The little fleece has been a disappointment. Some of it has dander. The fleece has enough gease that the dander doesn’t show up for me to see until it is washed. Then, there they are, specks of white throughout the wool. How sad. Perhaps more experienced eyes could spot the offending sections while picking. Morro Fleece Works has this definition of dander on their site:
These items do not wash out at scouring so remain in the fiber through the processing. They act like sticky little pieces of gum and adhere to the card combs and the exit rollers on both machines.
Then the fibers stick to these exit rollers also which then causes wrapping.
So where the exit rollers should be extracting a nicely combed and formed
roving, it is actually un-combing the fibers and wrapping them around the rollers. Not all lice or skin flakes create this problem but it occurs
in at least half of the cases, with some worse than others.
The stickiness is the problem. Given that the fleece is a bit short, although very soft, I am not that in love with it. Not enough to want to hand card it and certainly not enough to send it through my carder and risk getting it gummy. Not all appears to be affected. Today, I’ll wash another load before I make my mind up. It may be mulch.
Laurie and Kathy asked how I wash my fleece, how to make it smell sweetly. Good question. I don’t like storing a stinky fleece, even in my garage. Although a plastic bag helps with the smell, I don’t think it helps the wool. If you use the pastic bag method, make sure it stays in a coolish dark place. You don’t want the sun warming the bag, causing condensation to build up inside. Instead, consider rapping it in an old sheet or pillowcase. That will bring you right back to the smell issue. It drives my cats crazy (as well as anyone using the garage) and I fear reprisals. Been there. I wash as soon as time and weather permit.
First thing, pick through and eliminate any um mm.. stuff you don’t want. That includes short cuts, hay (VM) mud and poop. I like to use mesh laundry bags to control the fleece while in my washing machine. Stuff loosely, as many bags as you want to wash at once. I believe the bags save my machine from what I can only imagine would be a horrid death. Remember that washing doesn’t take up much space. DRYING DOES! Only wash what you can dry in one batch. Fill up your machine with hot, hot water. When you finish the fill part (I use the low fill setting) then add the detergent. Do not add while filling. You’ve seen what can happen in the movies, the suds monster?? Ask around, most people who wash their own fleece will suggest using Dawn liquid dish soap, preferable the original. I always try to use it. In a pinch, I’ll grab the Palmolive from under the kitchen sink. You’ll have to use your judgment here. I can’t tell you how much soap to use. More fleece, more water, more soap. Let it soak for a while, say 15 minutes or so. Then, SPIN ONLY! Get that yucky water out. Remove your net bags, refill you washer with the HOT water and repeat. I do the wash step 3 times. For the rinse, I do the same minus the soap. On one of the rinses, usually the second, I add a about a 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. It helps to cut any soap left. Then a final rinse.
That’s it! Spread it out to dry. It will smell much better, even sweet!
14 responses to “washing fleece”
That’s it…no fleece for me! Hey, I’m listening to the same music!
Yeah, I don’t see myself ever washing fleece. I’d rather let someone else do the picking, washing, carding, etc and just enjoy the spinning part.
Thank you SO much for the silk! It arrived yesterday and took my breath away. I didn’t realize you were sending the GOOD stuff. 🙂 Now I am trying to decide which spindle should have the honor…
Thanks for the tutorial! I’m supposed to buy a fleece from a guild member and I’m a bit nervous about dealing with it. I’ll keep your suggestions handy!
Great info! Where do you get the mesh bags from?
That sounds so simple. Thanks for the information.
Judy, I had a fleece like that once! Fortunately, it had been given to me, so no problem throwing it out! It was still a disappointment, though.
Oh dear, I hope you can save it…live and learn…thanks for the good link! (you can be sure I will wear my glasses next time I look at fleece!)
Yow. Fleece as mulch. That pretty much sux. I don’t think I’m going to be washing lots of fleece. My hot water heater isn’t set high enough for this, so I have to trek teapot water up the stairs to the fleece washing room x multiple. I have one lovely little Shetland that I WILL do, though. I’m printing this out. Thank you.
Thanks, Judy. Very informative. And I need to find a pillow case to get that poor fleece out of the plastic bag — at least it’s cool in the garage. Beter yet, I’ll get it boxed and to the processor this weekend 🙂 I did grab a handful (just a handful) to wash myself for the experience.
Interesting post, especially about the dander. I once bought a Hebridean fleece from overseas which was loaded with dander. The breeder insisted that I just hadn’t gotten all the grease out(!) I insisted that I had indeed washed all the grease out. On and on until I finally gave up trying to discuss it. Your link to Morro Fleece Works really addressed that whole episode. Actually, I got here by following links. From other blogs.
I had a little shetland fleece with Dander. It was sad, because it was such a great color and so soft. I tried a few ways of getting rid of the flakes, then just had to dump it.
And it was the same way, in the grease I couldn’t tell, because the little flecks were clear until I washed it.
A teacher at a class (I have no recollection who) said to add the Dawn, Orvus, or whatever to the water until the water felt slippery. It seems to be a good rule of thumb.
I’d like to add to you excellent description that some fleeces require fewer washes, especially lower-grease fleeces like Icelandic and Shetland. Sometimes one wash is enough.
Do you worry about the grease in your pipes & machine? Do you have sewer or septic? I have heard that over time it can cause a nasty buildup in the septic requiring it to be pumped.
We’re in rural CT and I usually wash by fleece by hand and dump the water outside by the bucket. NOT FUN! Especially since I buy a lot of fleece. Suggestions?
I’m just catching up on posts – it’s been too long since I stopped by. Not much personal computer time these days. This is very timely. This morning I was fingering the cormo my cousin gave me a couple months ago. It needs a good wash and carding. Next week we’re supposed to have some warm weather, maybe I’ll try tackling it.
As for stinky fleeces I recently read a suggestion to put a cloth bag with coffee grounds in with the fleece to absorb orders.