# What do you use to wash your raw fiber with?



## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I washed up some fleece for the first time yesterday. All in all I think it went pretty well. I used the "small amounts in a stock pot" method shown in Three Bags Full. 

For first efforts I think it worked out pretty well. I used Dawn soap, though, and I wonder if it was a little harsh. Is it too alkaline? What do you all use to wash fleece with? Three Bags Full talked about using detergent but staying a way from a couple brands as they felt the wool. 

I sorted out the best of the locks of the same length and want to try washing some in the method shown in Three Bags Full where she washes the locks laying all flat in a dish towel. It would be fun to try spinning from the locks and I want to try that method to see what I will learn. 

When I was done I put a splash of vinegar in the last rinse water. 

Does your choice in what to use to wash with depend at all on whether or not you are planning to dye it? 

Here are a couple before and after pictures. You can see some bits of chaff in the "after" picture but I think they will card out. This is Corriedale x Polypay. I have a LOT of the fleece left but I wanted to practice on this one before moving on to my much nicer fleeces.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

It looks great!
I also just use a little squirt of Original Dawn, and follow with the Vinegar rinse.


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

I use orvus -its what you use on the live sheep it you are washing them for show. you have to buy in a 5 lb tub for about $30 and it lasts forever (as in 7+ years and going). I've washed an average of 4 fleeces a year and at least 4 ewes/lambs and I still have 2/3 full bucket. We called it the snot soap as kids because it is a little less than liquid when cool and at the right temperature it is just like snot. Anyway it is a lot less harsh than dawn (which isn't all that harsh) and it more cost effective since it goes and goes, but with this soap less is more. If you get too much soap it something it takes forever to rinse it out.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

"Snot Soap" LOL!! 

How long do you let the fleece sit in the water with the vinegar?


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I just throw a splash in the final cold soak. Maybe 20 minutes to half an hour....


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

there is some controversy regarding "Dawn" - original Dawn, new Dawn, domestically available Dawn, internationally available dawn, Old Dawn - :shrug:

much of it has to do with the removal of phosphates (for environmental reasons) and replacing the phosphates with "protein-eating enzymes" that might damage fleece (because it is made of protein.)

Personally, I think Dawn is too harsh and leaves the fleece feeling dry and dead. So, for the same reasons I don't use Dawn on *my* head, I don't use Dawn on my fleece. YMMV. Adding the splash of vinegar helps return the pH of the fleece back to where it is supposed to be (whatever that is. :teehee 

I DO use Suave Clarifying Shampoo - - 92Â¢ a 15 ounce bottle when it is on sale :teehee: - and that is both FAR cheaper than Dawn or any other scouring product on the market and better for the "hand" of the fiber after it is washed. 

Dawn will get it clean - no doubt about that -but there is more to washing wool than getting it clean. 

And no, I use the same product to wash/scour wool with whether I will be dyeing it or leaving it naturally colored. 

I have used Orvus - but I don't always get to the Farm store to buy it (40 miles one way) - and when I want to wash fleece - I want to wash it NOW. And I ALWAYS have a supply of Suave Clarifying shampoo in the pantry!

I have used $$$ Unicorn Power Scour ($15.75 for 16 ounces) for fancy fleeces - but I am anxiously awaiting the release of Natalie Redding's Namaste Farms new product. Since Natalie Redding is both a shepherdess/fiber producer AND DIL of the late Jheri Redding of Redken/Jhirmack/Nexxus fine hair care products, it only makes sense that their companies would join forces to bring us a revolutionary fabulous product. :teehee:

(Funny thing though, Natalie uses Dawn to wash her mohair!)


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

WIHH, that is good information. I've got some Suave clarifying and am going to give that a try and see what the difference is between that batch and what I have already washed. What I washed already does have a harsher feel to it than I would like which is why I wanted to see what other people were using. 

Do you all always have the last rinse be cold? I didn't because I was worried about shocking the wool.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

I use dawn ... Kasota, I am excited to see your opinion on the Suave ! Heard of Orvis paste, but I dont think I need so much !! 

My last rinse is usually luke warm .... 

Your fleece looks SO white and clean ....great job !!!


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## lexierowsell (Dec 10, 2013)

Now keep in mind I know nothing, but I LOVE the kookaburra samples the Fiber shop up in Waco gave me. 

Natural, septic system safe, gentle enough to not bother my super-ultra-crazy sensitive skin.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Ty, Miz Mary and everyone! I really appreciate everyone's input because I have no clue what I'm doing. But I'm learning! :happy:

Lexie, I've never heard of Kookaburra but the word is fun to say! LOL! 

I am having such fun! This fleece is so huge I can try a lot of things with it and have some comparisons. 

While digging about under the sink for that bottle of Suave (which I didn't find) - I DID find a bottle of dog shampoo. Sad but true, I rarely bathe my dog (she goes to a groomer) and I have no clue how old this stuff is. But it feels gentle. It's pink, smells good and doesn't feel like it will be difficult to rinse out. I have a batch soaking as we speak. :sing:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

You know, there is something very quiet and soothing about sorting a fleece. I don't know why. Picking out the best for lock-washing, putting others aside for stock-pot washing, thinking about the sheep as they were growing the wool. I am imagining dying some of this white wool. I'm particularly looking forward to washing Ula's fleece. This is the colored Cotswold I got from the nuns.


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

My final soak is always the *same temp *as what I washed it in - I shoot for between 140Âº and 160ÂºF. I usually let it set in the soak/wash water for 20-25 minutes, lift, let the water come out of it, then sink it in another hot soak/wash.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

I shouldn't have said "cold" I should have said cool. I generally try to get the water the same temp as the fiber, not the wash water.
As invariably, I take for ever to squeeze the wash water out, and the fiber has cooled somewhat by then.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Ive only washed smalled amounts & have used Dawn. I am aware there is a controversy about it. I used vinegar too, mostly because after washing, I used the rinse water as a dye bath, using food color dyes

Your fleece came out lovely!!!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Thank you so much, PearlB! 

The stuff I washed in dog shampoo is now drying on the deck. I think it came out pretty nice! Every bit as white as the other two batches but feels a little softer. The salad spinner that I got at a thrift shop today works like a DREAM to get the excess water out. For sure worth the 3.40 I paid for it! LOL! I think this last batch will dry way quicker. 

I am going to have to come up with a system to store this fleece. I had no idea it would poof up so much! If I keep it in a bin or one of those big (as in huge extra enormous) zip lock bags can I pack it down or does that ruin it? 

I can imagine getting kind of attached to certain fleeces and the yarn-to-be. So much time and careful handling goes in to it. Maybe I will get over that. I kind of feel like this fleece is my first-born. :hysterical:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I need more stock pots.


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

as to the "vacuum packing" washed fleece, I kind of hate to do that. I like to keep it "un-compacted", loose, and airy. I just invested in Sterilite clear containers from Fleet Farm . That way I can SEE my pretty clean fleece and have it organized, too. 


(They were on sale at $6.49 when I bought mine on Friday!) 

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/sterilite-66-qt-latch-box/0000000054480


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Ok, I use those same type of containers for all of mine, BUT, I read somewhere, that you should never store your fleeces, or natural fiber yarns, in plastic containers.
I honestly can't recall where I read it, or why you shouldn't do it, I just know I saw it somewhere..
Anyone know why you shouldn't?:shrug:

I personally think they work great.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I was just reading that plastic bags traps moisture so isn't good for long term storage of fleece.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

What a quandry! I'm afraid of moths getting at my fleece so I've been using those zip lock bags like these:
http://www.amazon.com/S-Johnson-Wax...020&sr=8-2&keywords=zip+lock+storage+bags+XXL

I figured it would keep the moths out. Maybe it's not such a good idea? Wouldn't a plastic bin keep moisture in, too?


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I did two stock pot batches washed in the dog shampoo. It is definitely softer than the batches washed in Dawn but "might" be not quite as white. I will know better after it dries. I have enough of this fleece left that I can do two batches in Suave (I'll pick some up tomorrow) and two batches in laundry detergent. 

One other thing I have learned. White fleece shows every speck. Every. Single. One. 
I do not like specks.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I do not like Dawn. I use Palmolive, but less than is typically required. This is because I do not have heavy lanolin fleece. I bring the rinse water up to the temp of the wash water. After a half hour, the hot wash water has dropped in temp, so the rinse water is cooler than the original wash water. The second rinse I do the same thing, bringing the fresh water to the current temp of the first rinse.

I used shampoo on a couple of batches but did not like it. It may depend on the fleece.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

I can't speek to fleeces but when my sister showed sheep she always washed them in original blue dawn. White fluffy sheep were the consistent result.


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

I have always used Dawn-which tears up my hands, but seems to leave enough lanolin in the fleeces to suit me. I'm going to try to remember to put Sauve on my list for town next week for the last three fleeces from my aging ewes. If it works well and leaves my hands in better shape I'll use it. I rinse in a splash of vinegar as well-and try to match my rinse temperature to my fleece temperature.

betty


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

hercsmama said:


> Ok, I use those same type of containers for all of mine, BUT, I read somewhere, that you should never store your fleeces, or natural fiber yarns, in plastic containers.
> I honestly can't recall where I read it, or why you shouldn't do it, I just know I saw it somewhere..
> Anyone know why you shouldn't?:shrug:
> 
> I personally think they work great.


it's the "trapped moisture" thing - so I *only* use these sealed Sterilite bins for CLEAN, DRY fleece. Dirty, unwashed fleeces need to be stored in a pillow case or a burlap bag - something that allows moisture to escape. 

I had someone give me a nasty, urine-soaked fleece all sealed up in a plastic bag - and :yuck:. That could have turned out badly had I left it go awhile in the heat.  :shocked:

I have used those huge plastic colored Rubbermaid Totes before, but I hate not being able to SEE my fiber, so I am changing over to these clear ones.


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

Kasota if you'd like to try orvus I'll send you a sample. It would be interesting to see it compared to the other soaps.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I have read that some fibers get felted in bags. It was eather paper or plastic, can't remember which, but I figure it dosen't make a dif. aslong as you are not moveing the bags arround, they shouldn't felt.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I ditto everything WIHH said about washing fleeces, maybe cause I taught her :shrug: ? 

Question, how can a plastic bag trap moisture if the fleece is properly dry when it is put into the bag or bin? I have stored my fleeces in bags and bins for decades and the only time I ever had a problem with moisture was if the fleece sat in a sunny or hot area and condensation built up in the bag. Other than that it has never been an issue ever.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Great fiber washing, Kasota! :goodjob:

One way to get rid of specks is to blend in something dark with the white fibers. Then the specks are supposed to be there and saves ever so much time picking them out. 

I suspect location may have something to do with fleece in plastic. If you're in a dry climate storing dry fleece, then it probably would work great. If you live in a humid climate, then you'd be risking mold and mildew, IMHO. But, I suspect most folk's climates are a bit drier than mine. 

For the longest time the biggest pile of fleeces were in the burlap bag I got them in, although that big bag has pretty much been sorted into individual pillowcases now. There's loads of hotels around here who for some unknown reason replace all their linens every couple of years so occasionally one can get stacks of hotel sheets or pillowcases. Hence fleece in some insanely high thread count 100% cotton pillowcases. (Sheets are amazing, have you ever considered the amount of time it would take to make one by hand? And the hotels basically give them away in stacks.) Other fleeces live in plastic bins, although that (for me, anyway) is usually a short term storage option. Bunny fiber is usually stashed in gallon sized glass jars. Or zip locks, but that usually is in smaller quantities and gets used faster.

For washing the fleeces, if it's being washed in the washing machine, then I generally just use laundry soap. The amount depends on the fleece and amount of dirt. It's preferably done on a sunny day when the solar panels have heated the water hotter than the water heater does. Put in soap, fill with hot water, push in the fiber, poke it with a stick if I'm feeling brave, let it soak (this amount of time is variable, usually involving email or cups of coffee), sometimes if I'm feeling really brave, I'll let it agitate for about ten seconds, spin out the water. Wipe out the tub, refill with hot water, push in the fiber, soak (another cup of coffee), spin it out and put it out to dry.

If it's not a quarter fleece or more and it's just a small amount, then usually I'll put it in a gallon sized glass jar, hot water, shampoo or dish soap, depending on what's handy. Let it sit, tip the jar back and forth a bit, drain, remove fiber, refill jar, sometimes add in a bit of conditioner if I was using shampoo, push in the fiber, let it sit, drain and dry.

If you're doing white fiber, you can put in some of Mrs. Stewart's Laundry Bluing to make the whites whiter. Works on your own hair, pets, etc. as well as laundry. If I was taking a white sheep to a sheep show, I'd add laundry bluing to the washing of the sheep.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Thank you, Hotzcatz! 

Little by little I am learning. Even with the small amount I've washed so far I am starting to have opinions. :teehee:

Hotzcatz, does conditioner leave a residue on the fleece? Sometimes I use conditioner (after I dye my hair or in the Winter when static is a problem) but it seems so hard to rinse out unless I am just using Nexus "rinse" which lets me comb through more easily but isn't as heavy as conditioner. 

That's a good idea about blending in some other color. I will see how that goes. I still don't like those darn specks! lol! 

I'm glad to hear that clean and dry can be stored in bins or bags. Yay! I was getting scared. 

LAC, thank you so much for the offer! I would love to try some Orvis. I'll send my addy by email. :happy:

Yesterday I was letting some fleece dry on a rack on the deck. The wind came up and I didn't know it and a whole slew of smaller pieces blew through the deck rails and off into some tall flowers. They stuck there on top of the plants. I dashed out to gather them up. My neighbors probably thought the crazy gardening woman was growing cotton. (If it wasn't so cold and short growing season I would probably try lol!) 

I'm going to try some bluing just to see what it does. I used to put bluing on a Samoyed that would board with me from time to time. I gave him a bath before he went home because he always turned into a mud ball farm dog at my place.  

I have really been having a lot of fun with this. Yesterday I was thinking about all the new things I've learned since finding this forum...things I never thought I could do. I've learned things I only hoped to try. This group is so full of encouragement and good information. What a blessing you all are! :grouphug:


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## lexierowsell (Dec 10, 2013)

Kasota said:


> I have really been having a lot of fun with this. Yesterday I was thinking about all the new things I've learned since finding this forum...things I never thought I could do. I've learned things I only hoped to try. This group is so full of encouragement and good information. What a blessing you all are! :grouphug:



This!! Over and over!


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Today I washed up some of that fleece in Suave Clarifying Shampoo. Boy, did that ever work out nicely! I actually think it worked better than the Dawn soap and it was much softer when it was done. Thanks for that tip, WIHH! 

Now, it could be that I am getting better at washing fleece. It could also be that the sections of fleece I was washing earlier were a little dirtier. But I really don't think I was doing anything differently in terms of washing. 

I feel like I have been washing this fleece forever, but it has been fun to try different soaps. Once I get the Orvus from LAC I have enough to do two batches with it - one that is a little dirtier than the other. 

I'm anxious to start working on one of the colored fleeces! Plus I have that big bag of alpaca!


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

These alpaca blankets I've been washing, I too have been using the Sauve. I like it just fine and it rinses out better/easer than dawn.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

LAC's Orvus has arrived!! Many thanks, LAC!! :clap:

So this weekend begins the great Orvus wash-off.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You don't need much Orvus paste Kasota. Maybe a few teaspoons to a table spoon per gallon of water. A little bit goes a long way and if you use too much it will need to be rinse several times to get it all out. Don't forget to use a glug of vinegar in the rinse water, it will not only help to get out soap residue but and hard water gunk too.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks, Marchwind! 

LAC also gave me directions and she matches up exactly with what you are saying! 

I can only imagine what it would be like if someone were washing a sheep for a show and used too much of this stuff. How would you ever get it rinsed out?


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## lambs.are.cute (Aug 15, 2010)

Time and water. Lots of both. Thankfully when I started washing sheep I had someone to teach me but one of my friends didn't ask before washing and spent 3 hours washing suds out of her poor lamb before she gave up. Lol you should have seen her face when she learned the joys of a sticky lamb on a straw pen. It creeped the judge out too.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Oh, LAC....the poor lamb!! 

So the second to last batch of that white fleece is soaking as we speak. This batch is the cleanest of the two. I saved back some clean and some more dirty so that I could see how it works out. I did that with pretty much all of the products I've tried. 

I am learning so much! With some batches I was impatient and didn't let them soak long enough and it ended up taking longer to get them clean because I had to re-wash it. The batch that so far turned out the cleanest is the one I forgot about so it sat twice as long as the others. 

On Sunday I want to try washing some of the colored fleece that I have. It's hard to decide which one to start with next! I might try some of the alpaca just because everyone talks about how dusty they are and I am curious to see just how dusty. LOL! I think I would like to blend some of that alpaca with the white fleece that I have. 

My sister had a big old three ring notebook with plastic sleeves in it. I was going to use it to assemble recipes for my son but now I don't think he is going to get that one. It's a really nice one and I'm going to keep it and put samples of the fleece in with some information about what it is and where it came from and some samples of the yarn I will spin up. I think it would be helpful to have for future reference.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Kasota if you want to see how dusty Alpaca is just take a hunk of it outside and shake it. Make sure you are up wind of it though.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

So I am done washing the batches in the Orvus. Now I am done washing that huge fleece! Yay! 

This is what I found using the various products. YMMV as I am sure there are differences in temperature, how much is used in the water, etc. I wasn't scientific at all about this because I did not measure the product and I did not take the temperature of the water I was using. I'm sure there was variation in how dirty the different batches were but I did have at least one cleanest and one dirtiest batches for each product. 

I washed the fleece in the stock pot method, so it was done in small batches. I used hot water as it came out of the water heater but ran the water until the cool water had run through the pipes. I used a lid on the stock pot to help hold in the heat. The water here is naturally nice and soft. (I never get any mineral build up around water faucets, etc) I used vinegar in the last rinse water soak. 

Dawn got things the cleanest but if I used too much it left the fleece feeling harsher than the other products. If I backed off how much I used and didn't leave it soaking in there until the cows came home then it wasn't bad. I think if I had a really dirty greasy fleece I would consider using Dawn for the first wash and then switch to something easier on the fleece for the second wash. 

The dog shampoo left the fiber feeling softer than Dawn but I had to use a LOT of it and it took more washings. It was very easy on my hands and smelled nice but egads I had to use a lot of it. It was probably cheap dog shampoo as it was not a brand I recognized. If I used enough of it it did get the fleece clean, though. 

I was anxious about using too much Orvus so I probably used a little less than had been recommended. For me it worked as well as the dog shampoo and I didn't need to use the mammoth quantities I did with that dog shampoo or as many washings. The first wash water with Orvus, when I put my hands in the water I could feel a residue which kind of freaked me out as I had to use soap to get it off. Probably I had let the water cool down too far before doing the second wash. It left the fleece softer than Dawn for sure. 

Although I think any of the products would work Suave Clarifying shampoo turned out to be my favorite. It cleaned almost as well as Dawn but left the fibers feeling softer. It was cost effective, smelled nice and was forgiving to work with. 

Thus ends my first round of product comparison. I learned so much in the process and for sure will continue to learn more and more. I want to try the washing machine method. I want to try the stove-top method and washing a batch of locks wrapped in a piece of white cotton cloth method. 

I think it was Marchwind who said there is no substitute for hand work when preparing fleece. I could have sorted this fleece a little better than I did and I could have spent a little more time picking out the VM before I washed. So that is another thing I learned. 

Thankfully, I did not felt any of the batches. I found it really hard to keep my hands out of that stock pot. I really wanted to swish things around. I REALLY REALLY wanted to swish, but I controlled myself and didn't. It was torture. 

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions and input!! This has been a lot of fun and I sure have learned a LOT!!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yay!!!!! So glad you did this and kept track of everything. FWIW, I use Suave Clairifying shampoo on my hair a few times a week just to get out any build up of gunk or product. It works great. I think if you used the Orvus as was recommended you might fine it better than the Dawn. There is no reason to be scarfed of using too much. It rinses out pretty easily especially if you don't have hard water and the vinegar rinse will pretty much ensure you would get a clean rinse. As for the VM that is left in the fleece, you should see that it will fall out or be picked out fairly easily now as you card and spin it.


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

GREAT job and great review, Kasota! :clap: :clap: :clap: 

Now remember, there are other choices out there. There are nice and $$$ commercial cleaning products like Unicorn Scour Power, Kookaburra, and then there are the oddball ideas - like my favorite - washing locks with GoJo hand cleaner.  (I actually bought the stuff to wash it this way but haven't brought myself to do it yet) 

Then there are schools of thought on adding furniture oil - yes, furniture oil, tequila :buds:, and other interesting things. :teehee:

so much wool - so many ways to play with it. :grin:


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks, Marchie and WIHH! 

Can I share that Tequila with fleece? I don't have to give it alllll up do I? :teehee:

Washing just the one fleece only brought more and more questions to the fore! I would like to try some of the "made for fleece" products just so that I know in my own mind what I like. Plus, I think that different fleeces might respond a little differently. The white fleece I had was pretty heavy in lanolin. I think because it was white it was a good one to start with because things showed up in it...spots that didn't get as white or those darn specks that I missed picking out. I think if I had started with a darker fleece I would not have learned as much. 

I was actually stunned at how WHITE it got. I honestly thought it was an off-white fleece but it is certainly white and not ecru. 

WIHH - you gotta try the GoJo and give a report! Inquiring minds want to know!! 

Marchwind - that's good to know about the Orvus. I think I could have added a bit more than I did. 

Now I have to try one of my Shetland fleeces. Either the Alpaca or the Shetland is next on the list.  

I do have to say I really liked using the salad spinner to get the water out of the fleece. It really only takes a few spins and it's amazing how much water it gets out! 

This is so much fun!!!!! :nanner:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

There used to be a product that a was made in Minnesota, I actually knew the woman who developed it. They sold the rights and I can't remember who makes it now. They kept the name and I think it is still made and available. I used to use that exclusively to wash fleeces and woolen products. Meadows Wool Wash was the name of the stuff, it was very good.


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