How to Launder Delicate Clothing

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Wool

With a wool cleaner, you can easily wash your woolen sweaters at home. Place your sweater in lukewarm water and detergent that is safe for wool. Then gently, repeatedly push your sweater back and forth in the water. Don not rub, wring or scrub. After washing, squeeze out the excess water. Fill your sink with more lukewarm water and go through the same motions to rinse as you did to wash. Repeat until the water is clear. Then, squeeze out the excess water and roll the sweater into a thick towel and squeeze it some more. Remove your sweater from the towel and fluff it into shape. Allow it to dry flat and out of the sunlight.

Check the label. If your sweater is 50% wool, it will be less likely to shrink than 100% wool, but the risk of shrinkage is still there. Wool carries a higher risk of shrinkage than any other fiber.

Suede

Suede is pretty darn tough to clean at home, and if you're not careful you could ruin your suede clothing beyond repair. Professional cleaning is your best bet. However, you can try to remove small stains that are dry by rubbing them with a new pencil eraser. You may also be able to use a toothbrush with soft bristles to remove dirt, or use a fingernail file to scrap off the dirt. Water spots should be rubbed with a suede brush or terry cloth.

By no means use any stain removers that contain chemicals on suede items.