Caring for wool and silk is very different from cotton. Both types of fibers originate from animals, which have a structure very similar to human hair. Their delicate nature makes them sensitive to heat and excessive wear and tear. For this reason, products made out of wool and silk must be hand-washed. Pure wool contains high natural oil content, called lanolin. It protects the wool from soiling. Thus, our wool nappy/diaper covers do not have to be washed after each use. If a cover is damp, it often suffices to hang it out to dry on a clothes line. However, if a wool item requires washing, it must be handled with care. The best way is to use a wash basin filled with lukewarm water no hotter than 77°F (25°C). Use a mild soap, for example our Disana wool shampoo. Place the items in the water and gently hand-wash, making sure not to rub the material together. For tough stains we recommend putting ox-gall soap directly on the stain. Directly after washing, rinse thoroughly in a basin filled with clean lukewarm water. Some of our items, like our wool diaper pants, require additional care. Once washed, these items must be soaked in a lukewarm lanolin bath according to the directions on the bottle in order to replenish the natural woolen oils. This makes the diaper pants watertight. Then squeeze out excess water and air dry. Do not place in the sun or on heaters.
~~Disana
Precious Dignity offers this…
Looking for a great wool wash? Kookaburra Wool Wash is fantastic. It smells wonderful and contains lanolin and tea tree oil. If you are trying to keep expenses down, you can use baby shampoo to wash your wool covers. Think of wool as sheep hair. To wash your wool you should treat it with the same gentle approach as you would your baby’s hair. A little wool wash or baby shampoo, a bowl of warm water, and a couple of hours to soak is all it takes to wash your wool!
Lanolin functions like hair conditioner. It will maintain the softness and elasticity of the wool fibers and make them more moisture resistant. If you are looking for an easy way to lanolinize or “condition” your woolen products, consider Imse Vimse Wool Cure. If you happen to have 100% pure lanolin at home you can make your own lanolin mixture. In a small jar add a pea size amount of lanolin to hot water along with a drop (and just a drop) of dish soap. The dish soap helps the lanolin emulsify in the water. Emulsification is better in hot water. Heating the mixture in the microwave is a good idea but BE CAREFUL! DON’T GET BURNED! When you remove the mix from the microwave, cover the jar with a lid and shake until all of the lanolin has mixed into the water. You want a cloudy mix with no visible lanolin droplets. AGAIN, BE CAREFUL when you remove the lid. The contents can be under pressure. Don’t get burned. Now add that lanolin to a bowl of warm water and let the wool product soak for as long as possible, even overnight.
Don’t be too concerned about using very warm water. Unwanted felting occurs when there is both heat and agitation. On a micro level the wool fibers are getting tangled, resulting in shrinkage. Hot water alone will not cause felting when handwashing. Precious Dignity does not recommend using the wool cycle on your washing machine.
After washing and lanolizing you wool, fold a bath towel and sandwich the wool in between the layers. Then lay the towel on the floor and stomp on it to get as much moisture out as possible. Allow the wool to air dry and you are ready to go!