Product Care
Regular bedding care is important in order to keep your bedding fresh and to increase its longevity. Some of our products can be washed and some cannot, make sure to read our advice before you begin!
Routine Care
Mattress Care
Felts
Mattress Protection
Accidents
Routine Care
1. Unmake your bed each morning
The easiest way to care for your natural fiber bedding is by unmaking your bed every morning. In order to let the most active areas of your bedding breathe, pull back your comforter and blankets for at least an hour or two after you wake up. Your wool bedding has been actively wicking moisture away from your skin throughout the night in order to keep you in a comfortable temperature zone. Giving your bedding a daily chance to air out allows it to release that moisture and stay fresh.
2. Fold mattress topper down once each month
Once per month or so pull your mattress topper down over the foot of your bed. This allows the very middle of your bed to air out and release moisture. This is a great time to rotate and flip your mattress topper in order to create even compression.
3. Seasonal Sun and Air
Once each season, remove all of your wool bedding (other than the mattress, which only needs to be sunned once per year) and place them out in the sun. Sun will naturally deodorize, bleach, disinfect, and revitalize your bedding. You can hang the bedding over railings or furniture, hang them out the window, or lay them on a blanket in the sun. If you are unable to bring your bedding outside, you can place the items near a fireplace/stove or another source of dry heat.
If you live in a particularly humid climate you can take additional steps:
Use a dehumidifier
Sun and air bedding more frequently
Fold all bedding over to allow the bottom of the mattress additional air
Use a space-heater as a stand-in for sun
Vacuum your mattress to pull air through the fibers
Wool is incredibly resistant to mold and mildew. Keep an eye on the wooden slats of your frame for early signs of mildew.
Mattress Care and Use Information
Begin with the right frame
Breaking-in a new wool mattress
Mattress size and shape considerations
Mattress care
Mattress refurbishing
Frame recommendations
The correct frame is essential for the comfort and longevity of your wool mattress. A beautiful Shepherd’s Dream Wool Mattress deserves a compatible frame. Look for these elements:
Solid wooden slats instead of a box spring or solid platform (both block airflow).
Slats are spaced 1.75” apart to provide the best support. (Slats spaced more than 2” apart may allow the sleeper to feel the spaces between the slats)
Wooden slats are 2.5” wide to accommodate the addition of our latex strips. Other widths will work for the mattress, but will not accommodate our standard latex strips. (if necessary, we can create custom width latex strips).
If you are interested in a frame style that we do not offer, our custom box insert can add the ideal slatted supports to any frame.
*We are not responsible for problems associated with frames that we do not recommend.
"Breaking-in" a New Wool Mattress
Each wool mattress is carefully compressed by hand when it is created, but be aware that a mattress will compress an additional 10-15% during the first 3-6 months of use. Our other wool-filled products will compress 30-40% (pillows and mattress toppers). This is a completely natural process; it does not decrease any of the positive qualities of sleeping with wool. In order to avoid creating "dips" where you sleep, a few simple steps can be taken.
Flip and rotate your new bedding frequently
Sleep on all parts of your bed. An occasional nap in the center of the bed will help to avoid a "hump" where no one usually sleeps.
Remember that the compression stops after a few months of regular use. Parts of your bed that are used rarely (edges and the centre) will catch up quickly.
If you desire more "give" after compression is complete, you can add a mattress topper, latex strips, or wool felt.
Mattress Size/Shape
When we create your mattress, we allow no more than a 1" variation from standard bed dimensions. Be aware that the tight packaging for shipping often causes the mattress to temporarily gain/lose an inch. Also, the mattress will expand slightly as it settles and compresses with use. A mattress can gain 1 to 2 inches in length and width after about 6 months of use.
Continued Mattress Care
Once your mattress is completely compressed it requires only minimal care. Continue to follow the regular care steps for natural bedding. The mattress will benefit greatly from an annual day in the sun. This is also a great time to rotate and flip the mattress. You can vacuum your mattress if it needs additional cleaning.
Mattress Refurbishing
We can refurbish most of our wool bedding items. If an accident damages your bedding or if it simply needs a fresh layer of wool, call our office for a quote. We will charge a reasonable rate to cover shipping, materials, and labor.
PILLOW AND DUVET CARE
If possible, avoid getting the duvets and pillows wet at all - it is not recommended to use a washing machine for pillows or duvets as this will felt the wool and the bedding will be unusable. Below are instructions to follow if there are any accidents, as well as routine care best practices in the last paragraph
If the duvet or pillow is soiled significantly, here are some tips:
Use a towel to remove most of the spill. Smaller accidents can be spot cleaned with a soft brush and cold soapy water if necessary. Dry completely and if there are residual stains on the cotton you can dampen the stained area with a spray bottle of water and lemon juice (spray bottle avoids wetting the wool as much as possible) and place in the sun.
If it’s a larger accident:
Fill a bathtub or basin with cool/tepid water. Add a bit of detergent to the water or directly to the soiled area. Submerge the soiled area and swish gently in the water. Drain the basin, press water out of the bedding, and repeat as desired. Avoid wringing or twisting the wet wool.
Only submerge the duvet in water if absolutely necessary as water will coarsen the wool fibres. Make sure you don’t use warm or hot water at all with the duvet and avoid agitating when wet - this is how felts are made!
Routine cleaning for pillows and duvets
On the next sunny day put the item out in the sun and air. Even if it’s cold, it will help regain loft in the wool. Wool fibres love sun and air, and sun is a great natural disinfectant and bleach. In fact, if the accident is so small that you can get away with just sunning and airing the items, this will keep them as fluffy as possible. A spray bottle with diluted vinegar and water can help you spot-treat any odours and water with one or two tablespoons of lemon juice can aid with bleaching the cotton.
Wool Felt Care and Use
On Your Bed
Place the felt on top of your wool mattress topper and other bedding. You can put your sheet over the felt or you may enjoy sleeping directly on the cozy wool surface.
Other Uses
Wool felts are amazingly diverse. We are crazy about these simple mats and use them for many daily activities. Wool felts are great for exercise, yoga, meditation, baby beds and as a compact travel bed.
Felt Care Recommendations
Placing your felt in the sun is the easiest way to refresh the felt and remove odors or stains.
When necessary, you can wash wool felts in a front-loading machine on a "delicate" or "woolen" cycle. Select "extra extract" if available.
Use a mild detergent or one that is formulated for wool (we recommend Eucalan detergent).
Felts can be sun/air dried or dry in a machine on low for 40-60 minutes. A new felt will naturally shed shorter fibers. This is normal and will decrease with time and use.
Mattress Protectors
Wool Mattress Protector Care
Wool should always be washed with care. Frequent washing can strip the fibres of lanolin removing some of the beneficial properties of wool. (Lanolin adds dust-mite and mildew resistant properties to wool fibres.)
Your mattress protector can be machine washed. Front-loaders are best, but not necessary. Always use a “delicate” or “woolen” cycle. Use a mild detergent or one that is formulated for wool such as Kookaburra, Eucalan, or Woolite. You can purchase Eucalan detergent on our website.
Cleaning Up Accidents
Accidents happen. Most wool products can be gently hand-washed. Make sure to avoid warm/hot water and to dry the item completely before use.
Smaller Accidents
Use towels to remove most of the spill.
Smaller accidents can be spot cleaned with a soft brush and soapy water.
To remove residual stains you can dampen the stained area (use a little lemon for additional bleaching) and place in the sun.
For larger accidents
Clean up as much as possible with towels.
Fill bathtub or basin with cool/tepid water.
Add a bit of detergent to the water or directly to soiled area.
Submerge soiled area and swish gently in the water.
Drain the basin, press water out of the bedding, and repeat as desired. Avoid wringing or twisting the wet wool.
To remove odors you can dilute vinegar in water and pour through the soiled area.
Again, be sure that the item is thoroughly dry before using.
Older wool products can be washed in a large front-loading machine on a delicate/woolen cycle. We do not generally recommend this, but it can be done if you use care. We do not recommend dry-cleaning because of the harsh and toxic chemicals, although our products can be dry cleaned if deemed necessary.