Handwashing your kilt at home

[Stratherrick]

I take your point, Bruno.

The drying is as important as the washing.

Slainte

Bruce

[Pleater]

I wash wool in water that feels just warm, using human hair shampoo followed by conditioner, rinse a couple of times and then add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse - wool likes to have a slightly more acid pH than hair.

I let the garment drain - I have a lot of different things made from wool, then place it in an old net curtain stretched over the bath until it feels just damp, then for kilts I have a long clothes rail in the conservatory, and I put the kilt onto about 4 hangers and leave it overnight. I make sure that the pleats are hanging properly, then next morning I use the smooth pads of a hair straightener to preen any crooked pleats.

The water will drain away fairly quickly, but until it does the garment needs support. To speed up the drying process you can roll the kilt inside two towels and stand on it to press out the water. A sopping wet kilt will easily soak two bath towels

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[JRB]

wool likes to have a slightly more acid pH than hair.

Does that leave your wool smelling like vinegar?

[Tony Miles]

my jacuzzi tub and woolite - but i turn the heater on the tub off -
woolite in the tub with water - turn on the jets and bubbles.
drain tube refill with the clean water - turn on jets - rinse and repeat as necessary.

[Pleater]

Does that leave your wool smelling like vinegar?

No - I use white vinegar, about a cup full, when washing a kilt in the bath, so it is quite diluted, and most of it drains away.

I have a quite acute sense of smell and have never detected a whif of chip shop after washing.

You could use anything acidic - lemon juice for instance, if you don't fancy vinegar. The fabric should feel smoother after the treatment, as it closes the scales on the fibres.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[sathor]

No - I use white vinegar, about a cup full, when washing a kilt in the bath, so it is quite diluted, and most of it drains away.

I have a quite acute sense of smell and have never detected a whif of chip shop after washing.

You could use anything acidic - lemon juice for instance, if you don't fancy vinegar. The fabric should feel smoother after the treatment, as it closes the scales on the fibres.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

I just realized, after the move, I'll have a bath tub!

(Try making a 3 yo take a shower when he doesn't want one. Not fun. Not even at 4, or almost 5...)

[ziggy]

Am I the only one that would rather wash it at home by yourself, just because you wouldn't trust a dry cleaner with your kilt?

It's one of those thing, if something is going to happen, I want to be the one to do it!

Anywho, this is excellent knowledge, these cleaning your kilts posts have amazing insight.