Wool is wonderfully low-maintenance, but caring for it looks a little different than caring for cotton, synthetic fibers, or other common bedding materials.
One of the things we love most about wool is its ability to breathe. Wool can absorb moisture and release it back into the air, helping create a comfortable sleeping environment. It is also naturally resistant to mold and mildew and offers natural fire resistance. But those same natural qualities are also part of the reason wool needs a gentler approach when it comes to washing.
If you've ever accidentally shrunk a favorite wool sweater, you've already seen what can happen when wool meets water, soap, and too much agitation. The good news? Wool bedding typically doesn't need frequent washing. With a little routine care, you can help keep your wool comforter, mattress topper, pillow, or other wool home product feeling fresh for years to come.
Why Wool Doesn't Love the Washing Machine
Take a close look at a wool fiber under a microscope, and you'll see that its surface is made up of layers of tiny scales. Those scales are porous, allowing wool to capture, hold, and release air. In other words, they are part of what allows wool to breathe.
When untreated wool is washed in soap and water and then subjected to significant agitation—like the movement inside a washing machine—those scales can begin to catch on one another. Over time, the fibers can become entangled and felt together.
This is what can cause a wool sweater to shrink. In wool bedding, it can cause the wool batting inside a comforter or other product to felt together and form lumps. For that reason, we don't recommend simply tossing untreated wool bedding into the washing machine.
What About "Washable" or Superwashed Wool?
You may have come across wool garments labeled as washable wool or superwashed wool. Superwashed wool has been treated so that the scales on the wool fibers are less likely to catch and felt together during washing. This can make the wool more suitable for machine washing.
At Sonoma Wool Company, however, we choose not to use superwashed wool in our products. We want our wool to retain the natural qualities that make it so remarkable: its breathability, its ability to absorb and release moisture, its resistance to mold and mildew, and its natural fire resistance.
The wool we use is washed simply with plant-based soap and water. We don't use harsh chemicals, superwash treatments, or carbonization, an acid treatment sometimes used to remove vegetation matter from wool. For us, preserving the natural qualities of wool is worth taking a slightly different approach to care.
Step 1: Start With Fresh Air
Before reaching for soap and water, start with the simplest solution: air.
Wool bedding often doesn't need to be washed as frequently as other types of bedding. Regularly airing out your comforter, pillow, or other wool product can help release moisture and keep it feeling fresh. On a dry day, place your wool bedding somewhere with good airflow and allow it to breathe.
You don't need to make this complicated. A little fresh air from time to time can go a long way.
Step 2: Use Protective Covers
One of the easiest ways to care for wool bedding is to protect it from direct contact with everyday dirt, oils, and spills. Use a duvet cover with your wool comforter and pillowcases with wool pillows. These outer layers can be washed regularly, helping reduce the need to wash the wool-filled product itself.
Think of the cover as the washable layer and the wool as the part that benefits from a little more gentle care.
Step 3: Spot Clean Spills and Small Stains
For small spills or isolated stains, spot cleaning is often the best approach. Use a clean cloth and gently blot the affected area. Avoid vigorous rubbing, scrubbing, or twisting, which can cause the wool fibers to become matted.
Use as little moisture as necessary and allow the area to dry completely before putting the bedding back into use. The goal isn't to aggressively clean the entire product. It's simply to address the spot while disturbing the surrounding wool as little as possible.
Step 4: Make Sure Wool Is Completely Dry
If a portion of your wool bedding becomes wet during spot cleaning, give it plenty of time to dry completely.
Wool can hold moisture within its fibers, so patience is important. Make sure the product is fully dry before placing it back on your bed or storing it away. Good airflow can help during the drying process. Avoid excessive heat, which can be unnecessarily harsh on natural fibers.
A Few Things to Avoid
When caring for untreated wool bedding, we recommend avoiding:
- Machine washing and excessive agitation
- Vigorous scrubbing or rubbing
- Wringing or twisting
- Harsh chemical cleaners
- High heat
- Storing wool bedding while it is still damp
A gentle approach will help preserve the qualities that make wool such a wonderful material in the first place.
Less Washing, More Breathing
One of the nicest things about wool is that caring for it doesn't necessarily mean doing more. In many cases, regular airing, the use of washable protective covers, and occasional spot cleaning are all that's needed to keep wool bedding feeling fresh. By avoiding unnecessary washing and treating the fibers gently, you can help preserve their natural structure and all the qualities that make wool so well suited to the home.
We choose wool that is as close to its natural state as possible. Our wool is washed with simple plant-based soap and water, without harsh chemical treatments, superwashing, or carbonization. We believe wool's natural qualities are worth preserving. And with a little gentle care, your wool bedding can continue providing comfort for years to come.
