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Felt is a very delicate material. Wool is a fabric made from pressing, so many people wonder if the felt is washable. And the answer is yes! The felt can be washed and cleaned.
Of course, felt takes a lot of care to clean because it’s not really an interlocking weft fabric. However, it wears out and forms balls with ease.
See Also: How to Choose a Quality Felt Fabric
Some primary care that I have already mentioned in this article will ensure that your felt crafts will be beautiful for a long time. But even frequent handling of felt can create stains, and no one wants to play with dirty felt, right?
See Also: How to Care Felt with Hair Spray
I’ll show you how to clean felt in 5 quick and straightforward ways with that in mind. Check out the tips below!
How to Clean Felt?
Felts can be pretty misleading because they are difficult to clean. However, after reading how to clean wool felt with proper care, you will realize that it is very effortless. Another advantage is that you won’t need expensive or specialized felt product cleaning tools.
Those who work with large pieces of felt may go through the situation of finding the first finished pieces covered in dust as they finish the job. In addition, there may be other problems, such as splashing paint or glue on the felt or painting the felt parts with too much liquid.
See Also: Everything You Want to Know About Felt
But all these problems can be easily solved, and once your felt craft is ready, I will show you 5 ways to clean or wash the felt.
1. To clean the felt with a soft bristle brush
Remove dust from the felt using a soft bristle brush. Again, make gentle movements and avoid rubbing the felt, as this will cause it to stretch excessively.
Baby hairbrushes are great for cleaning felt, but you can also use a toothbrush.
With the help of scissors or a razor blade, you can cut the balls or threads that will loosen as the brush passes.
2. Clean the felt with water and detergent
If some dye falls on the felt, it is ideal for washing it immediately. For example, you can do this like this:
Apply detergent to the stain, rub gently with your fingers, fill a cold or warm water bowl, and wet the pad. Squeeze the felt gently until all the foam is gone, and then remove it from the water.
3. Clean the felt with a Wet Wipe
A wet wipe will solve the problem if the stain is small or the felt is dusty. However, wait for the liquid to dry completely to prevent further spreading during cleaning.
4. Cleaning the felt with a sponge
Use a soft, one-of-a-kind sponge with detergent or soap for more superficial soiling. Stroke over the stain until it is completely removed. Then let the felt air dry only.
5. Clean the felt with adhesive tape
If the dirt is just accumulated dust, glue, or lint, wrap a thick piece of adhesive tape around your fingers and run over the felt until everything adheres to the tape.
Why Should I Clean Felts?
Felt is a widely used material in children’s toys and decoration, so the care given to these items should be doubled. And over time, felts accumulate dust and mites, which is highly harmful to the health of young children, especially.
Therefore, felt toys, wreaths whirling above the cradle, ornaments, and mobile phones must be constantly sterilized.
See Also: 15 Amazing Tips for Working with Felt
Plus, spotless felt is nicer and makes all the difference when decorating your pieces, right?
I’m confident you’ll find a practical way to keep your felt clean and lovely at all times now that you know it’s washable and have numerous cleaning solutions to try!
Let me know in the comments if you know of another way to wash the felt without damaging it. I want to know your opinion!
What are the main factors ruining your felt products?
Caring for the felt can be a little tricky at first. In fact, it is one of the most challenging materials to grasp in the textile business and often presents its users with a nightmare. Dirt, water, dust, and even the sun are not felt’s best friends.
See Also: 11 Questions Every Beginner in Felt Crafts Should Ask
Dirt can seep into the fibers’ pores, the sun can bleach them, and water can weaken the felt, making it appear dirty. After all, anything with dirt on it will not look good.
So, to keep your felt craft projects looking tidy and showy, you need to clean them and maintain them in a certain way. So, what are the factors that are enemies of felt? Let’s look at them:
- Moisture: When dry, batts are very durable and can be struck without much impact. However, this completely changes when we talk about wet felting. Damp felts are fragile and fragile. I advise against storing felt products on low floors, baths, garage doors, or other moist locations. Dry your felt items as much as possible.
- Pests: Pests can seriously damage your felt. Moths and carpet beetles love wool. It is always better to use prevention methods than deal with annoying infestations. Use lavender scents or store your felt stuff in sealed and safe containers as simple measures. Keeping them in breathable cotton bags is another good option. For worst-case scenarios, though, you can use any store-bought bug repellant. However, be sure to read the instructions well before using them.
- Light Source: Uses azo-free dyes to dye Felt and Yarn wool. Besides the types of stains used, the light fastness of the felt may be affected if the product is exposed directly to the light source. In addition, exposure to a direct light source can cause paints to deteriorate and minimize viability.
Tips on Cleaning Felt
As a result, felt is an excellent material because quality wool or wool blend is highly durable. However, the best way to store felt and keep it clean for a long time is to follow the tips below. Still, the principles below will work for any fabric material.
- Always allow the felt to dry in an airy and dry place away from the sun.
- Never bend or stretch the felt, as this will permanently damage its structure.
- Avoid overuse of felt because even the oily part of the skin can stain the felt.
- If you choose to wash the, felt in the water, wrap the felt in a towel and press firmly to remove moisture.
- Do not dry the felt with a hairdryer, as heat can cause it to shrink.
- Do not place the felts to dry in direct sun, as the sun’s heat can change the felt color.
- Try not to touch the felt without first washing your hands, as the oils from your fingers can be easily absorbed and leave fingerprints on the felt.
- If any stubborn lint is stuck to your felt product, use masking tape to remove it.
- Use small scissors to trim any strays.
- Felt can attract moths as it usually contains wool fibers. You can use scents such as eucalyptus, lavender, and tree tea to repel insects, mosquitoes, and pests.
- To get rid of a foul odor or oiliness, use salt, vinegar, baking soda, or lemon.
- Remember not to soak the felt for more than 10 minutes. Otherwise, you risk losing the integrity of the felt.
