Fleece apparel is very handy, it is light and breathable, and it is very useful, especially in cold and windy days. No wonder that so many people want to know how to clean the fleece to keep their apparel neat and long-lasting for many years.
For that purpose, we have prepared detailed instructions for you on how to take care of the fleece garments and other useful things to learn.
Join us and enjoy it!
What Is Fleece and Its Specifics. Can you wash fleece?
First of all, let’s figure out what the fleece is in fact and why it is so useful and popular today.
To begin with, fleece fabric is a man-made thing even though its name comes from a specific coat on a sheep. Perhaps, it was named this way because the fabric itself does remind a sheep hair a bit being the same soft and smooth.
Anyway, in fact, fleece is produced of plastic and it is wholly synthetic. To be precise, it is usually made of polyester. Its fibers get woven and brushed in a specific way to create a fabric that will be increased in volume.
Sometimes, there may be some natural fibers included, for example, wool or rayon, for adding specific qualities and characteristics.
The main recognizable features of fleece are its high lightness, softness and super breathableness which make it a perfect match for any outwear.
Due to the specific structure of the fabric (with air pockets between the fibers), fleece can easily keep more warmth compared to the other warm apparel.
Another useful feature that fleece has is its moisture-resistance and durability, too.
So there is no surprise that many people start wondering how to wash a fleece item correctly to make it last to its longest.
Well, let’s find the answer to this question!
Washing Fleece. Precise Guideline
Taking care of the fleece apparel correctly will not only save them from ruination but also will help the fabric to stay the same soft and smooth keeping all of its qualities longer.
As a matter of fact, the answer to “how to wash fleece fabric” question depends on what kind of problem one needs to deal with.
Among the main requirements and rules we can highlight the following:
- Wash fleece apparel only when it is crucially needed. There is no need to toss it into the barrel after each wear. It will extend the garment lifetime and preserve its qualities.
- Different kinds of fleece apparel require their own specific frequency of washing. For example, sweatshirts need to be washed after every 6th wear, jackets are absolutely fine when washed twice a winter season, and gloves/scarfs will be enough to clean from three to five times during the winter. On the other hand, hosiery must be washed after each wear.
- Fleece requires gentle treatment so you’d better choose a mild cleanser and a sponge instead of any harsh methods to treat the blots, for example.
- How to keep fleece soft after laundering it? Simply set the washing machine to the gentle cold-water cycle and apply mild detergents.
- For drying fleece apparel, use air-drying either inside or outside. It is also possible to tumble-dry fleece, however, the lowest delicate items setting is required for that.
Now that you know the basic rules and requirements regarding taking care of fleece apparel, shall we take a closer look at some specific features and nuances that you may have?
How to Wash a Fleece Blanket Without Ruining It?
Fleece is a very soft and pleasant to the touch material that is pretty warm and lightweight in addition.
Due to all these beneficial features, owners of fleece items often wonder how they can wash their fleece blankets and covers without ruining them.
Well, the basic laundering scheme will include pre-treating, washing, and drying. And below, you will find a detailed description of each step.
Pre-Treat Your Fleece Blanket
First of all, you need to get your blanket ready for the “bath”. This is why before washing your blanket, you will want to pre-treat it in order to remove any stains.
See, if you wash the blanket without treating the stain first, it could cause the stain to become set in permanently! So we suggest that you make use of your regular dishwashing liquid, since it is a great product for pre-treating fleece blankets. It is gentle for the fibers but powerful enough to remove stains.
To pretreat stains, squeeze a drop of dish soap onto the stain. Let the soap sit on the stain for about ten minutes. It gives it time to soak into the fibers and lift the stain.
After that, use a paper towel or a clean soft cloth and blot the stain away. We recommend you not to rub the stain though! Rubbing (even if not vigorous) could cause it to penetrate deeper into the fibers and make it harder to remove.
Wash Your Blanket
The major rule of thumb for washing fleece items is that they must be laundered on their own or with other fleece garments!
Never mix fleece with other fabrics since it may cause fleece fibers to clump together because of the abrasion. As a result, your lovely blanket won’t be so soft anymore.
And since fleece is rather delicate, set the washing machine to the gentle or delicate cycle. Doing so will lower the washing machine’s agitation so that it isn’t as rough on delicate fibers. It also helps to ensure that the texture of the blanket doesn’t get ruined.
When washing your fleece blanket, use only a small amount of washing detergent.
Using too much of it can lead to buildup in your fabrics because it doesn’t get washed out all the way. It can also cause buildup in your washing machine, potentially damaging it as well!
It would also be better if you use either a mild or gentle one.
That’s because it reduces the amount of chemicals that are used on the fabric.
Even if the chemicals don’t damage the fabric, some of them may remain in the fibers after washing, leading to discomfort and skin irritation, especially in people with allergies or sensitive skin.
Finally, wash fleece blankets in cool or cold water. Like that, you will surely avoid ruining them since fleece is not heat-friendly.
Drying Your Fleece Blanket
You can opt for two different methods here. The first way is to let it air dry. Letting it air dry is the best way to ensure that the texture remains soft and guaranteed not to ruin it. However, fleece blankets can take a while to air dry due to their size.
To speed up the process, you can dry the item in a tumble dryer.
However, be sure that you are using the correct drying settings! With fleece, two of them can be handy. Using the low heat setting should fluff up your blanket without damaging it, and the blanket will dry faster than if you let it air dry.
Or you can use the “tumble dry” or “air fluff” setting, which will dry your blanket without the use of heat. But, doing so could take longer to dry.
You can also throw in a dryer sheet so that your blanket smells good as well as feels good.
How to Wash Fleece And Keep It Soft?
You might have noticed already that your fleece items tend to come out of the washing barrel being less soft than before you put them in there. This happens because of fibers clumping due to the excessive heat either during the washing or during the drying process.
This is why the key to keeping the fleece soft is washing it in cold or cool water and drying it using low or no heat.
This is the best way to ensure that the synthetic fibers don’t melt and clump together.
If it is too late for some of your fleece items after trying to make them look new again, at least you will know for future reference.
How Do You Make Fleece Look New Again?
If you accidentally washed your fleece blanket and it turned clumpy and lost its softness, don’t get upset. There is still a way you can use in order to fix everything.
You just need a pet brush – you know, the one with harsh metal bristles! However, any other brush will do, just make sure that its bristles are stiff enough.
And now you just need to brush your blanket!
We suggest that you pulverize it with water prior to brushing, or that you do it right after the item was washed since the method works best when fleece is wet.
When brushing the blanket, start in a corner for practice so that it is less noticeable or doesn’t turn out the way you want.
Once you’ve brushed the fibers to your liking, work your way across the blanket until all the fibers have been brushed. When you finish, the blanket should look fluffier.
Frequently Asked Question. Cleaning Fleece
The owners of fleece apparel often meet difficulties when it comes to cleaning the outwear. That is why we decided to highlight the most frequently asked questions and give answers to them so that you will be aware of any nuances in advance.
Is it required to wash fleece inside out?
In fact, turning the apparel inside out will contribute to keeping it soft and smooth after washing and will allow saving the colors, too.
How to wash fleece jacket?
Washing fleece jacket can be done either by hand or in the washing machine. In the first case, turn the apparel inside out and wash it using a mild soap powder and the lowest temperature regime. Gentle wash is exactly what your fleece needs!
How to wash a fleece blanket
Washing fleece blanket, in fact, doesn’t differ a lot from washing the jackets. If required, pretreat the blots on the apparel and then machine-wash it at the lowest temperature and the gentle cycle.
How to make a fleece blanket soft again?
For bringing back its softness, ensure you wash the fleece blankets together, without any other items made of another fabric. Also, use a mild washing agent and a gentle washing cycle.
Can you put the fleece in the dryer?
Fleece apparel can be tumble-dried, however, ensure to use the setting for delicate items.
How to wash Patagonia fleece pullover?
Patagonia fleece apparel needs to be cleaned in a washing machine using a mild cleanser and cold-water gentle cycle. Also, ensure that you turn the item inside out to keep it soft and smooth and wash it with other fleece items of the same color only.
How to wash fleece sheets?
Is it different from washing other fleece items at all? In fact, the procedure is the same. Start with pretreating any blots on the sheet (no harsh chemicals allowed!) and then toss it to the barrel. Set the machine to the gentle cold-water cycle and start the wash.
How to stop fleece from shedding?
Shedding may indeed be a problem that the owners of fleece apparel face. You may not be able to get rid of it forever but you can definitely make it less intensive. To reduce shedding, try to use a lint roller and ensure that you use the correct washing settings as the wrong washing conditions can also lead to shedding.
So now you know a lot of useful stuff about how to treat fleece and how to look after it correctly.
Use these easy tips and enjoy your warm and soft apparel longer!
Conclusion
As you can see, even though fleece is a synthetic fabric, it still requires certain care and proper maintenance in order to look and feel nice.
And we hope that with the help of our humble tips and recommendations, you will be able to keep your fleece blanket the same soft it was when you bought it.
