# Washing Wool with a Septic System



## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Well, I hope you know what I mean, lol! We have a 30yo septic system, and with 11 people on it, we're maxing it out. We did just get it cleaned out a couple months ago.

Would it be bad for it to wash wool in the bathtub, so that the lanolin goes down the drain? I'm worried it would all float on top and mess up the system. But I need to wash my wool.....


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## organicfarmer (May 11, 2002)

I would not advise doing that. When the water cools, the lanolin may solidify in your weeping bed. I wash the wool in tubs and then carry the water outside and dump it on my driveway or the snowbanks in the winter. In the nice weather, we wash outside in large tubs and then dry the wool on screens.


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## homebirtha (Feb 19, 2004)

I don't let the wool wash water go down the drain either. To me, it's just not worth the risk of a many-thousand-dollar septic repair. Since yours may be overtaxed already, I wouldn't do it.

I bought a plastic laundry-room type sink at Lowes for washing wool. It was $30, it's really light, so in cold weather, I can bring it in the house. Fill it from the kitchen sink, then drain it into a 5-gallon bucket that gets dumped outside. In warm weather, I'll just do it all outside.


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

The other option is wash it cold with a lot of dishsoap, which will dissolve the lanolin, so it doesn't cause problems with your system - just try not to use the antibacterial dishsoap.


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## donsgal (May 2, 2005)

Nellie said:


> Well, I hope you know what I mean, lol! We have a 30yo septic system, and with 11 people on it, we're maxing it out. We did just get it cleaned out a couple months ago.
> 
> Would it be bad for it to wash wool in the bathtub, so that the lanolin goes down the drain? I'm worried it would all float on top and mess up the system. But I need to wash my wool.....


I have always let it go down the sink (I have a septic tank). Never even thought about it. We had our septic cleaned out last year and the only problem seemed to be the hair from my hairy dh. There was no indication of any lanolin or other wool-related problems at that time.

But then I don't have 11 people in my house (thank goodness). So maybe you might be pushing your luck. I'd just throw it outside if you have any concerns.

donsgal


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

Everything but the toilet is 'grey watered' here....so I never think twice about washing wool in tub or sink.
It all goes out to water my cannas and ee's and tomatoes! They don't seem to mind at all.....


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## jerzeygurl (Jan 21, 2005)

yes throw it out if you are concerned

but i did think that if you used enough soap the lanolin bonded with it....let the water cool (wool removed) and see what happens maybe


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

The way I look at it is, it probably won't hurt it, but DH says it will, so I don't put mine down the septic cause IF something SHOULD happen, it's going to be me and my wool's fault, even if in reality that's not the problem, and I'd hear about it for the rest of my life. :nono: (And then I'd have to quit reminding him for the rest of HIS life about hitting the gas and phone lines when he was digging a ditch. Right now, I'm one up on him!  )


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Thanks, everyone, for your advice!



MTDeb said:


> The way I look at it is, it probably won't hurt it, but DH says it will, so I don't put mine down the septic cause IF something SHOULD happen, it's going to be me and my wool's fault, even if in reality that's not the problem, and I'd hear about it for the rest of my life. :nono: (And then I'd have to quit reminding him for the rest of HIS life about hitting the gas and phone lines when he was digging a ditch. Right now, I'm one up on him!  )


Well now, that's the BEST reason so far to just wait until spring and do it outside!! :rotfl: Cause, see, *I* didn't leave the 65 Chrysler out in the rain and let it get moldy.....


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It's funny I never thought of this. Hmmm, I'll be thinking about it now. I guess I always assumed that the soap I used would dissolve the oils. It also seems that most of the fleeces I get aren't really oily so it never seemed like something to really worry about. I mean, I wash dishes at times with more oil on it then the fleeces I wash.

I also will be keeping this all in mind and washing fleeces in the spring and summer from now on unless it is a handful at a time.


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Good one Nellie!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I've never known anyone to have a problem putting the water down the drain. You use really hot water and detergent, so the fat molecules dissolve in the water and will not reunite. This is why you use detergent on your dishes- to break up the fat.


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

Everybody with a septic system should be putting yeast or Rid-x down them regularly anyway...to help desolve those solids and greases.....saves a lot of dollars and heart aches later down the line!


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Mt Deb and Nellie - LOL, those were great posts!


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

I've been washing my wool in my top-loading washer and it goes into the septic. No harm to either during the years I've been doing this. However, I have 2 people on this septic system, and we Rid-X every month. It was pumped before we bought the place, 4 1/2 years ago.

I use lots and lots of detergent. I'm also not doing mass quantities of wool. Just 5-10 fleeces per year.

Meg


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