Wooly wonder

OBOWer Alana posted this item to the Forum but it’s too good to leave there. Here’s her approach to keeping fresh that most versatile of fabrics - wool:

If you decide to go with the wool pants (I’m presuming washable, here; dry-cleaning on the road is a nightmare), here’s a way to freshen them up without dunking them into a sink and waiting for them to dry.

Go to a store and get one of the dry-cleaner-in-a-bag REFILLS. You don’t want the kit, just the refill. Make sure the ones you get are individually wrapped. Get a box of 2 1/2 gallon Glad or Ziploc bags at the same time. Pack the refill packs at the rate of one every four days, more if you’re going somewhere hot and sweaty, or into a place where people don’t bathe as often as we Americans do. (Stinky buses can and do transfer smell into wool - this will eliminate that smell!)

When your pants are smellier than just plain airing will do, and you can’t/don’t have the time to wash then and let them dry, put your pants into the 2 1/2 gallon bag with one of the opened dryer refills. Don’t let the wet refill touch the fabric! Seal the big bag up and let it fumigate your pants at least four hours, overnight if you have the time. You can open the bag after half the time and turn them inside out/rearrange them for maximum effect. Make sure you have at least an hour in the morning to let them dry after taking them out of the bag.

Depending on how long you had to leave your clothes in the bag, the dryer pad may be usable again. If it’s damp, it’s usable. If it dries out, it’s done for. Keep it in a sealed quart bag whenever you’re not using it.

This also works on blazers worn to very smoky bars, blouses, skirts, you name it. It won’t remove stains, though, so make sure you use spot remover on your clothes before you bag them. For the truly washaphobic, no, this won’t do for your undies or your socks. Sorry.

You’ll eventually have to whip out the sink plug/hand soap and do your wash, but this will delay it a little. Smell sensitive? Try out a brand or two at home before you leave. Some have less scent than others. And yes, they do work in a dryer for dry-cleanable clothes, but you’ll need the full kit. I do NOT recommend using the full dryer kit on the road - if the laundromat dryer is any kind of wonky, you’ll probably ruin your clothes, or at worst, the dryer! Use the full dryer kit at home ONLY. Better yet, don’t get dry-clean-only clothes.

THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO AIR OUT YOUR WOOL! 

Comments

[MaxD]

I like to use wool trousers as much as possible when on the road. Easy to shake out the wrinkles.

However, that was the only time I've ever had a wardrobe malfunction. I was overseas and I sent out a pair of wool pants to the hotel laundry. Unfortunately, they were laundered and dried, not dry clean, and they came back much smaller than when I handed them in. Lucky for me they were inexpensive and had given me years of use. In fact, I like to go to Kohl's or similar and get some inexpensive wool pants just for travelling. That way, I don't spend much and if they meet an untimely demise it's not the end of the world.