How to Care for Your Wool Socks: Washing, Storing and Making Them Last

Natural fibre socks are an investment in comfort, and like any good investment, they reward proper care. Wool doesn't need washing as often as you'd think, and washing it the wrong way is the single biggest reason people think their wool socks have 'worn out' when really they've just been treated like cotton. Here's how to do it right.

Washing

Turn your socks inside out and wash them on a cold or wool-specific cycle, ideally inside a mesh laundry bag to protect them from friction and snagging in the machine. Use a small amount of wool-friendly detergent — skip the biological powder and definitely skip fabric softener, which coats wool fibres and reduces their natural moisture-wicking and warmth over time.

Drying

Never tumble dry. Heat is wool's enemy — it's what causes shrinkage and felting. Instead, gently reshape your socks and lay them flat on a towel or drying rack, away from direct heat sources like radiators. They'll be dry within a day and will keep their shape far better than anything put through a dryer.

Storing

Store clean, fully dry socks folded flat rather than balled up, which puts less strain on the fibres at the cuff. If you're storing seasonal socks away, a few cedar balls or a lavender sachet in the drawer will help keep moths away — wool is a natural food source for clothes moths, so this step matters more than people expect.

Dealing with bobbling and small holes

A little bobbling (pilling) is normal with wear and isn't a sign of poor quality — a fabric shaver or de-bobbling comb will sort it in seconds. If you do get a small hole at the heel or toe, wool socks are genuinely worth darning; it's a five-minute fix that can double the life of a good pair.

How long should they last?

With this kind of care, our customers regularly get several winters out of a single pair. If you want the most hardwearing options for daily rotation, our bestselling styles are a great place to start, and if you're building a proper wool sock drawer, our sock bundles work out better value than buying pairs one at a time.