Storing Wool

[Junipervt]

I wash then put in our ceder chest.

to get the lanolin out & get it really clean before you put it away you can wash it w/ a squirt of blue dawn. it is a degreaser & will break down the lanolin so it can be rinsed off

[babyfever2012]

Why is it important to get the lanolin out?

[nonipie]

Originally Posted by Junipervt I wash then put in our ceder chest. to get the lanolin out & get it really clean before you put it away you can wash it w/ a squirt of blue dawn. it is a degreaser & will break down the lanolin so it can be rinsed off

This. I wash all of our wool in the washing machine. If I'm putting it away I just wash with Dawn and then put them away instead of lanolizing. I have read, don't remember where now, that the moths/pests etc. are especially attracted to the old lanolin. Could be wrong but It's just as easy for me to get them really clean before storing so I do.

[babymakes3.4.5....]

Hmmm I've tried handwashing with dawn, maybe I'll put them in the machine and see if that's more effective. I have plenty enough to do now! Thanks!

ETA: do they need to soak in the dawn? if so, how long?

[rachelhf7]

Originally Posted by nonipie This. I wash all of our wool in the washing machine. If I'm putting it away I just wash with Dawn and then put them away instead of lanolizing. I have read, don't remember where now, that the moths/pests etc. are especially attracted to the old lanolin. Could be wrong but It's just as easy for me to get them really clean before storing so I do.

I thought it was a bad thing to wash in the washing machine? Do you go through the entire spin cycle and everything? I would love to start using wool more often but it seems so complicated.

[babymakes3.4.5....]

Originally Posted by rachelhf7 I thought it was a bad thing to wash in the washing machine? Do you go through the entire spin cycle and everything? I would love to start using wool more often but it seems so complicated.

Wool is actually a lot easier to use than I anticipated! And I love it! I've just never had to store any before so that part is new to me. There were a couple of posts over in Extra Fluffy that talked about washing wool in the machine, it is possible you just have to be careful. For me, I wash them on the "Soak" cycle. I let it fill 1/2 with warm water (I think ours is a little more than "warm") and then switch to cold water for the other half so it's not too hot/warm. I add the wool wash (in this case it will be dawn) while the washer is filling. Add wool and let agitate for 10-15 seconds at a time, stop until everything stops moving, and repeat until it's done agitating. Then I let it soak for as long as I like and then run it through the spin cycle. Then I just lay flat to dry! I have noticed my wool gets a bit more fuzzy with this method, but since it saves so much time I don't mind!