To prevent shrinkage and felting special care needs to be taken when washing and drying your woolen items. Never use regular detergent - it will strip the wool fibers and ruin them and avoid extreme changes in temperature.

we recommend the following methods for washing wool covers -- Rinse the items under cool running water to remove residues. Then soak inside-out in lukewarm water with a touch of Eucalan® or other wool wash for about 10 minutes, and then gently agitate by hand.

(A word of warning: the less processed your wool is the more it will smell like wet sheep when it is wet. This is natural and will not linger after the items dries, especially if you use a scented wash.)

Gently squeeze the excess water from the items and place them in a towel, roll the towel and step on it. Unroll towel and hang items to dry or allow to dry flat. Avoid direct sun exposure as it could discolor your cover.

If the cover is soiled, wash the soiled part by hand with Eucalan®, baby shampoo or other wool wash bars or liquids, and then soak them as directed above. Never rub a wool wash bar directly on the woolen item; lather your hands and then apply that to the cover.

lanolizing -- Lanolizing provides extra wetness protection, and only needs to be done every month, or when you notice that the cover is leaving wet spots.

To lanolize, fill a sink or basin with hot water and let wool soak inside-out while you place 1 cup of water in the microwave on high for a minute. Remove, and add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of lanolin and a few drops of your favorite wool wash or essential oil. Put the mixture into a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously to emulsify. Then add the mixture to the sink and gently squeeze water through the woolen items. Let soak for 15 minutes. Then rinse items in cool water and gently squeeze the excess water from them. Place items in a towel, roll the towel and step on it. Unroll towel and hang items to dry or allow to dry flat. Avoid direct sun exposure as it could discolor your cover.

choosing a wool wash -- Wool washes help prevent the stripping of the natural lanolin in the wool. Lanolin is the key to the effectiveness of wool as a diaper cover.

There are many wonderfully scented alternatives to Eucalan, including solid lanolin soap bars and/or liquid wool washes made with pure lanolin and essential oils. Many are available online from work-at-home mom stores.

We use and highly recommend the W.O.W wool care line from Monkey Sudz. They offer both liquid and bar wool wash as well as simple lanolin spray to help your wool perform better and longer. All their products are available in a variety of scents to please any palate.

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