash BEFORE Wear. Warm Gentle Machine Wash & Rinse Thoroughly.

Use PH Neutral Detergent (no whiteners/brighteners or stain removers- they do nasty things to wool). Definitely NO Bleach.

Warm Iron. Line Dry or Low Heat Tumble Dry (remove from Dryer just before completely dry)

Do not wash with with sharp objects. Wash with like colours together.

Do NOT use detergents with whiteners, brighteners, bleach or stain removers in them. These enzymes will break down the wool fibre and cause holes.

Common Causes of Holes in Merino Clothing and Underwear & How to avoid them

 

Please note as with most fibres there is some shrinkage in our products which can be up to approximately 5%.

The more care you give your Merino wool clothing the longer they will last. Whilst our products are machine washable, to get the best life out of them we recommend handwash or gentle machine wash and please take care with what you wash them in and with.

We recommend that you don't wash our wool garments with products that have metal zips or other things that the fine fabric can catch on. (If you do wash with work clothes/jeans etc with metal zips & buttons - the teeth may catch and hole the fine Merino fabric!).

PILLING

Please wash BEFORE wear to prevent pilling caused by loose fibres. Loose fibres are simply a natural (and very normal) occurrence on a new knitted garment as the extraneous loose fibres in the twist of the yarn and usually shed during the intial wear or wash of the garment.

COLOUR FASTNESS

Please wash with like colours in case of dye running. All our fabrics are tested for Colourfastness, however, some colours may run more than others and we do recommend washing before wear. Separate lights and pastels from dark-colored clothes, then wash similar colors together. If any dyes are released, they won’t discolor other clothes. 

Please note - our fabrics are dyed in Australia and conform to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and are free of formaldehyde and chromium. We do not use Azo dyes.

TUMBLE DRY

Whilst you can very low heat tumble dry our Merino outerwear, to increase the life of our Wundies we advise not to put them in a Tumble Dryer as they are not kind to elastic & rubber used in waists and legs. Actually, Merino wool dries so quickly you really don't need to Tumble Dry unless it's an emergency!!

SHRINKAGE

Whilst our fabrics are machine washable you will still experience some shrinkage which can be up to approximately 5% and is normal. 

DETERGENT

Please note - do NOT use any detergents which contain Bleach, Whiteners or Brighteners or stain removers - there are a couple of big brands with bleach/whiteners/brighteners/stain removers which weaken the fibres and create holes in Merino fabric and are to be avoided. If unsure of what to use please contact us on Phone: 1800 606 969 or email: sales@merinocountry.com and we'll help you out! 

AVOID products that say things like "tough on stains" "super white" etc - they'll often have the following wording and are to be avoided  - Optical Brighteners, Enzymes, Bleach - either chlorine or oxygen based, Heavy Duty Detergents, Softeners, Stain Removers, "Bio” detergents containing enzymes

 

See Our Recommended Detergent

Common Causes of Holes in Merino Clothing and Underwear & How to avoid them

ANOTHER WEAR

Merino wool clothing requires less washing than other fibres which means fewer laundry loads & less use of detergents and power. Because merino wool is naturally anti-microbial & doesn't stink you'll get more than one day's wear.

If you don't have time to wash your merino garments, simply hang them up and air them out overnight or hang them in the bathroom while you take a shower - the steam will rejuvenate them.

STORING 

Merino Wool is a protein and in certain conditions bugs will eat it. Do not leave unwashed wool garments, particularly underwear, lying around for excessive periods of time in the laundry basket.

If you have problems with moths and other critters or are storing your merino garments try putting a cat's flea collar or a dab of tea-tree oil on a cotton ball in your cupboards & drawers to keep them away.

When storing them put in a sealed bag or container and before you put them away put the sealed bag in either the sun or deep freeze - this should stop those pesky critters!

STAINS

Treat stains immediately - rinse with cold water & if necessary use a mild soap or detergent and rub gently.

TRAVELLING

Merino is ideal for all occasions and makes the perfect travel companion - versatile, durable & flexible. It needs no ironing, dries quickly and packs into a small space!

When travelling choose simple styles that can be dressed up or down for different occasions and can be layered for different temperatures. Choose one or two key colours and pieces that are interchangeable.

When packing trying rolling your merino wool garments - wool remembers the shape it was in before you packed and minor wrinkles will relax when unpacked. Fold them no more than once across the middle and then roll from the top down. 

When you arrive, unpack and hang your clothes up as soon as you can - the less time they spend in your bag the better! Leave any creased clothes hanging while you're having a shower and they should be good to go when you are!

Common Causes of Holes in Merino Clothing and Underwear & How to avoid them

MENDING DAMAGE

If you do find little holes or damage to your wool garments, it is really important to mend them straight away. Jersey fabrics can unravel and get bigger as well as ladder. Here are some tips to mend damage caused by bugs and wear and tear:

The good news is that no matter how holes, runs or ladders are made, they can be repaired so you can continue to wear your Merino garments. The sooner you mend them the better!

If the damage is minimal and the hole is smaller than 5 millimetres, then you can use fusible bonding web to fix the hole. If the hole is larger, you can use a darning technique to mend the fabric by interweaving with a needle and thread.

Turn your garment inside out and look at the hole. Find a good spot near the hole to fix your thread to the fabric. Now start sewing the hole closed by stitching 2-3 mm above and below the hole and closing the hole shut. Tie off the thread by fixing it again with a knot, so the thread won't become loose. 

 

REMOVING STAINS

Accidents do happen and we can't always be as neat as a pin so here are some handy hints for removing stains from Merino Wool Clothing and Underwear.... 

Try and treat stains as soon as possible and it is important to ensure they are fully removed before ironing. The heat from ironing can make a stain permanent. 

Alcoholic drinks
Dab gently with an absorbent, lint-free cloth to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Sponge the area sparingly with a mixture of warm water and surgical spirit or rubbing alcohol in equal parts.

Black coffee
Mix alcohol and white vinegar in equal parts, soak a lint-free cloth in the solution and lightly dab the stained area before pressing gently with an absorbent cloth.

Blood
Remove excess blood immediately with a damp sponge, then gently dab the area using undiluted white vinegar followed by cold water or wash immediately with some soapy water.

Butter, grease or sauces
If a greasy mark forms, firstly scrape the surface of the stain with a spoon or knife to remove any excess oil. Then soak a lint-free cloth in proprietary grease remover or white spirit and gently dab the area.

Chocolate, white coffee or tea
Dab gently around the edge of the stain with a cloth soaked in white spirit before following instructions for black coffee.

Egg or milk
Dab gently with a lint-free cloth soaked in white spirit. Repeat the action with a cloth soaked in diluted white vinegar.

Fruit, fruit juice or red wine
Immediately dab the stain with a mixture of surgical spirit or rubbing alcohol and water (3:1 ratio).

Grass
Apply soap very carefully (using a mild tablet soap or flakes) or dab gently with a lint free cloth soaked in surgical spirit or rubbing alcohol.

Ink or ballpoint pen
Dab gently with a lint-free cloth soaked in white spirit. Repeat the action with a cloth soaked in diluted white vinegar or surgical spirit or rubbing alcohol.

Lipstick, makeup or shoe polish
Rub gently with a lint-free cloth soaked in turpentine or spot cleaning spray or fluid. Rinse with mild soapy water.

Go to Woolmark Website for more details on Stain Removal