Wool pressing mats
 

If you have a wool pressing mat, can you use spray starch or best press on it? Can it be washed? Any bad experiences with it?

I have some of the same questions. I have been thinking about buying one for some time now. I am sure there will be some one who knows the answers to this jump in soon.

I washed mine. I tossed it in the washer with a couple of small bath rugs and dried it. Came out fine. I don't have an agitator washer, it swishes back and forth. I did do a second rinse to be sure all the detergent was out. It may depend on the brand of mat how it will hold up. Hand washing in the sink may be best for a trial run.

I used some "T" pins and wrapped a thin piece of muslin around mine, so I can just toss that in the wash rather than the mat.

The instructions that came with my mat said to cover the mat if I was going to spray anything on it. So to make it easy for me I made a pillowcase! That way I just have to wash that.

I don't have any covering on mine. Seems it would defeat the purpose of using a wool mat. Maybe not but I don't mind my mat getting used up. It is replaceable.

I make my own "sizing" with vodka and water, apray off the mat then go ahead and press on the mat.

Guess I never thought about it - but I don't spray starch on my mat. I use my mat primarily for ironing my embroidery when it is done and shirts with buttons. When I am ironing large pieces of fabric I have my home-made ironing board. My wool mat is only 17 x 24.
If you have a large one used bought that was a horse pad - those are cleaned not sure how they do it - most likely spraying them - but they are cleaned.

I don’t use starch on my wool mat. Steam is all. If I’m going to starch my fabric I just use my regular ironing board- I starch my fabric before cutting. I use my wool pressing mat to press pieced blocks