Try this at home. Many alpaca and wool items tolerate a gentle, cold-water wash with no major trauma or heartbreak.

I have a love / hate relationship with the dry cleaner. I love knowing that my alpaca clothing will be properly cared for at the cleaners. I hate the price.

Practical, logical and moral people read advice columns and helpful hints to find ways to avoid paying a dry cleaner or contributing to global warming via dry-cleaning chemicals. I would like to say I am one of these kinds of motivated, concerned citizens.  But, I’m not.

The honest reason I struggle with the dry cleaner comes down to a matter of my laziness. I never remember to grab my alpaca clothing or other wool items when I have to run errands or go to the store. Stopping at the dry cleaner is one of those infrequent pain-in-the-butt and expensive diversions that’s about as enjoyable as getting my oil changed. I just don’t think about it until it absolutely has to be done. When I reach for my favorite baby alpaca scarf, only to remember that I’d spilled coffee on it last week, and it’s in a bin with my sweater that I’ve worn as a jacket all season, do I start recalling all the other items I’ve put off taking to the dry cleaner. Gloves. Hats. Another sweater.

Shady’s crate doubles as a drying rack for alpaca sweaters, scarves and gloves.

Last week, I couldn’t take it any more. I gathered two sweaters, a scarf and pair of 100% superfine alpaca gloves. I took my own advice I’ve given to countless customers, and I tossed them in the washer.

Not every piece is a candidate for DIY laundering, but here is how I discern what I’m capable of handling:

Lori’s DIY dry cleaner decision checklist

• Will I be an emotional wreck for more than a day if this piece fits an American Doll when I am finished?
  Yes – Go to dry cleaner
  No – Wash it at home
• Have I worn it for at least two years and feel I have gotten my money’s worth out of it?
  Yes – Wash it at home
  No – Go to dry cleaner
• Will my husband notice it’s missing (doubtful) and therefore inquire incessantly (probable) as to its whereabouts?
  Yes – Go to dry cleaner
  No – Wash it at home
• Is the piece a blend of at least 30% synthetic fiber (acrylic, nylon…)?
  Yes – Wash it at home
  No – Rethink previous questions

Both of these items are 100% alpaca. The scarf is grade baby alpaca and the gloves are grade superfine. They both have seen several trips to the washing machine over the past few years.

If I can answer “Wash it at home” twice in the above list, I’ll usually opt to live dangerously and handle it myself.

Most manufacturers of 100% alpaca garments put tags on their wares stating “dry clean only.” Is this necessary? Not always. And, I can’t prove this theory, but I have a strong suspicion that some manufacturers simply use the phrase “dry clean only” to make consumers believe their product is special enough to deserve pampering. (I noticed last holiday season that Dillard’s had 100% acrylic scarves, for Pete’s sake, that read “dry clean only.” What a crock.)

I’ve washed plenty of alpaca and wool items with varying results. Most of the time, everything survives without any problem. Yes, I’ve ruined a few pieces too.

Here is how I wash alpaca clothing and other fine, natural-fiber items.

1. Use cold water always. Hot water, and subsequent changes in temperature for a cold rinse, will shock the fibers, causing them to cling to themselves and felt.
2. Almost any detergent will work. You do not need to use Woolite or any other fancy-schmancy soap. I prefer a liquid as opposed to a powder because powder particles don’t dissolve consistently in cold water. This often leaves glops of detergent residue on your wet clothes. Of course, a diligent, conscientious laundress would take the time to dissolve powder soap in a little water in the microwave, but that would diminish my claim to laziness.
3. By hand: Wash in a large bowl or tub. Do not agitate fibers. Simply soak, swish with hands, press the garment to the bottom and sides of bowl and rinse. Repeat if necessary.
4. In machine: Use the slowest, most delicate setting possible. Check every so often to make sure your item is not felting. If you notice the knit pattern starting to look tighter than usual, pull it out immediately and block dry. Take to dry cleaner.
5. Drying: Air dry only. I know more alpaca and wool items that met their demise from the dryer than from being washed at home.
6. Look at the label before beginning. If your item is 100% alpaca, you will want to be extremely careful. Blends tolerate washing at home far better than pure fleece. However, I have washed numerous 100% alpaca fleece items, and most of the time, they’ve been fine.

Last week’s load washed without a problem. The scarf is 100% baby alpaca; the gloves are 100% superfine alpaca; the maroon pullover, a thrift store find 4 years ago, is 100% merino; and the multicolor crocheted cardigan is a blend of wools, cotton and acrylic. I put them all in the same load.

Results: Everything washed perfectly fine on the hand wash / delicate cycle. I used cold water and Arm & Hammer liquid detergent. I air dried them all on Shady’s (the alpaca blog dog) crate. Nothing shrunk.

My oops:  I should have put these items inside pillow cases. My tan scarf got snagged on the central pillar and frayed into a small

I should have pinned this baby alpaca scarf inside a pillow case before putting it in the washing machine. It got snagged on the central column. Live and learn. BTW, notice the fiber’s bright luster. This is a quality of alpaca fleece that is judged both on the animal at competitions as well as in fleece shows.

disaster. I will no longer be able to wear this piece as a dressy accessory. It’s now a sledding and barn scarf.

Do you ever hand wash or use your machine to clean your alpaca or wool items or do you rely on the dry cleaner?

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Sirius Alpacas is a family farm in Chardon, Ohio that raises and boards alpacas for fun, therapy and profit. The farm uses its fleeces in the production of high-quality yarns and felted goods.

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