Ever get gifted a wool sweater that feels a bit scratchy? It happens! Wool comes in many grades (meaning how fine the fiber is). The coarser the fiber, the lower the grade and higher the itchy feel. However, before tossing a scratchy knit in the donation pile, give conditioning a try. And by conditioning, I legit mean with hair conditioner.

Think about it. Wool is just sheep hair, and it’s not too different than our own. It’s scaly in texture, it can dry out, and it softens up when it gets a good conditioning. Note that conditioning isn’t guaranteed to make your scratchy sweater feel silky soft, but it’s worth a try before getting rid of a garment. Sometimes a little conditioner turns a fashion fail into a closet favorite.

Here's a step-by-step:

Fill the sink with cool water.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of hair conditioner and mix it into the water. Any regular hair conditioner will work. Avoid the 1-in-2 Shampoo and Condition mixes.
Put the knits in and gently swirl it around so it's soaked through.
Let it sit in the conditioner water for about 10-30 minutes. (If its super stiff or scratchy, leave it in for the full 30 min)
Drain the sink and refill it with cool, clean water. Put the knits in and swirl it around.
Drain the sink and press gently on the scarf to remove excess water. Don't wring it out.
Then lay a towel out on the ground. Place the scarf on top and roll them both up together like a burrito, pressing as you roll. This will get more water out of the fabric.
Hang it up or lay it out to air dry.

It might still be a little stiff when it first dries, however after a few wears, it should soften up. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

x Kristine of Declarative