How to Clean Felt Without Shrinking, Fuzzing or Losing Its Shape

First, know which felt you have

Needle felted sculptures and ornaments are wool shaped by stabbing, often firm on the outside but softer inside, and sometimes with wire, glass eyes or glue. Wet felted and fulled items such as hats, slippers and bags are dense wool felt that has already shrunk, but can shrink further with heat and rubbing. Craft felt sheets may be 100% wool, a wool and rayon blend, or acrylic or polyester. The label or listing usually tells you; if not, wool smells like singed hair when a single fiber is burned and synthetics melt into a hard bead.

Synthetic craft felt will not shrink in warm water, but it can pill and lose its crisp surface. Wool and wool blend felt can shrink, distort and go fuzzy if washed like ordinary fabric.

Cleaning needle felted figures and ornaments

For dust, use a soft clean brush such as a makeup brush or a soft toothbrush, stroking in one direction. A hair dryer on the cool setting or a can of compressed air held at a distance lifts dust from crevices. For a dusty shelf of figures, cover a vacuum nozzle with a piece of pantyhose or fine mesh, set it to low suction, and hold it just above the surface so it lifts dust without pulling fibers.

Avoid sticky lint rollers and tape. They pull surface fibers loose and leave the piece fuzzier than before. For a small mark, dampen a cotton swab with cool water and a drop of wool wash or mild dish soap, dab the spot, then dab with a clean damp swab to rinse and blot dry with a paper towel. Do not soak a needle felted piece that has wire inside, since the wire can rust and stain through the wool, or one with glued-on parts.

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Washing wool felt by hand

When an item is dirty all over, fill a basin with cool or lukewarm water, the same temperature throughout, and add a small amount of no-rinse wool wash or gentle detergent. Sudden changes from warm to cold shock the fibers and encourage felting, so keep rinse water at the same temperature. Press the item down gently and let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze the water through it rather than rubbing or wringing.

Lift it out supporting its whole weight, press out water by rolling it in a dry towel, then reshape and dry flat or over a form: a hat over a bowl, slippers stuffed with towels. Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators. Thick felt can take one to two days to dry fully.

Washing craft felt and felt fabric

Acrylic and polyester craft felt can be hand washed in cool water with mild detergent and air dried flat. A machine wash, even on delicate, tends to pill the surface and can stretch thin sheets, so hand washing is safer for anything you want to keep crisp. Iron on a low synthetic setting under a pressing cloth if it creases.

Wool and wool blend felt sheets used in quilts, pennants or appliques should be treated like wool felt: cool hand wash, no wringing, dry flat. Pre-wash or at least test a scrap if a finished item will need regular washing, since wool blend felt can shrink a few percent and dark colors may bleed.

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Stains, fuzz, pills and moths

Greasy marks: sprinkle cornstarch on the spot, leave it several hours to absorb the oil, then brush it off and spot clean if needed. Fresh liquid spills: blot immediately with a paper towel, never rub, then dab with cool water. Avoid bleach and stain removers with enzymes on wool, because protein-digesting enzymes can damage wool fibers.

Fuzz and pills: trim with small sharp scissors or a fabric shaver on flat felt. On a needle felted piece, you can also lay the fuzz flat and re-felt the surface with shallow pokes of a fine 40 to 42 gauge needle, which tightens it and often looks better than cutting. Moths: if you find holes or larvae, seal the item in a plastic bag and freeze it for at least 72 hours, then brush it clean. Store felt in sealed containers with cedar or lavender.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put felt in the washing machine? Synthetic craft felt sometimes survives a cold delicate cycle in a mesh bag, but it often pills. Wool felt and needle felted items should not go in the machine; agitation will shrink and distort them.

How do you clean a felt hat? Brush in the direction of the nap with a soft hat brush, spot clean marks with a barely damp cloth and use a little steam to lift crushed areas. Do not soak a stiffened hat.

How do you get dust out of a felted animal? A soft brush, cool air from a hair dryer, or low vacuum suction through a stocking. Avoid lint rollers.

Can you dry felt in the dryer? No for wool felt, which shrinks further with heat and tumbling. Synthetic felt may tolerate a no-heat setting, but air drying is safer.