Washing and Care

Merino Wool Washing & Care Guide

Merino wool is a natural, breathable fibre that, with the right care, will last for years. Here’s everything you need to know to keep your garments looking and feeling great.

🧼 Washing Instructions

·         Wash before wear  to remove loose fibres & set the fabric.

·         Machine wash on a gentle or wool cycle in cold or warm water.

·         Use wool-safe, pH-neutral detergent only. 

·         Avoid detergents containing: Enzymes (e.g.“bio” detergents) |  Bleach (chlorine or oxygen-based) |  Optical brighteners or Stain Removers or wording such as "tough on stains",  "super white" etc. Also avoid products that leave strong fragrances or oily residue.

·         Avoid heavy-duty detergents  like Biozet, Radiant, Omo etc

·         Avoid Laundry Sheets  as most contain enzyme stain removers

·         Do not soak, bleach, or dry clean.

·         Wash with like colours.

·         Avoid washing with zippers, sharp objects/fasteners  wash separately or in a laundry bag. 

·         Avoid leaving unwashed garments lying around for long periods of time.

 

• 👉 Need help choosing a detergent? See our  Recommended Wool Detergents.

🌬 Drying

·         Line dry.

·         Tumble dry only on low heat  (not recommended for underwear – effects the elastic).

·         Remove garments while slightly damp to prevent over-drying.

·         Merino wool dries quickly — no need for a dryer unless it’s urgent.

👚 Freshen Between Wears

Merino doesn’t hold odour so you’ll get more than a days’ wear — if it’s not dirty, don’t wash it! Merino means fewer laundry loads & less use of detergent and power.

·         Air garments overnight or between wears.

·         Hang in the bathroom while showering for a natural steam refresh.

✂️ Loose Threads, Stains & Holes

·         Stains: Rinse immediately with cold water. Use a mild soap if needed.

·         Loose threads:  These could be either the actual sewing threads or sometimes the edges of wool that don't get caught in the overlocking or coverstitching and may come loose and looks a bit like a "tail". Please do not pull either of these but very Carefully trim with sharp scissors, leaving a 3mm end.

·         Holes: Mend early to prevent further laddering. Click here to read more about   Common Causes of Holes in Merino Clothing and Underwear & How to avoid them

See Wool Mending Tips below.

🧼 Pilling

·         Wash before First wear to reduce pilling.

·         Pilling can occur from friction (e.g. underarms, between thighs, flannelette sheets).

·         Remove pilling gently with a fabric comb or masking tape.

🎨 Colour Fastness & Shrinkage

·         Wash similar colours together.

·         Our fabrics conform to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification and are dyed in Australia.

·         Our fabric is machine washable but still has approximately 3-5% slight shrinkage which is normal.

🐛 Storing Wool Safely

·         Store clean and dry. 

·         Avoid long-term exposure to air or light.

·         Use sealed bags or containers.

·         Add lavender, eucalyptus, or tea tree oil on cotton balls to deter insects.

·         Try freezing or sun-heating sealed storage before long-term packing.

·         Break the insect cycle and try Cats' Flea Collars or Moth Traps

·         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. 

More tips: How to Store Merino Clothing |  Moth Traps & Natural Repellents

🧳 Travelling with Merino

·         Merino is breathable, wrinkle-resistant, and dries quickly.

·         Roll don’t fold   to minimise creases. Fold them no more than once across the middle and then roll from the top down. 

·         Unpack and hang as soon as possible. Leave any creased clothes hanging while you're having a shower and they should be good to go when you are! 

·         Perfect for layering and versatile dressing.

·         Use Shampoo or take a bar of Sunlight Soap for washing when travelling.

🧵 Mending Damage

·         Small holes (<5mm): use fusible bonding or needle and thread.

·         Larger holes: try darning or patching.

·         On sewing machine: use a ballpoint needle and stretch stitch.

🧽 Stain Removal Tips

• Act fast and follow the appropriate method below.
• Always avoid heat until stains are removed.
• We also recommend Exit Stain Removal Soap with cold water - the sooner you get to a stain the better chance you have of removing it.

Stain Type	Removal Method
Alcohol	Dab with cloth soaked in warm water + rubbing alcohol
Blood	Sponge cold water + dab white vinegar
Butter/Sauces	Scrape excess, dab with white spirit
Coffee/Tea	Dab with white spirit, follow with vinegar solution
Fruit/Red Wine	Dab with alcohol + water (3:1)
Grass	Gently dab with surgical spirit
Ink	Dab with white spirit, follow with vinegar
Lipstick/Makeup	Use turpentine or mild soapy water

For more details, visit the Woolmark Stain Removal Guide.

Questions? We’re here to help. Call 1800 606 969 or email sales@merinocountry.com.

✨ Take care of your Merino, and it will take care of you!

Further Tips from Woolmark on Caring for Wool

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

See Our Recommended Detergent

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

 

STORING (wool is a protein & certain bugs love it) 

• Cat's flea collars or a dab of tea-tree oil on cotton wool in your cupboards  and drawers will deter bugs

• If storing for long periods place in a sealed bag & put in the sun or a deep freeze before you put into long term storage.    

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!

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