How to Wash Burlap

Co-authored by Kyle Hall

Last Updated: September 15, 2021 Tested

Burlap is a great fabric that can be used in all kinds of crafts and DIY projects, but it can have an unpleasant odor and hold onto dirt and debris. Fortunately, you can easily clean burlap in a washing machine or even by hand.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Washing in a Machine

1
Load the burlap into your washing machine without any other laundry. It’s best to machine wash burlap by itself since it produces lots of lint. Otherwise, all your other laundry will be covered with tiny burlap fibers. If you’re washing a lot of burlap, you may need to do more than 1 load.^{[1]
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2
Add half the amount of laundry detergent you’d use for a normal load. When machine washing burlap, you don’t need as much detergent as you do for regular loads of laundry. Any kind of laundry detergent will work — just pour it in the machine with the burlap.^{[2]
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3
Wash the burlap on a delicate setting with warm water. It’s important that you use a delicate setting on your washing machine so the burlap doesn’t fray and unravel. Let the burlap run through a full cycle in the washing machine.^{[3]
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4
Let the burlap air dry when it’s finished washing. Drying burlap in a machine dryer can be too harsh on the fabric. Instead, hang the burlap from a clothesline or hang it over a couple of chairs in a well-ventilated area. It may take several hours for the burlap to fully dry.^{[4]
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5
Shake the dried burlap to remove any excess lint. If your burlap has a lot of lint on it after washing it, take it outside and shake it repeatedly. If any lint remains, go over the burlap with a lint roller.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Washing by Hand

1
Start filling up a sink or tub with warm water. If you’re washing a lot of burlap, go with a tub so there’s enough room for all of it. Otherwise, a large sink will work.^{[6]
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2
Pour a cap-full of laundry detergent into the water as it’s filling up. You want to pour in the detergent while the water is running so it gets sudsy. Once the sink or tub is filled up three-quarters of the way, you can shut off the water.^{[7]
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3
Submerge the burlap in the sudsy water. Push it down with your hands so it’s completely covered. If you can't fit all of your burlap, wait and wash the leftover burlap separately.^{[8]
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4
Turn the burlap over and squeeze it a few times with your hands. This will loosen any dirt and debris and help work the detergent into the fabric. Keep the burlap submerged in the water.^{[9]
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5
Let the burlap soak for 15-20 minutes. Soaking the burlap will help flush out any dirt or debris that's clinging to the fabric. Depending on how dirty the burlap was, you may notice the water getting darker as the burlap soaks — this is a sign that the soaking is working.^{[10]
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6
Remove the burlap and rinse it with cold water. Turn the burlap over in your hands as you’re rinsing it so all the leftover detergent gets washed away. When you’re finished rinsing, squeeze out any excess water over the sink.^{[11]
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7
Hang the burlap up to air dry. If possible, hang the burlap up outside so it dries faster. If you can’t hang it up outside, let it air dry inside in a well-ventilated room.^{[12]
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- Hang the burlap up in the shade if you put it outside. Direct sunlight can make burlap fade.

Community Q&A

Question

I have an acrylic painting with a burlap trim around the frame. How can I clean the burlap.

Community Answer

Try vinegar and water in a squirt bottle with a clean white towel handy to blot once wet.
Question

My hessian runner remains wrinkled after washing. What can I do?

Midmorrow

Community Answer

Give it an iron with a steam iron. Use a scotch guard so that the fibers don't get caught and ruin your iron.
Question

How to get dog pee from my burlap ribbon?

Midmorrow

Community Answer

Try using good old bleach. However, my recommendation is to just buy a new roll. Burlap ribbon is relatively cheap, and can be bought on eBay/Amazon.