A crochet blanket is a hand-made item that takes hours of skill and care to produce. So whether it’s your own work or someone else’s, you’ll want to keep it in great condition.
Here we look at how to wash a crochet blanket without damaging it. We’ll review the different approaches for different types of yarn. And we’ll share some tips to get the best results.
Ready to learn more? Then step this way!
What to know about washing your crochet blanket
The key to washing your crochet blanket without damaging it is to understand what yarn it’s made of. Different yarns will respond differently to machine and hand washing.
As snuggly items, most crochet blankets are made of either wool or acrylic. You’ll often see people saying that synthetic blankets (like acrylic) can go into a washing machine while natural fiber blankets (like wool) can’t. But it’s not quite that simple.
Let’s look at the different fibers in more detail.
How to Wash acrylic crochet blankets
Acrylic is a synthetic yarn, made from petrochemicals. The fibers are basically a type of spun plastic, so they’re very smooth.
That means they won’t mesh together if they’re put into a washing machine, the way that woolen yarns can. So if you want to machine wash an acrylic crochet blanket with regular detergent, you can.
It’s still a good idea to protect the ends of the yarn. You don’t want these to get snagged in the washing machine. Placing your blanket inside a cotton duvet case before you wash it will prevent that from happening.
There are a couple of issues to be aware of if you’re washing acrylic, though.
The first is that, whether you wash it by hand or in a machine, it will leach microplastics into the water. The fiber degrades through this process, but it’s so gradual you’re unlikely to notice the difference.
The real problem with microplastics is that they’re bad news for the environment and human health.
The second issue relates to drying your blanket…
How to Dry acrylic crochet blankets
Acrylic is affected by high temperatures. And while even the hottest wash in your machine won’t affect it, a tumble drier is a different matter.
If you tumble dry your acrylic blanket, the chances are the fibers will melt. What that means in practise is that they get shiny and floppy. You may also find that your blanket shrinks.
So to avoid damage to your acrylic crochet blanket, dry it in the open air. And try to resist the temptation to wring out the fabric – twisting the fibers when they’re wet will damage them too.
If you can, it’s best to lie the banket out flat on top of towels or a mesh drier. That will prevent the fibers from stretching under their own weight. Place it in a well-ventilated space to avoid mold, and keep it away from direct sunlight to prevent it fading.
Do’s and don’ts of laundering acrylic crochet blankets
In summary:
- You won’t do serious damage to your acrylic crochet blanket by putting it in the washing machine. You can use regular detergent, and even a hot wash.
- Putting your blanket inside a duvet case before you wash it will help prevent the ends of threads from being snagged inside the drum.
- Don’t tumble dry your blanket. That will cause the fibers to melt and shrink.
- Leave it to dry in a well-ventilated area, out of direct sunlight. If possible, lie it out flat and reshape it while it’s wet.
How to Wash wool crochet blankets
The general advice with washing wool is to do it by hand. That’s certainly the safest option. But the truth is that wool blankets can be machine washed without damaging them if it’s done with care.
We’ve probably all seen the results of putting a woolen garment into a washing machine at the wrong temperature. Your favorite sweater can emerge a fraction of the size it went in. But that doesn’t mean machine washing wool is an out-and-out no-no.
There are two factors that lead to wool shrinking in the washing machine. Firstly, the fibers are exposed to too high a temperature, and secondly, they’re agitated in the water. The combination of the two is what causes the wool fibers to become matted – a process known as “felting”.
The good news is, it’s actually quite easy to avoid this. Just make sure you select a “wool” or “delicates” program on your washing machine. Those programs will use a cooler temperature and minimize the movement of the water.
You’ll also need a detergent that’s designed for use on delicate fabrics like wool and silk. This will help to relax the fibers so they don’t felt.
As with acrylic blankets, putting your wool crochet blanket into a duvet case before it goes into the washing machine is a good idea. That will avoid any problems with loose threads snagging in the machine.
If you prefer to stick to handwashing, most of the same rules apply. Use lukewarm water and detergent specially designed for wool. And don’t agitate the water too much, or you may still end up with matted fibers.
How to Dry wool crochet blankets
As with acrylic, don’t let your woolen crochet blanket get anywhere near a tumble drier. The high temperatures will felt the fabric. And once that’s happened, there’s very little you can do to reverse the damage.
Don’t wring or twist it either. The best option to remove excess water is to lay your blanket flat on a towel. Then roll up the towel with the blanket inside it, so that it forms a cylinder. Press gently on the cylinder to help the towel absorb moisture from the blanket.
Then unroll it and lay out the blanket flat on towels. Use your hands to gently reshape it as necessary, and leave it in a well-ventilated place to dry. Make sure it’s out of the way of direct sunlight, which will cause colors to fade.
Dos and don’ts of laundering wool crochet blankets
In summary:
- Washing wool crochet blankets by hand allows you to see how the fibers are reacting as you wash them. Use lukewarm water and specialist wool detergent, and you’ll avoid any problems.
- But you can also put wool blankets into the washing machine. Just make sure you choose a delicates or wool wash program and use detergent designed for wool. If you don’t, your blanket will shrink and felt.
- Don’t let your wool crochet blanket get anywhere near a tumble drier. The heat and movement will shrink and felt the fibers.
- Don’t wring or twist the blanket. Instead, roll it inside a towel and press down to remove excess water.
- Leave it to dry flat, on top of towels, in a well-ventilated area to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. And keep it away from direct sunlight to avoid the colors fading.
When to wash crochet blankets by hand
As we’ve seen, even wool crochet blankets can be popped into the washing machine if you use the right setting and detergent. But there are occasions when it makes sense to put in the extra effort and wash crochet blankets by hand.
We’d recommend sticking to a hand wash if:
1. The blanket is very thick or chunky
Washing by hand will allow you to gently work the detergent deep into the fibers to get it properly clean. And you’ll be able to do that without agitating the water too much and risking woolen blankets felting.
It’s particularly important to squeeze out excess moisture by wrapping thick blankets in a towel. They’ll take longer to dry than thinner fabrics.
The weight of a thick blanket, especially one that’s wet, is significant too. So make sure you dry it flat. If you hang it up, the fibers will stretch under their own weight, and you’ll end up with a misshapen blanket.
Last but not least, make sure you dry your blanket somewhere that gets plenty of ventilation. The long drying time will leave the fibers vulnerable to mold unless there’s sufficient airflow.
2. You’re worried about dark colors running
If you’re not sure how fast the colors in your blanket are, don’t risk machine washing it. There are few things more upsetting than finding the beautiful muti-colored blanket you put in the wash has now turned a uniform sludge grey or dirty raspberry.
Use cool water and a wool-specific detergent to minimize the risk of color runs.
You can also test if a fabric is colorfast by moistening it with water from a spray bottle or plant mister. Then take a white kitchen towel and dab the wet area. If any pigment is transferred to the towel, you know the colors will run if you wash them.
Summary: How to wash a crochet blanket
Crochet blankets need to be handled with care, whether they’re made of synthetic or natural fibers.
Acrylic blankets can go into the washing machine on a regular program and with ordinary detergent. But they’ll shrink if they’re put in a tumble drier and are best dried flat.
Wool blankets can be machine washed, as long as you use a suitable program and detergent. But they too need to be dried flat and without using a tumble drier.
Whatever kind of blanket you have, washing it by hand is always the safer bet. But if you are going to use a washing machine, putting the blanket inside a duvet cover first will protect it from snagging.
