How to clean my wool pressing mat
 

Hi, I'm new here, registered quite awhile ago, but want to start participating. Looks like quite an active group!
My wool pressing mat has started getting those ugly yellow marks from using a hot iron on it. I really hate looking at it all stained like that. I understand you can wash it by hand, but is there something that will remove that yellow staining better than regular detergent? Thanks

I have no idea how to clean the mat itself.

I made a muslin "pillowcae/cover" for mine when I got it.

For two reasons - I got the one for horses and it may not be as ice as the "quilter quality" ones because it does shed a bit - and i know how my ironing board cover gets those marks and stains.

Everything I've read says to *only rinse* with cold water in a sink -by hand - and then hang to dry. I've got some light heat-yellowed spots as well, but I'm turning my other cheek for now!

Take a stiff brush or scrapper and scrap the marks off. I use an old serrated steak knife. It only takes a few scrapes to remove the scorch marks.

Interesting, I'll give that a try.

Thanks. I might try all the suggestions. I thought about covering it at one time, bit thought it would defeat the purpose of the wool.

Mine has the scorch marks. I put the mat inside of a pillowcase.

I used an old disposable razor (that I was going to toss) and shaved the burnt areas off the wool mat. It worked great! I started laying an old linen tea towel over the top while pressing blocks and it is working fine. Thanks everyone

By the way, I made my own wool mat by crocheting it with wool yarn and felting it. It's as good as any mat that you buy and cost much less (used Hobby Lobby coupons to buy the yarn). I can look up the instructions if anyone wants them.

How did you get the crochet mat smooth? I tried crocheting one and felting but it would never get smooth, kinda bumpy. LOL

Mine was just a bit wavy on the edges when I finished it, but after I trimmed it to size, it was better and after using it awhile, it's not wavy at all.

I thought I was being smart and bought a “horse wool pad”. I got a bigger size and it was less expensive vs “a quilting wool pad”. It looks brand new and very compact or felted. It seems to do a great job. However, I am noticing lots of little particle strands/fibers on the cotton underside of whatever I am pressing/ironing. How do you get rid of these little strands/fibers? Use sticky roller? Vacuum? Wash or rinse the pad? Use pressing sheet layer between wool pad and item being ironed/pressed? Thanks,

I am sure the horse wool pad still has all the natural oils in it, making it better to be next to the horse. The lanolin could be making the wool thread slippery and they fall out. ?

I would use a pressing sheet over the wool pad, I started laying a linen tea towel over mine and it works fine. Also, you might try shaving it with a razor. When I made my wool pad, I had to shave it quite a bit to get smooth after I felted it.

That is the main reason I made a muslin ( I used good quality muslin) case for it. Works great. Keeps the fibers away from what I am pressing and I can wash it when it gets yucky. I just used safety pins to close the open end.

Thanks I will definitely try using a muslin interface.

If it were me, I'd throw the wool pressing mat right into the washing machine, in cool water. I would then smooth it out and lay it flat to dry. I would not hang it. I have a mat that I made several years ago and have washed it several times. It always comes out great. I've never had any scorch marks on mine, (fingers crossed,) but I like OnebOne's idea of using a steak knife to scrape them off.

Try shaving it with a razor, that's what I had to do to the one that I made myself after I felted it. Also, I started using a linen tea towel on top of mine when ironing now so I don't get the scorch marks.