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Insight · Wool Care
How to Clean a Wool Jacket or Shirt Jac
The short answer
To clean a wool jacket or shirt jac, brush it after wear, air it overnight, and spot clean small marks with cold water and a wool-safe soap. Steam it to lift odors and wrinkles. That handles most of what a season throws at it.
When it needs a full wash, read the care label first and do what it says. Most wool jackets are wool blends with quilted linings, sherpa or corduroy collars, and trim that each react differently to water, so dry cleaning is often the safe call. Never put a wool jacket in the dryer.
A good wool jacket is not something you wash every Saturday. Wool resists dirt and odor better than most cloth, and it recovers from a day of wear if you give it a night on a hanger. The men who wore these coats a hundred years ago brushed them, aired them, and sent them out for cleaning once a season. That routine still works.
The trouble starts when a wool jacket gets treated like a cotton shirt. Hot water, a hard agitation cycle, and a dryer will shrink and felt wool in one afternoon, and it does not come back. Here is how we care for our own wool jackets and shirt jacs, step by step, from the everyday brush to the once-a-year deep clean.
Read the care label before anything else
This is the rule that overrides everything else in this guide. A wool jacket is rarely one fabric. Look at how a few of ours are built, straight from the product details:
- Wesley Wool Jacket: a heavyweight wool-blend exterior with a polyester sherpa lining and flannel binding in the sleeves.
- Ellis Wool Jacket: a heavyweight brushed wool-blend exterior, a diamond-quilted polyester lining, and either a polyester sherpa collar or a corduroy collar, depending on the colorway.
- Aberdeen Wool Jacket: a wool-blend plaid shell over a quilted lining, with snap-button chest pockets and a dual zipper and button-snap closure.
- Yukon and Riverton Wool Shirt Jacs: heavyweight brushed wool-blend fabric with interior nylon trim and brown horn buttons.
Each of those parts shrinks, dries, and handles heat differently. Wool can shrink and felt in warm water. A quilted lining can bunch or pucker if the shell moves and it does not. Sherpa can mat. Horn buttons do not like a long soak. That is why the label on your jacket, and not a general rule, decides whether it can be hand washed. If it says dry clean, dry clean it. If the label is gone, treat the jacket as dry clean only.
Why our jackets are wool blends. Every Buffalo Jackson wool jacket and shirt jac, from the Wesley and Ellis to the Aberdeen, Yukon, and Riverton, is a wool blend, by design. The wool brings the warmth and its natural odor resistance, which is why brushing and airing do so much of the cleaning. The blend adds durability, helps the jacket hold its shape, keeps the weight and the cost down, and is often softer against the skin.
A blend is also generally more forgiving to care for than pure wool. That is not a license to skip the rules. Follow the care label, keep the water cold, and keep it away from heat, because the wool in a blend can still shrink and felt.
The quick guide: what to do and how often
| Task | When | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Brush | After most wears | A natural-bristle clothes brush |
| Air out | After every wear | A wide wooden hanger and a night of fresh air |
| Spot clean | As soon as it happens | Cold water, wool-safe soap, a white cloth |
| Steam | When it smells of smoke or looks tired | A handheld steamer or a steamy bathroom |
| De-pill | When pills show at cuffs, pockets, and sides | A fabric shaver or sweater comb |
| Dry clean or wash | Once a season, or after a real stain | The care label, then a good cleaner |
How to clean a wool jacket, step by step
1. Brush it after you wear it
Brushing is the most useful thing you can do for a wool jacket. It lifts dust, lint, and dried mud before they work down into the fibers, and it keeps the nap of brushed wool lying smooth. Hang the jacket up, then brush in short, downward strokes, top to bottom, working with the grain of the fabric. Pay attention to the shoulders, collar, and cuffs. A natural-bristle clothes brush is best. A lint roller picks up hair but does not clean.
2. Air it out overnight
Wool breathes. Hang the jacket on a wide, shaped hanger somewhere with moving air, like a porch, an open window, or a spare room, and leave it overnight. Most everyday odor, from a campfire, a restaurant, or a long day, fades on its own. Keep it out of direct sun for long stretches, which can fade the dye.
3. Spot clean spills right away
For a small mark, do not reach for the washing machine. Blot, do not rub. Rubbing wet wool is how you felt it.
- Blot up what you can with a dry white cloth.
- Dampen a second cloth with cold water and a drop of wool-safe soap.
- Dab the spot from the outside in, so the stain does not spread.
- Rinse by dabbing with a cloth dampened in plain cold water.
- Press with a dry towel and let it air dry on a hanger.
Test the soap on a hidden spot first, like the inside of a hem. For grease, red wine, ink, or anything you are not sure of, take it to a dry cleaner and tell them what it is. The sooner the better.
4. Steam out odors and wrinkles
Steam relaxes wool fibers and releases trapped smells. Hold a handheld steamer a few inches from the outer fabric and move it slowly from top to bottom. No steamer? Hang the jacket in the bathroom while you run a hot shower, then let it dry fully on the hanger before it goes back in the closet. Keep the steamer head moving, and keep it off sherpa and pile linings, which can flatten or mat.
5. Decide: dry clean or hand wash
For a full clean, go back to the label. Here is how we think about it.
| If the jacket has | Our advice |
|---|---|
| A "Dry clean only" label | Dry clean it. No exceptions. |
| A quilted or sherpa lining | Dry clean unless the label clearly allows washing. Linings and shells shrink at different rates. |
| A sherpa or corduroy collar | Dry clean or follow the label. Water can mat sherpa and leave corduroy looking crushed. |
| A label that allows hand washing | Hand wash cold, as below, and lay flat to dry. |
| No label at all | Treat it as dry clean only. |
Once a season is plenty for dry cleaning. Let brushing and airing do the day-to-day work.
6. If the label allows it, hand wash like this
- Fill a clean tub or basin with cold water and a small amount of wool-safe detergent.
- Button the jacket and turn it inside out.
- Submerge it and press gently. Let it soak for about ten minutes. Do not scrub, twist, or wring.
- Drain, refill with cold water, and press again to rinse. Repeat until the water runs clear.
- Press out water against the side of the tub, then roll the jacket in a dry towel to take up more.
Keep the water temperature the same through the wash and rinse. Sudden changes from warm to cold, plus agitation, are what felt wool.
7. Dry it flat, never in the dryer
A dryer will shrink a wool jacket. Lay it flat on a dry towel or a mesh rack, smooth the shoulders, collar, and front into shape, and let it dry away from radiators, heaters, and direct sun. Flip it once. Only move it to a wide hanger when it is fully dry, or the weight of the water will stretch the shoulders.
8. Press with a cloth, not a bare iron
If it needs pressing, set the iron to the wool setting, lay a damp pressing cloth (a clean cotton tea towel works) over the fabric, and press straight down. Lift and move. Do not slide a hot iron across wool, which can leave a shine. Keep the iron off polyester sherpa and nylon trim altogether, since synthetics can melt.
How to get a smell out of a wool jacket
Start with the gentle fixes and work up.
- Air it. A night or two outside on a covered porch clears most smoke and cooking smells.
- Steam it. Steam loosens odor held in the fibers. Let it dry fully afterward.
- Bag it with baking soda. Put the jacket in a large bag with an open box or bowl of baking soda, not touching the cloth, and leave it a day or two.
- Clean it. If a smell survives all three, it is in the lining or the fabric, and the jacket needs a professional clean.
How to remove pills from a wool jacket
Pills are small balls of loose fiber that form where the cloth rubs: under the arms, at the cuffs, around pockets, and where a bag strap sits. They are normal on brushed wool and blends, and they come off. Lay the jacket flat and use a fabric shaver or sweater comb with light pressure, working in one direction. Do not pull pills off by hand, which draws out more fiber. Our full guide on how to remove pills from a wool sweater covers the tools and technique, and it works the same on a jacket.
Shirt jacs: the same rules, a little more often
A shirt jac is worn like a shirt and like a jacket, which means it spends more time close to the body than a coat does. If you wear one over a tee, brush and air it after each wear, and spot clean the collar and cuffs, where skin oil builds up first. Our Yukon, Riverton, and Aberdeen shirt jacs are brushed wool blends with interior trim, so the same label-first rule applies. Not sure what a shirt jac is for? Read what a shirt jac is.
Store it clean at the end of the season
Moths and their larvae go for soiled wool first. Clean the jacket before it goes away for summer, let it dry fully, and hang it on a wide hanger in a breathable cotton garment bag. Our guide on how to store wool clothes and keep moths out walks through cedar, folding versus hanging, and what to look for when you pull it out in the fall.
Wool jackets and shirt jacs worth caring for
Wesley Wool Jacket | Brown
Built after the old riding jackets: it fits close to hold heat and falls a little below the waist. A heavyweight wool-blend herringbone over a polyester sherpa lining, with flannel binding in the sleeves and horn buttons.
$239.95
Shop the Wesley
Ellis Wool Jacket | Desert Valley Plaid and Sherpa
A heavyweight brushed wool blend with a diamond-quilted lining, diagonal hand-warmer pockets, and a polyester sherpa collar with a button tab. Prefer corduroy at the collar? See the Ellis in Navy Plaid and Corduroy ($244.95).
$244.95
Shop the Ellis
Aberdeen Wool Jacket | Thistle Bark Plaid
A classic wool-blend plaid with a quilted polyester lining for extra warmth, snap-button chest pockets, and a dual zipper and button-snap closure. It wears a full size big, so order one size down from what you normally wear.
$279.95
Shop the Aberdeen
Yukon Wool Shirt Jac | Timber Brown Ash
Heavyweight brushed wool-blend fabric with side hand-warmer pockets, flap chest pockets, and horn buttons. Wear it as a shirt over a tee or as a jacket over a thermal. Several plaids are available in the shirt jac collection.
$184.95
Shop the Yukon
Riverton Wool Shirt Jac | Charcoal Shadow Gray
A cleaner, more modern cut in a brushed wool blend that is soft against the skin. Side pockets for your hands, flap chest pockets for essentials, and horn buttons. Button it up on its own or throw it over a flannel.
$174.95
Shop the Riverton
Aberdeen Wool Twill Shirt Jac | Brown Briar
A brushed wool blend with a quilted interior lining, flap chest pockets, adjustable button cuffs, and horn buttons. Lighter than a coat, and easy over a dress shirt or on its own.
$184.95
Shop the Aberdeen Shirt JacFrequently asked questions
Can you put a wool jacket in the washing machine?
Only if the care label says so, and most wool jackets do not. Machine agitation and warm water can shrink and felt wool, and linings, sherpa collars, and trim can pucker or mat. If the label says dry clean, dry clean it.
How often should you dry clean a wool jacket?
About once a season, usually before you store it for summer, or sooner after a real stain. Brushing and airing between wears keeps it clean the rest of the time, and fewer trips to the cleaner means less wear on the cloth.
How do you clean a wool jacket without dry cleaning?
Brush it after wear, air it overnight, spot clean small marks with cold water and a wool-safe soap, and steam it to lift odors and wrinkles. If the care label allows it, hand wash in cold water and lay it flat to dry.
Can you hand wash a wool shirt jac?
Check the care label first. Many shirt jacs are wool blends with interior trim or quilted linings, and some labels call for dry cleaning. If yours allows hand washing, use cold water and a wool-safe detergent, press rather than scrub, and lay it flat to dry.
How do you get the smell out of a wool jacket?
Hang it outside or near an open window overnight, then steam it if the smell remains. For stubborn odors, seal it in a large bag with an open container of baking soda for a day or two. If none of that works, have it professionally cleaned.
Will a wool jacket shrink if I wash it?
It can. Heat, agitation, and sudden changes in water temperature cause wool fibers to lock together and shrink, which is called felting. Wash only if the label allows it, keep the water cold throughout, and never tumble dry.
Are Buffalo Jackson wool jackets 100% wool?
No. Our wool jackets and shirt jacs, including the Wesley, Ellis, Aberdeen, Yukon, and Riverton, are wool blends. The wool brings warmth and natural odor resistance, and the blend adds durability, helps the jacket hold its shape, keeps weight and cost down, and is often softer against the skin. Blends are generally more forgiving to clean, but always follow the care label and keep them away from heat.
How do you clean a sherpa-lined wool jacket?
Brush the wool shell, air the whole jacket, and spot clean only where needed. For a full clean, follow the care label, which on a jacket with a sherpa lining will often mean dry cleaning. Keep steamer heads and irons off the sherpa so it does not flatten or mat.
How do you remove pills from a wool jacket?
Lay the jacket flat and use a fabric shaver or sweater comb with light, even strokes in one direction. Do not pull pills off by hand. Our guide on how to remove pills from a wool sweater covers the method in full, and it works the same on jackets.
Xan Hood founded Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. in 2009. He designs our wool jackets, shirt jacs, flannels, and leather goods in Matthews, North Carolina.