[Ansteorra-textiles] Wool Fleece!
Victoria Owens
vmowens at airmail.net
Tue Jul 16 16:01:33 PDT 2002
> I've seen several posts all of which specify Dawn liquid soap. Is this
> the only one that will work? I can't remember what I've got at home
> right now, so it will take until at least tonight to find out.
>
> Aside from the soap it seems to come down to constant water temp and
> slow, gentle handling of the wet wool. :)
Hi
I wash my wool with Orvus and a wee bit of washing soda. Orvus is used in cleaning
horses, sheep, quilts and historic textiles. It is cheaper if you buy it from a
feed store rather than a conservation supply catalog. Washing soda helps reduce
the surface tension of the water making the soap work more effectively. But only
use a little, once I accidentally tipped too much into the wash and the wool melted
(ewwww).
If you look in the back of a "Spin Off" magazine you will be inundated with ads for
wool washes, but ya know I have washed my wool with dish soaps and laundry
detergents and it has not adversely affected my wool.
For your amusement here is an 1815 wool cleansing receipt -
Fill a kettle 2/3 with water and 1/3 urine, "that which is old if you can get it".
Heat till you can barely put your hand in it. Add wool and "keep it turning round
for 6-8 minutes". Remove the wool, drain and save the 'liquor'. "Rinse the wool
in a box that is set in a situation so that a stream can run through it".
I am dubious about its effectiveness, but it is very clearly a receipt for scouring
raw wool not cloth.
Cheers
Kestral
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