[Jacob-list] washing wool

[Bill Thompson]

Hi---I would be much more afraid of the bleach in my septic than what little
lanolin would be on my Jacob wool.
Everyone has different methods of cleaning their wool, I wash 26-28 fleeces
a year.  When I skirt, I also shake as hard as I can to loosen VM.  I then
soak one hour in hot water to loosen the surface dirt.  Lift the fleece from
my wash tubs, throw away the water in the garden etc and spin the wool out
in my washing machine.  I then fill the wash tubs with the hottest water I
can get, a cup of Tide and soak another hour.  Lift the wool out of the
water, spin in my washer and then fill my washer with the hottest water
available and 1 to  1 1/2 cup vinegar, soak an hour and spin out.  By
lifting the fleece out of the lst soak water and the soap water, I am
allowing the dirt and VM to drain off and stay with the water.  This whole
process can be done in a morning while I am doing other jobs.  I do set the
timer as to not forget and let the water cool, that messes up the process.
If you let the water cool, what lanolin is on a Jacob fleece will set back
on.

Bleach will kill the little working pac man type critters in you septic
system though and then you have to have it pumped.  Even to soak clothes
that might need bleach, I do it in a bucket and dump where I don't want any
weeds, etc to grow, like on a brick patio.  You are much better to use yeast
or septic "food" in you septic to keep it working, and avoid any harsh
disinfectants or germ killers.

Good Luck,        Lou Anne in S.W. Iowa

----- Original Message -----
From: Gillian Fuqua <gillianfuqua at adelphia.net>
To: <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 6:07 AM
Subject: [Jacob-list] washing wool


>
> I wonder if those machine washing instructions had you put in vinegar
> to deal with the lanolin.  I don't do my wool in the washer because of
> the lanolin factor.  I don't want all that grease in my pipes or in my
> septic system.  A girlfriend of mine does hers in the washer but then
> runs through an empty load with bleach.  I don't like to put all that
> bleach in my septic either.   I also would be leery of a hot water
> wash, I don't have any particular reason, just my gut.  I wash my
>