Best way to wash kilt hose?

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Can the wool Lochcarron and Gaelic Themes kilt hose offered by many of the highland wear vendors be washed in the washer using the delicate cycle, cold water and Woolite without causing any harm to the kilt hose?

Sometimes hand washing doesn't seem to get all of the dirt and soil out of the light colored hose (cream or oatmeal). Does anyone have a suggestion?

I've washed many a pair of Lochcarron and Gaelic themes hose in the washer on the delivate cycle as described above and never had a problem, except for the lovat green from Lochcarron, which shrunk. Never had a problem with any other color.

[cacunn]

except for the lovat green

They were green if you had let them ripen a little you would not have had the problem.

[Pleater]

I try to wash my hose as soon as possible after wearing them - dark colours I will wear two days running, in cool weather, but as soon as the clocks change in the spring I only wear them one day, and in the hottest months of the year I always wash them as soon as I take them off.

If you let them lie around after wearing they will not last as long, and they can discolour if they are pale colours.

I have been making and wearing hose for 40 years now and I have some which must be almost that old, or at least the yarn is - I reknit them if they get a hole but the yarn is still good.

These days it would be difficult to get the 50 percent Nylon yarn I used to use, I have not seen it for a decade or so. I now use a yarn with more wool - I try to get a 20 percent Nylon, but 10 is the more usual these days.

I have made short socks from all wool - very luxurious but I doubt they would last long for hard wear.

I usually wash hose in the bathroom and tend to use either shampoo or toilet soap. I did get some liquid detergent once, but it seemed very harsh by comparison.

I think that shampoo with conditioner gives the best results with the high wool socks, as it helps stop felting and pilling.

I am not sure how it would affect acrylic mix socks as I don't have any, but I have heard that using ordinary clothing conditioner on arylic knits is not a good thing and can make them go limp and stretched out.

I usually wash, rinse twice, and then squeeze - I play guitar and my grip is good - though with the thickest and longest ones I wrap them in a towel and stand on them.

A third rinse with a drop of white vinegar will benefit wool socks, particularly if your feet tend to pong a bit - it corrects the acidity so the wool is happy and the pong making organisms are not.

I then hand them up to dry naturally, away from heat and sunlight - the sun will brown wet wool, and make it brittle - which is good in a way as the brown bits will break off, but it weakens the threads and makes them feel itchy as all the broken ends work their way out of the stitches.