Washing a scapular?

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passivesquid

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i dont know where else this would go as there is not “sacramental thread”

well i wear this brown scapular (wool)everyday, and usualy i just let it hang outsside my shirt and asa result its gotten dirty and a bit frayed. am i allowed to wash it in my washing machine? and can i mend the frayed edges with a needle and thread?
 
I wash mine every time I shower. (I also replace it from time to time, as need arises)

tee
 
Why do you wear the brown scapular outside of your shirt?!?:confused:

One of the guildelines for it is “It must be worn over the shoulder to rest on the front and back of the body.” I always took that to mean touching the body (as opposed to laying on ones clothes).

Every single person I know who wears the brown scapular wears it inside their clothes and hidden from others. It is a private reminder to oneself.

That said, you can just buy a new one and it won’t even have to be blessed if you have already been enrolled.
 
I wear mine over my clothing because I am highly allergic and break out severely if it is worn against the skin, with damage that takes months to heal (a danger for a diabetic). Also for sign value, since we are trying to encourage wearing scapulars that were distributed last year. I have washed it from time to time in mild dish soap, blotted with a towel and hung to dry. when it gets frizzy I clip the frizzies. a scapular only lasts about a year since it is always getting caught on something. I tuck it in if it could be a hazard.
 
While it is customary for persons who are wearing a small scapular as compared to a complete religious habit to wear their scapulars under their outer clothes, this is not required. One may wear a small scapular over one’s outer clothes just as one may similarly wear a crucifix or any other religious symbol.

I do not recommend washing a scapular in a washing machine as it may become tangled under the agitator. Instead I put it in a clean jar large enough to completely submerge the scapular when the jar is about 3/4 full of cold or lukewarm water. (A baby food jar is probably too small, 16 oz jar is a good size, a regular spaghetti sauce jar will work but is larger than necessary unless you have a really big scapular.)

Add cold cold or lukewarm water until the jar is about 3/4 full, plus one or two drops of color safe laundry detergent. Do not use bleach or hot water unless you have an all-white scapular. Tighten the cover on the jar and let it soak for several minutes before shaking the jar vigorously for about a minute. Examine the water in the jar. If it is very dirty, discard the water, add new water and detergent and repeat.

If the wash water is only a little dirty after shaking the jar (there will always be a little dirt or lint in the water after shaking) then rinse the scapular in clean cold or lukewarm water. Air dry. To prevent tangling, I do not recommend washing multiple scapulars together.
 
thank you. i think ill try that jar trick,leopard. and to answer your question i wear it outside my shirt because im not afraid to show the world what i believ in.if some one asks me i proudly tell them what it is. no big deal for me.
 
Yea I have the same problem, mine is dirty from skin oil and dirt and its kinda faded…Ive grown pretty attached to it though
 
If you’ve grown attached to your scapular it is definitely time to launder it! 😉
 
Yeah, you’re allowed to wash it. Actually that would be a good idea because like anything else held close to your body for an extended period of time, it may begin to acquire some dirt or sweat.

I wouldn’t reccommend putting it in the washer just because it is so fragile. I suggest hand washing it in your sink or a basin or something, and then hanging it out to dry. The vigor of a washing machine is likely to damage your scapular.
 
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