# merino



## au natural (Mar 8, 2004)

What can I use to wash a merino fleece? I tried dish soap in hot water twice and it still has a heavy greasy feel. Suggestions please.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

the trick is TEMPERATURE to melt the lanolin. 

I use water that is 160ÂºF- thats really really hot- and I let it stand in that hot VERY soapy (to the point of being slimy) water for 20 minutes- then let is soak in another clean rinse at 160Âº.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

WHH is correct -- very hot, very soapy. The problem I had was getting the suds out. Took me several rinses, drove me nuts. I finally tried Unicorn Power Scour. I love that stuff!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I was told by Amy Tyler to use original Dawn (found it at the dollar store) and hot water. I asked her about orvus paste and she said no, it wouldn't cut the grease. I have a merino fleece that should be getting washed here next week.


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## Osiris (Jun 9, 2010)

Dr. Bronner's!


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

The suffolk wool I did first had a good amount of lanolin as a 3 year fleece. I just used dish soap from the dollar store and hot water. Only one wash worked great but I rinsed some a few times. The next Icelandic fleece had far less lanolin and I used wool wash from the dollar store. I haven't done merino wool yet but I agree that oil requires hot water to get it out. I would measure your hot water temperature to make sure it is hot enough.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

We have solar hot water so on a hot day the water is very, very hot. I'm lazy so I wash fleece in the washing machine. Fill it up, add loads of soap, push the fleece into the water and let it soak then spin the water out. Don't let it agitate. (Unless you're really brave, then you can let it agitate for about seven seconds. I usually don't.) Take out the fleece, rinse out the tub, fill it back up with hot water, push the fleece back into it and then spin the water out.


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