How to Stop a Chunky Knit Blanket from Shedding [Solved]

Last updated on February 8, 2022

Here’s how to stop your cozy chunky knit blanket from shedding. As great as it is, the yard starts shedding eventually, and there’s only one way to stop it from happening. Here’s how.

In a nutshell, you need to shave the pilling and wash it on a gentle cycle. Read on for the details.

Chunky knit blankets are made of yarn (usually chenille yarn, Merino wool, or cotton and polyester blends). But why does yarn shed in the first place?

Yarn sheds because it is not twisted during production enough to keep threads together. It is a common problem with chenille-type yarns, which have a raised pile work around the core thread. However, this can happen with other types, categorized into furry like yarns such as angora, mohair, and alpaca.

So, here’s what you can do to prevent it from shedding.

How to Prevent Yarn Shedding on a Chunky Knit Blanket

The best way to help your yarn blanket not shed is first to wash it. It is usually a gentler soap and then elevates it so the air can get through. For those who dry their knitted projects, be sure they don’t have too high heat, or it will reduce the project’s potential life span.

How to Remove Pilling from Chunky Knit Blanket

Loose fibers create pilling where they tangle or mat together. These pilling instances are often referred to as threads. There are several different tactics available that one can use to remove pills from their knitwear. Still, we recommend gently tugging at them so the pill isn’t lost completely but rather loosened to prevent it from becoming more matted and caught together.

Many people use a fabric shaver to remove pilling from blankets because pulling the threads out is so difficult, but instead, try trimming the threads with scissors. Before you go to the trouble of buying a new blanket, decide whether or not you think that your blanket is worth the time and money it would take to get rid of those lint-like fuzz strands. If it’s just going on your couch, chances are you can live with the pills for now because they’re not all that intrusive.

A sweater comb is a metal comb that removes the stray threads on knits in more common words. To do this, place the comb at a light angle and carefully swipe across knits with the comb’s sharp edge. A small handheld machine that cuts off the loose ends of yarn. You can use an electric razor in a pinch.

How to Wash a Chunky Knit Blanket

The American Cleaning Institute recommends that blankets be washed at least four times a year. New blankets are covered in lint and often need to be washed more frequently than woven cotton or fleece blankets do. In between washes, it helps to give the blanket a “shave,” which reduces the amount of lint that ends up in your washer and dryer.

To wash a chunky knit blanket, take it into the washer on the gentle cycle with cold water and mild laundry detergent. If not using a high-efficiency machine, add 1 cup of white vinegar to reduce shedding and make your blankets smell better. Put the blanket in the washing machine on Gentle Cycle with cold water, using liquid laundry detergent that is fragrance-free or delicate. (This is because if you use fragrant detergents and bleach, it might cause itching when in contact with skin.)

You can hang it up to dry if you want, and if you use a dryer, add some low-heat fabric like corduroy or velvet. Add two tennis balls in the dryer with the blanket so that it fluffs out when done drying. After drying, remove it from the dryer, lay it flat on the floor, and shave off any loose lint with an electric shaver.

To remove shedding and pilling, you can use a sticky lint roller or wide masking tape. For dry cleaning, you should handle the woolen product with care, and handwashing equipment should not be dry cleaned.

How to Wash a Merino Wool Chunky Knit Blanket

Washing a Merino wool blanket in cold water does not mean felting and shrinking: the wool will come out thinner, smoother, and flatter, but it will become more durable. It is then not likely to shed. You can wash Merino wool blankets in front-load washing machines only with no agitator inside; they can only use cold water and a very mild detergent. Wash on a gentle “wool” cycle. You should only wash the blanket once.

When done washing, simply let it air dry. Do not use a dryer.