So, you have bought your alpaca fiber clothing, but how do you clean alpaca wool? Properly cleaning and caring for your alpaca fiber clothing is essential for making sure that it lasts a long time. There are some things you should altogether avoid – like putting it in the washing machine with harsh laundry detergents or sending it to an untrustworthy dry cleaner that might end up ruining your garment instead of cleaning it.
Properly caring for your alpaca fiber clothing will ensure that you can extend its life and make the most of the money you have spent. Please note that it is difficult to wash alpaca fiber clothing as it is water-resistant and will not absorb liquid unless the amount is abundant.
The following steps should be taken for the optimal care and cleaning of any alpaca fiber clothing:
Your alpaca fiber clothing should be soaked in lukewarm or cold water for at least half an hour. You should also add a dash of mild soap or baby shampoo for ideal cleaning of the garment. Please do not place any pressure on the garment and allow it to soak undisturbed. Soaking the clothing in hot water will shock the fibers, which can harm the garment.
After soaking, the clothing item should be rinsed under running lukewarm or cold water. Gently squeeze the water out as you rinse it. It would be ideal to rinse larger garments in the shower as this will not ruin their shape if they are packed into the sink.
Next, you should lay the garment on a dry towel and attempt to gently pat it dry. Be sure to ensure that the garment is lying completely flat so that its shape is not lost in the drying process. This is the first drying step, and it will allow for the excess water to drain from the alpaca fibers and onto the towel.
Once the excess water has been soaked by the first towel, get another fresh and dry towel. Lay the garment utterly flat on this towel and allow it to air dry. Air drying will enable the alpaca fibers to return to their natural state and retain their shape without any harsh heated air blowing on the fibers like that of a laundry drying machine. It would be best if you attempted to reshape your garment a bit as well at this stage.
Once your alpaca fiber clothing is completely dry, it is time to gently and carefully fold it. Make sure that you do not crease it. It would be ideal to fold it and lay it on a flat surface gently.
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While the above-mentioned steps are ideal, there are some things you should never do when caring for your alpaca fiber clothing, including the following:
Please do not hang your alpaca fiber clothing to dry as this will ruin the shape of the clothing once it is dry. You might find that the garment has sagged or has become stiff in some areas.
Please do not put your alpaca fiber clothing in the washing machine as this will ruin its shape severely, and the harsh laundry detergent will change the texture of the delicate fibers. After taking the clothing out of the wash, you may find that the softness has diminished.
You need to be very gentle when caring for and cleaning your alpaca fiber clothing. Any heavy-handedness may create creases in the clothing, and these creases may be tough to iron out. Your alpaca fiber clothing is very delicate, so it requires an equally light touch. Also, make sure that you resist wringing the clothing out after you have rinsed it as this will also change the texture of your garment.
Your alpaca fiber clothing should be washed alone. Washing it with other clothing can have a negative impact on the fibers, and this may weaken them. The process of washing alpaca fiber clothing is also unique, so you are unlikely to find any other clothing that you can put through a similar hand washing process.
Caring and cleaning for alpaca fiber clothing can be difficult, but many beginners have an even more difficult time trying to find a trustworthy alpaca clothing seller. After all, alpaca wool is so rare that the only places one can find clothing made from it is online. One clothing item that would be the safest to buy is a Peruvian alpaca scarf.
In Silkeborg Uldspinderi we are here to help you. You will have at your disposal many high-quality products. If you want to buy any alpaca scarves, shawls, cushions, or throws, please don’t hesitate to contact us through our contact page.
