CARE OF PRODUCTS MADE FROM ALPACA YARN
Should alpaca fiber products be washed by hand or in a washing machine?
Currently, most washing machines available on the market have a wool or hand wash program, but we should approach this topic very carefully. What our woolen clothes and accessories will look like after washing is determined primarily by the water temperature, the cleaning movement and the cleaning agent used. At this point, let's remember the rule: LESS IS MORE. Therefore, when deciding to wash in a washing machine, remember to set the short operating mode (up to 30 minutes) and set the temperature no higher than 30 degrees. C. and selecting the lowest spin level. Unfortunately, because our intentions do not always go hand in hand with the operating mode of our washing machine and it, for example, likes to change the water temperature during operation, which can be "lethal" for our woolen treasures, hand washing will be a much safer solution.
How to go about it? When hand washing woolen clothes, remember about the water temperature - it should be lukewarm water (max. 30 degrees Celsius) and its temperature during washing must be the same as that during rinsing. Temperature changes may cause our items to shrink, so avoid long soaking. Secondly, alpaca wool is delicate, so use gentle detergents to clean it. There are special liquids for washing wool available on the market, but an equally good solution is to use a gentle hair shampoo (preferably natural, without aggressive chemicals) and add a small amount of hair conditioner to the rinse. The use of these agents will make our woolen products even softer. Thirdly, we remember to handle the wool gently during all these treatments, so we do not rub, squeeze or twist it, but only gently knead it and finally squeeze out the excess water in a dry towel. Any too sudden movements may cause our woolen accessories to felt, so let's show them a lot of love when washing :)
Should alpaca wool products be dried flat or hung?
Since wet wool is heavy, to avoid stretching our clothes, we should not hang them to dry, but let's do it flat. It is best to place such things, for example, on a towel, remembering to unfold them carefully, this way we will avoid unnecessary creases and distortions that will be difficult to get rid of later. We should dry clothes and accessories made of alpaca yarn at room temperature, away from a warm radiator, and put them in the wardrobe only after they are completely dry.
Additional care for alpaca wool products
Alpaca wool is a durable raw material, but like any other wool, it may ball up or pill over time and this is a completely natural process. The more delicate the wool, the faster this can happen, so in order to maintain the aesthetic appearance of our woolen products for as long as possible, these defects should be regularly removed. How to do it? We can carefully use ordinary scissors, but a safer and faster solution is to buy a special wool shaver, which usually costs several zlotys. This is a great device that will make our woolen hats and clothes look like new in just a few minutes. However, let's only do it dry and try not to press the shaver too hard so as not to cut the threads unnecessarily.
If alpaca wool could talk...
If alpaca wool could talk, it would certainly tell you to wash it rarely. As we mentioned at the very beginning, it is a dirt-resistant raw material which, if it appears, will not penetrate very deep into the fiber structure. If we want to refresh our woolen wardrobe, let's start by simply airing it outdoors, e.g. on more humid days or in a steamy bathroom, remembering to wash all items after such treatment before reusing them or storing them in the closet. , dry thoroughly.
