DNase: The Enzyme That’s Safe for Wool, Silk, and Delicates
Natural fibres · enzyme guide
Which laundry enzymes are safe on wool, silk and cashmere?
The short answer
Protease is the one enzyme to avoid on wool, silk, cashmere and alpaca, because it breaks down protein and those fibres are made of protein. Lipase, amylase, mannanase, pectate lyase and dnase don't act on protein, so they're safe on natural animal fibres.
Read almost any care guide and you'll be told the same thing: never use enzyme detergent on wool or silk. It's good advice with a blunt edge. One enzyme causes the damage, and the rule throws out all the others with it, including the ones that deal with body oil and odour.
This guide goes through every common detergent enzyme, what it does, and whether it belongs anywhere near the jumper you saved up for.
Why wool washes skip enzymes
Wool, silk, cashmere, alpaca and angora are all protein fibres. Most everyday detergents use a blend of enzymes, and almost every blend includes protease, which is there to break down protein stains like blood, egg and grass.
Protease can't tell a protein stain from a protein fibre. Wash a merino base layer in it week after week and you get fuzzing, thinning and a knit that never feels quite like the one you bought. Research on wool knits shows the damage grows with soak time and enzyme dose.
Because protease turns up in nearly every blend, wool washes play it safe and leave enzymes out entirely. The fibre is protected. The clean is weaker.
Every detergent enzyme, rated for natural fibres
Each enzyme targets one type of soil. Only one of them targets the stuff wool and silk are made of.
Protease (also listed as subtilisin) Avoid
Breaks down protein stains like blood, egg, grass and dairy. Wool, silk and cashmere are protein too, so regular washing with protease wears the fibre down.
Lipase Safe
Breaks down fats and oils: body oil, sebum, grease and makeup. Those oils are what odour-causing bacteria feed on. lipase doesn't act on protein, so it's safe on wool and silk, and it's the enzyme most wool washes are missing.
Dnase Safe
Breaks down extracellular DNA (eDNA), a sticky residue released by shed skin cells that holds body oil and dirt in the fibre. dnase works on DNA, not protein, so wool and silk are left alone.
Amylase Safe
Breaks down starch soils like pasta, gravy and cereal. It has nothing to act on in a protein fibre. The catch is that it's rarely sold without protease alongside it.
Mannanase and pectate lyase Safe
Break down plant gums and fruit and vegetable residue, the thickeners in sauces, ice cream and some cosmetics. Neither acts on protein.
Cellulase Watch on plant fibres
Used to brighten cotton and reduce pilling. It acts on cellulose, not protein, so wool and silk are fine. It can thin plant-based fabrics like viscose and bamboo over time, depending on dose.
How to spot protease on a label
Before a detergent goes near your knits, check the ingredients for these:
- Protease or subtilisin. Either name means it's in there.
- "Enzymes" with no names listed. Assume protease is included. It's in nearly every enzyme blend.
- "Biological" or "bio". In the UK and Europe this means the detergent contains enzymes. "Non-bio" means it doesn't.
- Still not sure? Most big brands publish full ingredient lists online. Search the product name plus "ingredients".
If your wool wash passes, it's probably enzyme-free. That keeps the fibre safe, but it leaves a gap.
What enzyme-free washes leave behind
Every wear leaves skin oil and shed skin cells in the fibres. As those cells break down they release eDNA, which clings to fabric and holds onto oil and dirt. Wool and silk are washed gently and less often, so the residue builds up in layers.
Trapped oil goes off, bacteria feed on it, and you end up with the merino that smells fine until you've worn it for an hour, or the silk pillowcase with a dull patch in the middle.
Two fibre-safe enzymes deal with this. lipase breaks down the oils bacteria feed on. dnase loosens the eDNA so your wash can carry everything out. Research on dnase in laundry shows it reduces this kind of build-up on worn fabric.
Washing wool, silk or cashmere?
See how dnase and lipase fit into the wool wash you already use, with no protease.
Enzymes for natural fibres →Add the missing enzymes to your wool wash
Gear Guard is a fragrance-free booster that goes in alongside your usual detergent. Neither formula contains protease.
"I've been having trouble getting my wool clothing clean enough. I've been having to scrub them by hand which is not good for wool. One capful of this in the detergent drawer got them clean on the first wash, no extra scrubbing needed by me."
★★★★★ Louise, UK · ✓ Verified buyer
Common questions
Can you use enzyme detergent on wool?
Not one that contains protease, which is most of them. Enzymes without protease, like lipase and dnase, are safe on wool.
Is lipase safe on silk?
Yes. lipase breaks down fats and oils, and silk is made of protein. The risk with silk comes from protease, not lipase.
Is cellulase safe on wool?
Yes, wool has no cellulose for it to act on. Take more care with wool blends that include viscose or bamboo.
What is subtilisin?
A type of protease and the most common one in laundry detergent. If you see it on a label, keep that detergent away from wool, silk and cashmere.
How do I add Gear Guard to a wool wash?
Add one capful with your wool wash in the machine, or half a capful when hand washing. It works best in water around 40°C, or as warm as the care label allows.
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