How to care and maintain cashmere
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When storing worn wool products during seasonal transitions, it is necessary to wash, iron, and air dry them before storage. This helps to reduce conditions and the scope of mold and insect activity, and it also provides insecticidal and sterilizing effects.
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When storing wool products, fold the garments and seal them in plastic bags, then lay them flat in the wardrobe. For outerwear, it is preferable to hang them in the wardrobe after putting them in plastic bags.
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Pay attention to blocking light when storing wool products to prevent fading. Ensure regular ventilation, keep them in a cool place, remove dust by patting, and prevent moisture. If the wool products have been exposed to sunlight, make sure they are thoroughly dried before placing them in the wardrobe. Additionally, placing mold-repellent and moth-repellent agents in the wardrobe helps prevent moisture and pest damage to the wool products.
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Washing wool products requires caution as wool fibers have scales on their surface. Washing wool products in a washing machine can cause the wool to felt and compromise their excellent properties.
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Therefore, it is highly recommended not to use a washing machine for washing wool products. Instead, hand washing is advised using a specialized wool cleaner. Pure wool becomes softer with each wash. After washing, lay the sweater flat on a towel, gently roll it to absorb moisture, and finally, lay it flat to air dry. This prevents twisting and deformation that can occur from hanging. With proper care, a good-quality wool garment can be used for a long time. In Taiwan, where winters are humid, the perceived temperature is usually a few degrees lower than the forecasted temperature. It is advisable to use a specialized wool cleaning detergent called "矜蘭妃" for gentle hand washing.
Here's the method:
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For lightly soiled wool products, start by pouring a neutral detergent (such as shampoo, dishwashing liquid, specialized wool detergent, or natural organic silk clothing cleanser) into water at around 30℃. Stir the detergent in the water until it's well mixed.
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Place the wool product into the water and gently pat and knead it. If the wool product has stains like dye, it's recommended to send it to a professional dry cleaner for special treatment and cleaning.
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Next, wash the wool product in water at around 40℃ several times until it's thoroughly clean. Afterward, add a small amount of vinegar or fabric softener to clean water.
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It's preferable to put the cleaned wool product in a cloth bag and run it in the washing machine for 1-2 minutes to remove excess water.
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Finally, lay the wool product flat and use a steamer with a temperature of 120℃-140℃ to gently iron it. Ensure that the iron does not directly touch the wool product. Once the wool product is reshaped, lay it flat to air dry.
Please note that the temperature settings and specific products mentioned may vary, so it's important to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer for your particular wool product.