caring for your knitted goodies

There are so many wonderful things about using wool for diapering.  Sometimes I wonder if I could fill a whole book with information and scientific gobbledygook about lanolin and breathability and antibacterial properties... well, I don't think I could fill a book, but I'm sure someone else could.  But here's the important stuff you really need to know- how to take care of your wool, and how to make sure it'll fit!

Wool Care

It's simple to wash your wool.  Every two to three weeks, or when you cover gets poop on it or begins to smell, do the following:

  1. Fill your sink, a basin, or a large bowl with cool water.
  2. Add wool wash ( Sudz 'n' Dudz , Eucalan, etc.) or a squirt of baby shampoo.
  3. Gently immerse your wool in the sink/basin/bowl and swish it a bit to get the wool wet.
  4. Allow your wool to soak for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Rinse your wool as directed according to your wool wash.  Eucalan doesn't need to be rinsed out.  Baby shampoo does.  Use cool water and do not rub your soaker.
  6. Gently squeeze the water out of the soaker.
  7. Every month or two , lanolize after washing.  Follow the directions provided with the lanolin you'll be using.  My generic lanolizing instructions are to boil a cup of water in the microwave, add a pea size glob of lanolin, stir until the lanolin is melted, and add this lanolin water to your wash water, making sure not to pour it directly on your wool.  Swish your soaker in the lanolized water and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes.  Gently Squeeze out the water and continue.
  8. Lay a towel on the floor and fold it over.  Lay your soaker in the middle of the towel and fold the towel again so the soaker is sandwiched in the middle of the towel layers.  Arrange your soaker so that it is flat, and give the ribbing a good tug upwards to keep it nice and tight.
  9. Walk on the towel-soaker sandwich to get out all the water.
  10. Lay your soaker out flat on a dry towel to dry.  You can also lay it flat on top of a box fan, or if your dryer has a drying rack, lay it flat on the rack and run the dryer.  DO NOT PUT YOUR SOAKER IN THE DRYER TO SPIN DRY.

Warnings

  • DO NOT use hot water.  Hot water will cause your wool to felt and shrink.  If you want to turn your soaker into a doll soaker, this is the way to do it.  Otherwise, cool water only!
  • DO NOT machine wash your wool unless you're experienced!  Some people can do it with success.  I cannot.  Don't experiment unless you're feeling really lucky.
  • DO NOT hang your wool to dry, as it can really stretch out the wool and cause it to fit incorrectly.  Always lay flat to dry.