THE PROPER CARE OF NATURAL FIBERS

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WOOLENS . . .

Once you're the proud owner of a woolen garment, wear it with care. My grandmother told me always to slip on an undershirt or blouse beneath a sweater or dress in order to keep the wool from absorbing perspiration and body oils. Remember, though, that "underwear" should also be of a pure natural fiber, such as cotton, if it's to wick moisture away from the body instead of trapping it.

When you've finished wearing a piece of woolen apparel, check it carefully for rips or tears, and attend to such damage before you put the garment back in the closet. A few conscientious stitches can prevent the loss of a button or keep a small split seam from turning into a gaping hole.

At the same time, inspect the item for stains or spills. Dirt and grease seem to offer an open invitation to moths, and particles of grime embedded in the fabric will eventually weaken the fibers. Stains and spills should be blotted immediately with an absorbent towel, then sponged with clear, cool water, and blotted yet again. If the spot was caused by grease or oil, sponge it with water and sprinkle the stain with baking soda. Let the powder dry, and then gently brush it off.

Of course, sometimes a piece of clothing will need more than mere spot removal. When it was necessary to thoroughly clean a woolen garment, my grandmother would hand-wash it in cool water with a mild shampoo (not soap), and then rinse the item in a basin of cool water to which she had added three tablespoons of vinegar. It seems that wool, being a natural fiber, is acidic rather than alkaline and needs to maintain a proper pH balance much as does human hair. Hence shampoo (which is milder than soap and doesn't strip natural oils) and vinegar (which restores acidity) seem to work well together. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Some people may want to use Woolite "cold water wash" instead of shampoo.]

I've also adapted Gram's technique to use when cleaning several skirts, sweaters, or pairs of slacks at one time in the washing machine. I set my washer on a gentle cycle, fill the tank with cool water, add one-third cup of shampoo per load, and pour one-half cup of vinegar into the rinse water.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We checked with Joyce Armstrong — the home extension agent for Henderson County, North Carolina, where MOTHER is located — for her ideas about cleaning wool. She says she has had great success with a method she read about that was developed in Scotland. According to Joyce, old-fashioned ammonia — the nonsudsing type — forms a chemical linkage to wool and reacts favorably with dyestuffs. Her method involves running a sink or basin full of barely warm water, and adding two tablespoons of ammonia and several drops of an oil (such as lanolin or vegetable oil). She simply swishes the garment around, rinses it well, and squeezes the excess water out.]

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