# Mrs Meyers detergent for scouring



## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

I've been using Dawn dish washing liquid to scour my raw fleece and have a heck of a time getting all the suds out. I just tried using Mrs. Meyers Clean Day laundry detergent and it seems to work quite well -- the first couple batches are drying, so I have not had a chance to play with it much, but it sure is clean (Fleece is Rambouillet). Primary ingredients are alcohol ethoxylate, sodium laureth sulfate, coconut acid and sodium citrate. The product is biodegradable and comes in Lavender scent. Was curious to see what everyone else is using. I don't know about you, but I've been scouring like mad. I'm determined to get through my pile of dirty fleeces before the rains come.


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

I haven't been washing fleeces, but I'm a Mrs. Meyers addict. If I must use commercial cleaners, it better be Mrs. Meyers.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I discovered that rinsing the fleece removes sooo much plain dirt that half the job is done before I use detergent. With all that mud and gunk out, it's easier to see if I need more skirting. I also use much less detergent. You are making sure to not get suds, right? You put the detergent in the water and use a whisk to stir it in. Bring it up to temperature first. This way, it won't simmer or boil and create suds. Put in fleece, let stand for 30 minutes, pull out onto a rack for a minute, then into rinse water.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

WHH - that is one of my concerns. I have my washed fleece drying in the sun....It is supposed to be pretty warm this weekend, so hopefully it will dry and I can start carding it next week. I will let you know how it spins up. Maura, I do a pre-soak with plain water and I agree, it gets out so much of the icky dirt. I am heating water on the stove, pulling off the heat and adding my detergent. I give a stir and add my fleece. I usually soak for about 15 minutes and drain. I wasn't measuring the Dawn, just putting in a couple good squirts....enough to make the water feel slippery. I'm only washing about a pound at a time right now. What are you guys using to wash your fleece?


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

The SLS in the detergent you like is the same stuff in Orvus, but Orvus is pure SLS and pH neutral. It rinses easily. It is safe for antique quilts and delicate fabrics, too. It may be cheaper too, check at your Farm and Home store. I buy the really huge jar of it and it lasts a long time. It is less harsh than Dawn. But I always wash my fleeces completely grease free, since I send most to a mill to be done for me. I must have 50 pounds of processed wool in my attic from the last 5 years of hoarding, and any trace of grease in the fiber will harden and become sticky by the time I get to spinning it.

I wash my wool in 6 gallon buckets in the bathtub, about 1.5 pounds at a time, with the fiber in lingerie bags from Walmart. Water temp about 160 degrees. I've never had washing wool do anything bad to a septic system, either. You can wash a lot of fleeces before you have to worry about accumulating very much dirt in the system. I did it for years in CA and it never affected ours. Sorry WIHH, I know Cabin Fever would disagree, but I will defend my stance. The actual amount of sand in a fleece is pretty minor, and you would have to wash an awful lot of fleece to get very much accumulating. If the septic system is being taken care of and pumped and all, it will be okay.

Our septic here in Iowa only handles the black water, so my gray water, like the bathtub water, goes down a separate drain in the cellar floor and out into the roadside ditch somewhere, downhill from the house, thanks to being installed in 1935 or so, when this area finally got electricity and folks began to have indoor plumbing. (None of the adults who grew up in this house know exactly where the water goes, but all sorts of things end up in the ditches and they would never have put the drain near the creek.) The only thing I have to watch is that I can't get stuff filling up the sump and drain pipe, and that includes food particles more than fleece dirt.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks for the input Iowa! I had heard that Orvis wasn't so good on greasy fleeces, but it sounds like it is working well for you. Our house was built in 1890 -- our gray water also dumps out in front of the house -- some day I'll rig up a settling tank and drip line - I would love to use it to water my huge front hedge.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I have washed fleece outside, in which case the water is dumped over a baking rack and onto the lawn. No problems with septic, and easier to dump than down the sink.

It is important to match your detergent with your fleece. If the fleece isn't heavily oiled, then it needs less detergent.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Just wanted to touch bases with you all -- I have not had time to spin any of the fleece from my Mrs. Meyers wash, but have done a bit of combing. Out of the three batches one feels crispy -- as WIHH said, I think I over scoured it. The other two seem ok. Going to give it another go, paying closer attention to the amount of detergent I use. Working on the first clip from the goats right now -- using Dawn to clean it. Didn't want to chance ruining that fleece.


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