Removing a stain from a wool sweater!

How to remove a stain from a woolen sweater? A woolen sweater or other woolen clothing requires a lot of care to keep it intact and stain-free.

As wool is very fragile, here are some good tips and tricks for cleaning and removing stains from wool.

1. Remove a stain from a wool sweater

Before moving on to tips and tricks for specific stains, here is the product to have at home to detach white wool and colored wool: Marseille soap!

Indeed, Marseille soap is a natural product that will remove stains on your pretty white wool sweater effectively and without risk for this delicate textile.

Here is how to use this natural soap on wool:

1. Fill the kitchen sink with lukewarm water and add the Marseille soap.
2. Soak the wool sweater (or other garments) directly in lukewarm water and clean gently.
3. Gently rub at the level of the stain with Marseille soap and let soak again.
4. Rinse the wool sweater and let the garment dry on a rack in the open air.

Rub the stain directly on wool with Savon de Marseille:

You can also moisten the stain on the wool with lukewarm water and rub the stain directly with Marseille soap before rinsing to finish.

2. Remove a grease stain from wool

Removing a grease stain from a garment is difficult and it is also the case on a woolen garment.

The most important thing with a food grease stain on wool is to act as quickly as possible to prevent the stain from becoming too embedded in the wool.

Here is how to clean this greasy stain:

1. Sprinkle Terre de Sommières on the grease stain.
2. Leave on for several hours to fully absorb all the stain.
3. Shake to remove the Terre de Sommières powder and rinse with lukewarm water.
4. Let the wool sweater air dry to finish cleaning the garment.

If you do not have Terre de Sommières:

You can replace the Terre de Sommières with flour or better Talc to remove grease and/or sauce stains on the wool.

3. Wine stains on wool and other stubborn stains

For very stubborn stains on a wool sweater such as wine stains or worse ink stains, 70° alcohol is the most effective product I find.

Here is how to detach the wool with alcohol at 70°:

1. Soak a cloth or cotton ball in 70° alcohol and dab the wine stain.
2. Once the stain is well moistened, leave to act for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the stain.
3. Rinse the wool with lukewarm water to remove all traces of 70° alcohol.

You can also use this trick to loosen dye wool or other stubborn liquids.

4. Remove a yellow stain from white wool

It is common to see yellow spots appear over time on a white wool sweater but also on other types of textiles and white clothing.

Here’s how to remove that yellow stain:

1. Fill a basin or the kitchen sink with lukewarm water and white vinegar (in equal quantities).
2. Soak the wool sweater in the bath of warm water and vinegar for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Rinse with lukewarm water and air dry the garment on a rack or hanger.

For wool and other textiles, here are other tips and products to whiten a garment: How to remove yellow from white laundry?

5. Remove a makeup stain from wool

For a makeup stain, whether it’s lipstick, foundation, or eye shadow, turpentine is the best trick to test on wool.

Here’s how to detach wool with this product:

1. Soak a clean cotton ball or cloth in turpentine and dab the makeup stain.
2. Let the turpentine act for a few minutes and rinse the wool with lukewarm water.
3. Machine wash your wool sweater as usual according to the cleaning instructions.

Test the stain remover on an inconspicuous part of the sweater to avoid discoloring or damaging the wool.

6. Remove a coffee stain from wool

To remove a coffee stain from wool, here is a very effective homemade recipe:

1. Mix equal parts warm water, ammonia and glycerin.
2. Gently rub the coffee stain with this solution and rinse with lukewarm water.

Savon de Marseille as mentioned above is also effective in removing coffee and tea stains from wool.

7. Detach the wool with an egg white

Here is a last grandmother’s remedy to loosen the wool effectively and naturally: egg white.

1. Take the equivalent of half an egg white and apply directly to the stain.
2. Dab the stain gently and leave to act on the wool for 20 minutes.
3. Rinse the wool in lukewarm water and finish with a machine or hand wash as directed.

8. Practical tips for cleaning a wool sweater

Finally, here are some tips, advice and practical gestures for properly cleaning and caring for a sweater or other woolen garments:

• Never iron a wool garment.
• Never wring or wrinkle wool.
• The washing of wool should not exceed 30 C°.
• Always air dry wool on a flat rack.
• Avoid drying wool outside in direct sunlight.
• Always fold your wool sweater well before storing it.
• Let the wool air out before storing it in the chest of drawers.

Do you also have a silk garment to detach? Here are some handy tips about it: Removing a stain from silk.