How do I de-funk a Pendleton Wool Blanket?

July 3, 2016 6:28 PM

I have a Pendleton wool blanket that over the course of a year has served as actual bedding, trunk liner for a cross country move, and bed to several cats. More than a year ago I dry cleaned it, and beat it up outside at some point. My girlfriend is skeptical of dry cleaning it as she doesn't think it will do anything. Will it, though? Is there a better way? Can't leave it outside.
posted by tremspeed to Home & Garden (12 answers total)

Best answer: Does it have care instructions on a tag? If so, follow them. If not, I would assume dry clean only. If it is an older blanket, it likely is dry clean only. Honestly, even Pendleton thinks that dry cleaning might be your best bet. They suggest a dry cleaning option called Ozone Cleaning for funky smells/stains. I would just find a good dry cleaner and bring it in and ask for advice. Can't hurt!
posted by arnicae at 6:51 PM on July 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

yes, dry clean. don't succumb to the temptation to save a buck by shoving it into the wash, you'll destroy the blanket.
posted by mwhybark at 6:53 PM on July 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I bring my cat hair-covered Pendleton blanket to the laundromat and stick it in a large dryer (NO WASH) on the coolest setting (usually delicate). Easier than beating.
posted by acidic at 7:26 PM on July 3, 2016

Sunlight. The UV kills some forms of life. Expose both sides.
posted by Homer42 at 8:42 PM on July 3, 2016

Best answer: I'm not sure if the issue is stinkyness, stains, or allergens, but if cat allergens are what your girlfriend is concerned about she is perfectly reasonable to not want to use a thick wool blanket that has been a cat bed. If that's what's going on, get a different blanket to use for your bedding.
posted by yohko at 9:22 PM on July 3, 2016

Best answer: Ask yourself this: is it easier getting a new girlfriend or a new blanket?

I'm extremely allergic to cat dander (and, to be frank, kinda squeamish about germs in general). If my boyfriend tried to use a blanket on me that had been used as his trunk liner and cat-bedding... that would tell me all I needed to know about his hygiene habits and how much he (de)valued me. I'd hit the door running.

Buy a new blanket. Jeez.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 10:23 PM on July 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Here's a study on the issue which basically states:

"Commercial dry-cleaning effectively removes large amounts of cat allergen from wool materials exposed to cats but does not completely abolish this protein. Further, low Fel d 1 contamination may occur during this procedure."
posted by LuckySeven~ at 10:45 PM on July 3, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks for all the replies!

GF is definitely not allergic to cats. She's pro-cat in every way. Blanket isn't odor-y at all, I just feel like it's time to give it a good cleaning. Interesting that further contamination can occur during dry cleaning! I think my GF just doubted the effectiveness of it, I guess she considers it a rip off in general. I dunno.

I'll definitely try the dryer method first!
posted by tremspeed at 12:10 AM on July 4, 2016

I have boatloads of old wool blankets and it would never occur to me to have one dry cleaned. Into the wash on delicate/cold, hang to dry.

Wool blankets predate dry cleaners; you will not destroy the blanket, cursory Googling will fetch up loads of advice on machine-washing wool blankets (1, 2).
posted by kmennie at 12:45 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

Given my current count of Pendletons destroyed by a run thru the washer with settings matching your description, which is two, I beg to differ not in that wool blankets predate drycleaning, but in that I am a direct expert on destroying Pendletons by putting them into the wash.

The first time I thought I was doing it correctly and was most disappointed when the blanket came out reduced to a piece of felt approximately one third its' original size. I put it down to inattentiveness and the next time one needed cleaning I carefully reviewed how to wash a woolen blanket in a washer (as you describe, certainly) and doublechecked all the wash settings.

Another magnificent piece of felt resulted. Given that my washer cannot be relied on to produce the theoretical conditions whereby woolen materials may be laundered, I have chosen to learn from this lesson accordingly.
posted by mwhybark at 4:16 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]

A thought occurs: possibly this shrinkage issue is due to the specific manufacturing processes of the brand. The blankets I killed were actual made-in-Oregon Pendletons. I do have three generic probably government issue woolen blankets, one quite old and with three black stripes at either end possibly originally a horse blanket or trade good, and two classic dark green "Army blankets." These three have gone through the cold/delicate/hang dry cleaning cycle many times.
posted by mwhybark at 4:22 PM on July 4, 2016

If you still want to put it on your bed (I would never), wash it on cold. After it comes out of the wash feel free to stretch or "shape" it into the size it was. Let it air-dry.

Any wool thing in the dryer is going to shrink.
posted by bendy at 9:45 PM on July 4, 2016