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QuestionWHY does my wool sweater STINK?! š¤¢š¤®šš·
So I knitted this wool sweater. Despite measuring everything carefully as I went along it ended up about two sizes too small. No worries. I soaked it in water and conditioner and blocked it and stretched it out HUGE. Much better.
Except the thing smells VOMITROCIOUS. This sweater is for Nigel and between all the high maintenance shaping and washing and now this absolutely hair-curling stench, Iām thinking heās NEVER going to wear it.
Heās the one that wanted a damn hideous wool Weasley sweater and specifically requested it. I donāt think either of us were prepared for the absolute hideousness of this thing. It does seem like something out of Fred and Georgeās joke shop for sure.
Does the stench go away eventually? Or is this just my life now?
The cat does not approve.
Thatās wet wool. A lot like wet dog. Once it dries it wonāt stink.
What kind of smell? Is it animal-ish? Was the wool untreated? Or is it a kind of musty smell? If it's musty, the wool you bought might have been in storage for a while and some frest air will take care of it. If it's more of a raw wool smell it's harder to get rid of. It'll fade over time but come out whenever the wool gets wet. Was the wool oiled? That could be the smell, too.
Oil!! It smells like oil! And animal. But yes it does smell oily!
Oh yeah, it's probably that the wool was oiled. Sounds like it might have gone rancid. My advice, with the caveat that I'm not precious with my knits, is to put it in a mesh bag, wash it in the washing machine with regular detergent on cold and lay it flat to dry. A wool wash probably won't cut it. If you don't want to put it through a machine, try some regular detergent in the sink. The enzymes in regular detergent will help strip the oil. It might make the sweater a little stiff initially, but it will soften up with wear.
No. Donāt use enzyme based detergents on wool. These enzymes are designed to break down organic matter. Wool is organic matter. Itās protein. These enzymes break down protein. Use detergents that bind oil and wash it away, like soap or SLS (sodium laurel sulfate) products.
Yes. It's detergent, not acid. Wool isn't some precious gossamer that will melt away at the slightest touch. One wash in regular detergent isn't going to make it disintegrate. Aran sweaters were created to be worn on the ocean for months at a time. Wool was cultivated because it was hardy, not because it had to be fussed over.
I donāt think you understand what āenzyme basedā is. Itās not regular detergent. Itās specially formulated with enzymes to break down food and other organic matter by destroying intramolecular bonds, like peptide (protein) bonds. On the other hand, my āSunlightā dishwashing detergent is regular detergent. It cuts grease but thatās all it can do.
I do understand what it is. In fact, I spent the weekend washing my handknit scarves and gloves in it so that I could pack them away for the winter. They've all gone through it several times and they're still here in one piece. I didn't even recommend that the OP should follow my lead on that. I suggested she do it one time for a piece she said had an unbearable smell.
It is kind of absurd to suggest that wool cannot hold up to one washing in the same stuff that the vast majority of people wash all their clothes in. Wool is not that delicate, and detergent is not that strong.
I will give that a go after the sleeves are done. Do you know if the stiffness will help preserve the large size when I stretch it out after a wash? I canāt have this thing shrinking.
Either way thanks so much for the advice! Brilliant
I do think it will help it keep it's shape. I'd just make sure you keep it stretched out until It's 100% dry.
Let us know how it goes! Nothing worse than putting in all that work and not having a sweater you can actually wear.
I think wool is always oiled when it is spun. Normally the manufacturer washes it out after spinning, but sometimes it's up to you. I've seen the recommendation of using dish soap. I used baking soda the time I had to deal with it.
ETA:
Dish soap is the preferred detergent but make sure it is enzyme free and NOT antibacterial. In North America, Dawn Blue is good enough for oily ducks and yarn! In Europe and other places, Fairy Liquid is recommended.
I think fairy and dawn might be the same product repackaged for Europe
I hadn't thought of that. They're both Procter and Gamble, so it could be. (I haven't used dish soap in a long time, so don't know much about any of it.)
Is it still damp? If it is , itās going to REEK and ruin at least one room in your house for 3 days. Keep a window open if you can, if youāre drying flat change the towel underneath it. When itās dry, it doesnāt smell