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Felt is one of the most versatile and durable materials for DIY crafts, home décor, and accessories—but cleaning it can feel intimidating. The truth? Caring for wool felt is easier than most people think. In this guide, we’ll show you simple, safe, and effective ways to wash, stain-proof, and maintain your felt products so they stay soft, vibrant, and beautiful for years. Whether you’re a parent crafting with kids, an educator, a small business owner selling felt goods, or just a felt enthusiast, these tips will save time, prevent damage, and make your projects last.
Most frequently asked questions:
- What are the major factors that ruin your felt products?
- How to dry clean felted products?
- How do you get stains out of felt?
- How do you clean felt balls?
- Can you steam clean felt?
- Any tips and tricks?
- How do you store your felt products?
1. Why Proper Felt Care Matters?
Before we start with how do you clean felted wool, let's first understand the main enemies that ruin your felt products.
Common Causes of Damage – Moisture, pests, sunlight
- Moisture: Felt when dry, they are very durable and can undergo harsh beating without having much after effect. However, when we talk about wet felt, it's a whole other personality. They are fragile and delicate. We recommend avoiding storing felt products on low ground, in bathrooms, in garage doors, or in any humid area. Keep your felt products as dry as possible.
- Pests: Pests can do serious damage. Moths and carpet beetles love wools. It's always better to use prevention methods rather than having to deal with annoying infestations. Some easy preventions could be using lavender scents or storing your felt products in airtight and secure containers. Keeping them in breathable cotton bags can also be a great alternative. However, for worst-case scenarios, you can get any store-bought pest repellent products. But make sure you read the instructions well before using them. That being said, we have never received any complaints from our clients regarding pest infestation.
- Source of Light: Felt and Yarn uses azo-free dyes for dyeing the wool. Besides the type of dyes used, the lightfastness of the dye can be affected if the product is directly exposed to the source of light. Direct exposure can result in deteriorating the dyes, minimizing the vibrance.
After the devils are taken care of, moving on to how to clean wool felt. Let us show you how to clean felt fabric with minimal effort.
2. How to Remove Stains from Felt?
Wools are an amazing stain and liquid repellent. Acting fast, take a tissue and immediately blot off the liquid. It should be almost like nothing ever happened. To imagine the worst, it might leave you with some stain.
Dry cleaning will not be able to help you in this case. This brings another question: can you wash craft felt?
Yes, we can. Depending on which felt product you are dealing with, handwashing and machine washing can be possible. Nevertheless, we do not recommend washing cat caves, shoes, or rugs. I can’t stress this enough: "Be As Gentle As Possible".
No, after that being said, let's hop to the best and safest method for washing felt:
Spot Cleaning Method – Cold water, mild soap, gentle rubbing
Supposedly, of any stains, the probability of it being smeared all over is very less. Therefore, we recommend spot cleaning in comparison to cleaning the whole product. A few things to keep in mind;
- Use cold water, do not use hot water.
- Heat can shrink your felt, which you don't want.
- Mix the cold water and mild soap. And ever so gently rub where the stain is.
- To remove any soap residues, damp a lint-free cloth with clean water and again, very gently wipe it off. Repeat as required.
- For drying, use a dry towel and press down to remove excess water.
- Let it air dry.
Soak and Squeeze Method – Small craft supplies and accessories
For craft supplies and small felt products. For a more thorough felt product cleaning procedure, you can use this method:
- Dust off all the dust particles that you can.
- Fill up cold water in a sink or any container. Do not use soap.
- Dunk the felt product into the water, let it fully submerge.
- Take it out and easy does it when squeezing the water out.
- You can also soak in water for a few minutes if needed.
- Continue repeating this felt product cleaning procedure as required.
- Remember to only squeeze it and not to ring or twist it at any cost while draining as much water as possible.
- Use the towel to pat dry.
- Then let it air dry.
Right after washing, you might experience that your product has lost some softness. Don't worry, it will regain its bounce back with time.
Important Tips
- Avoid hot water, do not twist or wring
- Please do not soak your wool felt cat caves, shoes, and rugs in water. This method is only suitable for small craft supplies.
3. How to dry clean felted products
Nobody likes dusty felt items. In case of any dirt or dust particles stuck to your felt products, a simple dusting works like a charm. For any spillage situation, let it dry first. After completely drying, a light flicking or tickling will do just fine.
4. How do you clean felt balls?
Felt balls are the easiest to clean. A simple dusting, spot cleaning, or any above techniques can do charms. Squeezing your felt balls can sometimes change and deform the shape. You can lightly roll the felt ball in your palms to restore its round shape. You can do the same for any craft supplies.
5. Can you steam clean felt?
Yes definitely! You can help to quicken drying time by steaming felt. Sometimes your wool felt products can look a little bit sorry and need a little bit of a makeover. Whoop out your steamer, it can smooth out the wrinkles and transform it into looking brand new.
6. Tips and Tricks for Maintaining Felt
- If there is a stubborn lint stuck in your felt product, then use masking tape to extract it.
- Use small scissors to trim any strays.
- Using scents such as Eucalyptus, Lavender, and tree tea to repel bugs, mosquitoes, and pests.
- To remove any nasty smell or greasiness then you can use salt, vinegar, baking soda, or lemon. Use any of the above substances and mix ¼ of it into the water. Remember not to soak your product for more than 10 minutes, or else you might risk losing the integrity of your product.
7. How to properly store your felt products?
We have never experienced any complaints or feedback from our customers regarding any pest infestation.
A pest infestation can be easily avoided if proper storage is done.
Before storing any felt product, it’s advisable to give a proper sunbath for a minimum of 15 minutes. In case of any existing infestation, using store-bought pest repellents could be helpful. Clean the cupboard or container before storing your product.
Microwaving small felt supplies for less than one minute in low heat can kill any existing larvae or insects.
After properly cleaning, you can use an airtight container to store your products. Making sure no water intervenes. A great trick is to use a couple of those silica gels you get in the container with your felt product to ensure it’s moisture-free.
For clothing or shoes, store them in a breathable cotton bag. Our dryer ball bags are made out of 100% wool with a drawstring that can ensure no pests enter the bag. The size is perfect to store shoes, scarves, mittens, and clothes.
I hope the in-depth instructions help with your confusion. Our felt products are extremely durable and can last you for up to 7 years. But that being said, proper cleaning and maintenance of felt products ensure the longevity of your products.
Wool products are not only low in maintenance but have an abundance of benefits. It is eco-friendly, renewable, hypoallergenic, and all our products are azo dye-free, safe for both humans and animals. Do yourself and nature a favour by using felt products. For any further inquiries about our products, feel free to message us.
Good Luck!
FAQs
Q1: How do you clean wool felt?
A: Use cold water and mild soap to gently spot clean or handwash wool felt. Avoid twisting, wringing, or hot water to prevent shrinkage and damage.
Q2: Can you wash felted wool in a washing machine?
A: Some small, sturdy felt products can be machine-washed on a gentle cold cycle, but items like cat caves, rugs, or shoes should never be machine-washed.
Q3: What is the best way to remove stains from felt?
A: Blot spills immediately, use cold water with mild soap, gently rub the area, rinse with a damp cloth, and air dry. Repeat if necessary.
Q4: Can you steam clean felt?
A: Yes! Steaming helps remove wrinkles and restore shape. Hold the steamer a few inches away and avoid over-saturating the felt.
Q5: How should felt products be stored to prevent damage?
A: Store in breathable cotton bags or airtight containers with silica gel packs. Keep away from moisture, direct sunlight, and pests like moths.
Q6: How do you maintain the softness of felt after washing?
A: Air dry flat, gently reshape, and allow time for fibers to regain their bounce. Avoid heat or direct sun during drying.