What to do with Old Yarn: How to Wash Old Yarn

What do we do when we inherit or somehow acquire old yarn!?
Sometimes it's dirty and/or has a "smell", but it doesn't necessarily have to be thrown away!
In this video I show you all of the steps to properly wash old yarn.
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[@Snail_Brain420]

I inherited a whole bunch of old yarn from my great grandma and it all needs to be washed, thank you for your tips!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I hope you are able to make good use of that loving gift! I made a table runner with some pieces that my husband's grandmother made. It was such a sweet and connecting thing for my spirit after she passed 🙂

[@peenyweeny3834]

thank you! this is super helpful for dealing with thrifted yarn

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

So glad it was helpful!

[@itscallie]

Thank you so much for this tutorial ! My grandma recently gave me a whole chest of yarn and it definitely need a could washing 🧼🧽 Very excited about starting new projects!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

You're so welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@StephanieConnor-le9ic]

This was so helpful. Thank you so much. I bought a bunch of yarn and it smelled. I couldn’t even describe the smell. All gone now. I had to buy a few things but that’s okay. I got a great deal. ❤

[@lyrebird9749]

Great tutorial, thanks.

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

Glad it was helpful!

[@OlivettiLinea98TypeWriter]

Thank you for this video, I have a bunch of yarn from 2 years ago that I am planning to donate since I never used it. But I want to make sure it’s all usable and being able to clean it as such is really going to help ensure less of it will be wasted and more can be donated.

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

GREAT IDEA!

[@jenniferbarnett3841]

Thank you! Finally found a project for some old stash yarn and now I am confident I can use it

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I hope it works out the way you are hoping!

[@LK-3000]

Thank you so much for this video. I was worried about putting my skeins in the washer and your video came up in my feed after searching. Your method worked perfectly and my yarn is drying even as we speak.

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

HURRAY! Hazzah! 📣

[@nz-nz]

The very first thing I do with “old” yarn is check it’s strength (by breaking a bit off). It’s important to check integrity first!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I check for critter damage unless I'm SURE where it has been stored

[@Christena1601]

Thank you so much 😊

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

You're welcome 😊

[@milelo7087]

Thanks a lot! I receive a beautiful wool as a present from my mother in law, but it looks a little stain and smelly because she had it storage in a plastic bag. Now in going to try to recuperated it. ❤

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

Hope it helps! Do be careful with animal fibers that can felt. Be sure to use cool water and less motion :) Hope it all comes clean enough to use!

[@maryl4428]

Thank you so much! This video is so wonderfully helpful. And thank you for the reality check on rough acrylic 😅 so many good ideas

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

You are so welcome! I'm glad to help!

[@jordanvictoria5]

This was so helpful. Thank you for sharing.

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@starrystar1967]

Thank you for the video and all of the info, i have some yarn that was in storage that i need to wash and i will try your method out. Thank you again!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I hope it helps make your yarn usable again!

[@zyxvwu]

This is what I was looking for. Thank you. ❤

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

You are welcome! I hope it works for you!

[@claireholmes7752]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@zheniirahcharlotte1020]

Thank you for the information.

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Creativeyarn]

My yarn just came from a storage in Bali all mold and smelly, I'll use your tips Thank you!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I hope it works for you! :) It may take multiple treatments! The smell has been in a long time, it can take a long time to dissipate :) Be patient :)

[@aritziapark4962]

Thank you sm for making this tutorial!!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

You are very welcome! :)

[@sandicarter6370]

Great information.

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I'm glad it is helpful!

[@kathleenbrooks7323]

Thanks!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I'm glad this was helpful for you! THANK YOU for the super thanks! That helps me create more content.

[@flydelis88]

I don't have an option to dry outside - other than things getting wet/mess etc...ok to dry inside?

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

If you have good ventilation and air flow, SURE! Air dry inside! :)

[@lin5483]

what if i started crocheting/knitting unwashed old yarn? could i still be able to wash it after i'm done with my project?

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

Technically you CAN stitch with dirty yarn ... but WHY would you? Your stitching enjoyment will multiply if you are working with clean yarn :) PLUS, I personally think that you will get a cleaner result by washing the yarn before trying to use it.

[@theohiohousewife]

Vodka. Vodka takes out all kinds of strong smells (cigarettes and body odor) It evaporates quickly without a residual odor. Not as inexpensive as white vinegar but an option for that final drying spritz if needed

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

TRUE! And if you drink it, you might not care if your yarn still smells a little 😂 I use vodka in my herbal tinctures and syrups 🧪

[@kgaclash]

Will this also help remove lint from yarn or is it just useful for removing odor

[@TinaSpencer-mr1cp]

Only a guess, but this method is for cleaning and removing odors. I highly doubt it will remove lint from your yarn. The most effective way I have found for removing lint, or animal hair, is to wrap a piece of packaging tape, sticky side out, around my hand and repeatedly press it onto the yarn. Packaging tape works well because it’s nice and wide, I always have some on hand and it’s not as heavily adhesive as duct tape. I had a skein of dark burgundy yarn that my pup ran off with and it was covered in dog hair by the time I was able to retrieve it. The tape worked great at removing all the hair. If your yarn has lint throughout, I would recommend skeining it as the video shows and then use the packaging tape on the lint BEFORE washing, if you even need to wash it. Hope this helps.

[@kgaclash]

@@TinaSpencer-mr1cp Thank you so much! i actually had the same exact problem. My dog thought my new skein was her brand new chew toy lol. she dragged the skein under the couch and it was covered in lint and dog hair and god knows what else (I probably should vacuum under the couch soon). I ended up knitting a small swatch and tested to see if tape worked on the knitted piece. I first tried a regular lint remover tape and it did not work well, so I tried a packaging tape as you suggested and it did the trick. The yarn I have is very lose spin, so I found that using the tape on the skein before knitting it ended up tearing the yarn apart. thanks again!

[@TinaSpencer-mr1cp]

@@kgaclash You’re so welcome. I’m happy to know it worked for you!

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

I think @TinaSpencer-mr1cp has the right idea there! Try to remove as much as the lint and hair as possible before washing, as the very nature of yarn, and the link, the 2 can essentially felt together and it will become a permanent part of the fiber! The inside out tape trick works good. Giving the yarn a vigorous shaking outside can help. Maybe a link brush?

[@sm0ll]

My grandma gave me her yarn It’s very pretty but her cats jumped in it and now theirs cat hair I don’t want to ruin it so what’s an easy way when I don’t have all the machines and all that

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

It might depend on how much hair there is! You certainly don't want to felt the cat hair into the yarn, so I'd be careful. Perhaps getting the yarn into hanks, and using a loop of inside out tape on your hand, like a sticky lint roller, and as you are wrapping the yarn onto the hank winder, and it's running through your hand, it's going across the sticky tape and that's picking up the cat hair? You'll likely have to change tape a lot, but that might work! Let me know if you try it, and how it works!

[@mimivoiculescu326]

What can be done if the colour is bleading ?

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

This depends on the type of fiber. But, in general, before you use or wear a year with color bleed, it is a good idea to soak and rinse it in cold water. Some recommend adding salt or vinegar to that rinse to help set the dye.

[@madamnemesis7402]

How about wool yarn and mohair yarn

[@PerfectlyKnotty]

Since I am allergic to those fibers, I don't have the experience to be able to address that.