Washing a Wool Kilt

[The Wizard of BC]

The article quoted and here on X Marks actually agree when it comes to water temperature.

It is true that hot water is best at releasing the dirt but any, and I mean any. movement of the garment will ruin it.
The article is very clear about this.

So, with kilts we say use cold water. The kilt can still be cleaned but there is no worry and the chances of ruining a good kilt is minimal.

I'm not a fan of Woolite but it has little to do with what is said in the article. It has to do with price. Dish washing liquid is inexpensive. So is baby hair shampoo. Both will do the job and cost a lot less than Woolite.

The big difference in the article and what you read here on X Marks has less to do with the method and a lot to do with the garment.
A wool Sweater is knit. Kilt fabric is woven. Big difference.
A sweater has about 1/2 yard of fabric. A kilt has 4 yards. Big difference.

And if you notice in the article it strongly cautions about pulling, stretching, distorting or moving the fabric in any way. Well, that's because of the use of the hot water.
If you simply use cold water the job still gets done but you can actually pick up a wet kilt weighing 6 or 7 lbs wet and not have to worry about the fabric distorting from it's own weight.

I wash all my wool kilts in cold water using hair shampoo. Quick, easy, and not a single problem or worry.

[Pleater]

If you just want to remove a spot. or even go over the entire apron, you can do that separately from the entire kilt - before washable wool, garments were sponged rather than washed.

I used to have a light blue woollen coat with a swan's down collar and that was sponged over almost every time I wore it, according to what my dad told me.

Place the piece of cloth you want to clean dirty side down on something clean and absorbent.

Towels should be covered over with something smooth or the cloth will be marked by the tufts.

Use warm water first, with perhaps a drop of washing up liquid in it to reduce the surface tension. The temperature should be just above room temperature, not hot or cold.

Use a sponge wrapped in a clean cloth, dipped and lightly squeezed out but still enough moisture to go through the cloth into the layers underneath. Go over the area you wish to clean pressing the sponge down so the liquid is pushed through the cloth, hopefully taking the dirt and stains with it. Do not rub - the motion is like pressing with an iron, up and down not sideways. Rubbing might remove the mark faster, but it would probably leave a roughed up area that could be permanent.

Lift the cloth to see how it looks. Don't lay it back down on the absorbing layers, you could get faint stains from what has come off the cloth.

If you need to repeat the process for stubborn stains use a fresh absorbing layer, or fold the towel to a clean place and put on a new cover.

If there is dried food or a stubborn stain, damp the front face of the cloth with a stronger solution of detergent, leave for a few minutes, then do the sponging process again.

Leave the kilt to dry away from heat and sunlight. A light pressing might be required.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: