# How to get smell out of roving



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

I'm not big into fiber arts (yet  ). I mostly do soap. I purchased a pound of roving to make felted soap, but it smells like an old ram when I wet it. Actually, it's not the wool that smells bad, but it makes my hands smell awful when I wash with it. The soap has lavender essential oil and smells delightful before felting. So, how can I get this odor out of the roving? I should have been suspicious at such a great price (on amazon). Shame on me!


----------



## fibrefarmer (Apr 24, 2018)

The ram smell seems to be related to the grease in the wool. You may have to re-scour the wool. This is hotter than just washing it, too hot to keep your hand in the water. Use a soap that is good at lifting grease off wool - dish detergent if you don't have orvas paste. carefully place the wool in the hot water, press it down so not to agitate it, leave it to soak for a few minutes. Gently remove from water, then drain and refill the sink with clean water. add the wool, soak, remove, all gently so not to felt it. Keep the water hot for each rinse. For the final rinse (usually takes 2 or 3), add a generous amount of vinegar to the water. 

This gets rid of most of the ram smell, but it can come back when wet. Might be an opportunity to sell the wool to spinners.


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Thank you so much for that suggestion. I will do what you said and try to wash the smell out. For one of the bars I felted, I mixed a little activated charcoal in water, and then sprayed the felted bar with it. Looked a little gray and dingy, but once it dried, I washed the felted bar with warm water. It removed the charcoal, and the smell was gone. Just didn't want to do that with every bar. I'll wash it now and see what happens. THANKS!!!


----------



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

Might not be what you looking for, but I had some stanky angora goat buck fiber and was having trouble ridding it of the stank.

I was told to wash it in hot water, no agitation, three clear rinses and on the last rinse to use three hots of cheap tequila.

Yes. Tequila. And it worked. I have explanation why.


----------



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

Well, I felted two bars and let them dry. But, after washing my hands, I discovered that the smell had returned. It isn't nearly as strong as before, but I wouldn't want to take a bath with this! Thanks for the suggestion, Wind in Her Hair. I'll keep that in mind. I don't have any tequila on hand. But, I think I'm just going to use this wool to practice needle felting, and try to learn a little about dying wool. The wool only cost $12. That's worth it for a practice batch, so not a total loss. Thanks!


----------

