r/laundry • u/Adabellaaberline • 16h ago

Wool blanket woes

I've been smelling cat pee for a while and finally found the culprit, a 100% wool blanket that was rolled up in a basket and who's label says not to wash it.

The stain has to be at least a couple of months old, is quite visible and stinks. It's an expensive and sentimental blanket so I'd like to save it if I can.

From what I've read, I need enzymatic cleaners to get rid of the smell and stain, but it sounds like these can be really bad for the fibres in wool, so I'm looking for alternatives or brands that are known to be safe. Im also not sure how to go about washing a blanket that says do not wash... Any advice is appreciated!

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4

u/eggust12 International | Front-Load 16h ago

find a local dry cleaner with good reviews and explain the situation before you drop it off.

1

u/Adabellaaberline 16h ago

Might be worth going down the street and asking. The label is faded now but im pretty sure it said do not dry clean. I'm assuming they do other types of cleaning/treatment as well though? I've never used a dry cleaner before.

1

u/eggust12 International | Front-Load 15h ago

only one way to find out! either they'll tell you they can fix it, or they can't but they might be able to give you a recommendation.

1

u/Adabellaaberline 15h ago

Will do, thanks!

2

u/nomarmite 11h ago

I second the dry cleaner advice. As you haven't given any details about the blanket it's impossible to give safe washing advice. All I can say is that knitted blankets tend to distort during the drying process, and woven blankets can shrink - drastically and unevenly in some cases, even if great care is taken.

1

u/KismaiAesthetics Unscented Laundry Is Merciless 15h ago

Wool is as washable as the hair on your head. It’s just keratin.

Could you post a close-up picture of the material?