Just washed and lanolized wool IN THE WASHER:)

squeakytaco · March 2009

So, I read a big thread on diaperswappers about this and was skeptical, but I just did it and my wool came out looking wonderful and much cleaner then usual!

We have a handwash/wool cycle on our washing machine, so I put our wool in there and squirted some Dawn in the washing compartment (you could do baby wash too, but I just felt like they reallllly needed a good washing). Then, after the washer filled up and started to agitate, I microwaved some lanolin in 1/2 cup of water and pressed pause (so my washer door would unlock) and then added that to the cold wash water!

They came out great - there was several soakers, a pair of SBish yoga pants, and a BabyBeehinds wool soaker in there (which, is becoming one of my favorite covers because it has touchtape and doesn't involve wriggling it on!)

MrsGo4Hockeychick · March 2009

please share the thread where you found how to do this! my wool needs a good wash BAD!

luvlieK · March 2009

Yea, I always use the washer too. ?I don't feel things get clean the other way. ?I love my washer lol

Dobie_Mama · March 2009

I am jealous because I have a front loader and can't do this! At least the in-washer lanolizing part.

LClaire · March 2009

YAY!! luvlie was talking about this a while ago and I was scaaaaaaaaaaared but ever since - I am SO sold! Especially because everything we have is basically interlock, so it can't get nearly as messed up as something knit. I LOVE just doing a cycle in the wash - I'm so glad it worked for you and more people might do it, too, after reading this!!

squeakytaco · March 2009

Dobie_Mama:
I am jealous because I have a front loader and can't do this! At least the in-washer lanolizing part.

We have a front loader too, girl!

That's why I had to press pause once the water got in there (so my door would unlock and I could open it!)

Can you pause and open your door once the cycle has started?

Dobie_Mama · March 2009

squeakytaco:
Dobie_Mama:
I am jealous because I have a front loader and can't do this! At least the in-washer lanolizing part.
We have a front loader too, girl!
That's why I had to press pause once the water got in there (so my door would unlock and I could open it!)
Can you pause and open your door once the cycle has started?

Oooh ... wait. The door for the detergent? Or the door where you load the clothes? I'm confused! (Which, with as little sleep as I've been getting, doesn't take much. LOL)

squeakytaco · March 2009

Dobie_Mama:
squeakytaco:
Dobie_Mama:
I am jealous because I have a front loader and can't do this! At least the in-washer lanolizing part.
We have a front loader too, girl!
That's why I had to press pause once the water got in there (so my door would unlock and I could open it!)
Can you pause and open your door once the cycle has started?
Oooh ... wait. The door for the detergent? Or the door where you load the clothes? I'm confused! (Which, with as little sleep as I've been getting, doesn't take much. LOL)

I put the Dawn in the detergent part, and then when there was water in the washer, I paused the washer and opened the door for the clothes and put the liquid lanolin (melted lanisoh in water) in the cold water and then shut the door and pressed "play" again. KWIM?

squeakytaco · March 2009

I was wondering, though, if I could put the melted lanolin/water/dawn mixture in the cup for liquid detergent in the detergent section of the water?

I wonder if that would work? Something else you could do is if you buy ENI or another brand of wool wash with lanolin, that would totally work in your cup for detergent and lanolize/wash at the same time!

Dobie_Mama · March 2009

squeakytaco:
Dobie_Mama:
squeakytaco:
Dobie_Mama:
I am jealous because I have a front loader and can't do this! At least the in-washer lanolizing part.
We have a front loader too, girl!
That's why I had to press pause once the water got in there (so my door would unlock and I could open it!)
Can you pause and open your door once the cycle has started?
Oooh ... wait. The door for the detergent? Or the door where you load the clothes? I'm confused! (Which, with as little sleep as I've been getting, doesn't take much. LOL)
I put the Dawn in the detergent part, and then when there was water in the washer, I paused the washer and opened the door for the clothes and put the liquid lanolin (melted lanisoh in water) in the cold water and then shut the door and pressed "play" again. KWIM?

Gotcha! I can't open the door for the clothes once the cycle has started though, even if I hit pause. Waaaaaaaaaaaah!!! They should put that on the front of the washer before you buy it! "Caution: If you CD, you will not be able to lanolize in this washer."

Dobie_Mama · March 2009

squeakytaco:
I was wondering, though, if I could put the melted lanolin/water/dawn mixture in the cup for liquid detergent in the detergent section of the water?
I wonder if that would work? Something else you could do is if you buy ENI or another brand of wool wash with lanolin, that would totally work in your cup for detergent and lanolize/wash at the same time!

Excellent idea! I will totally have to give that a shot! Thanks, Squeaky!

squeakytaco · March 2009

Dobie_Mama:
squeakytaco:
Dobie_Mama:
squeakytaco:
Dobie_Mama:
I am jealous because I have a front loader and can't do this! At least the in-washer lanolizing part.
We have a front loader too, girl!
That's why I had to press pause once the water got in there (so my door would unlock and I could open it!)
Can you pause and open your door once the cycle has started?
Oooh ... wait. The door for the detergent? Or the door where you load the clothes? I'm confused! (Which, with as little sleep as I've been getting, doesn't take much. LOL)
I put the Dawn in the detergent part, and then when there was water in the washer, I paused the washer and opened the door for the clothes and put the liquid lanolin (melted lanisoh in water) in the cold water and then shut the door and pressed "play" again. KWIM?
Gotcha! I can't open the door for the clothes once the cycle has started though, even if I hit pause. Waaaaaaaaaaaah!!! They should put that on the front of the washer before you buy it! "Caution: If you CD, you will not be able to lanolize in this washer."

LOL ... I don't know what I would do if I couldn't pause and add stuff. I get mad when I put it on sanitize, because it won't let you add things because the water is so hot I guess. It makes me mad!

luvlieK · March 2009

Dobie_Mama:
squeakytaco:
I was wondering, though, if I could put the melted lanolin/water/dawn mixture in the cup for liquid detergent in the detergent section of the water?
I wonder if that would work?? Something else you could do is if you buy ENI or another brand of wool wash with lanolin, that would totally work in your cup for detergent and lanolize/wash at the same time!?
Excellent idea! I will totally have to give that a shot! Thanks, Squeaky!

I think you have to make sure there isn't an extra rinse to put it all in at once. ?We did ENI in the washer once and it cleaned everything, but didn't lanolize it. ?And be jealous mine pauses and lets me open too ;o)?

Dobie_Mama · March 2009

You girls with you're super cool pausing/opening machines! LOL

Its really frustrating ... I thought, when I bought it, that if you paused it you'd be able to open it. I mean, why else would they let you pause it, right? But, no. I've even tried tricking it on several occasions by changing the cycle when I pause it, to make it think its doing something its not. Yeah, no dice.

I can do a quick wash with no extra rinse, so I'll give that a go!

smurfetteinred · March 2009

You were brave to experiment with all your covers in there! I would've been skeered!

MTOW · March 2009

Girl, you are BRAVE. I *might* consider running a cold delicates cycle with some Eucalan, especially if I was washing something hard-to-felt like Peace Fleece, but Dawn makes me think felt, and lanolin makes me think broken washing machine. And I'd generally be afraid that they'd all pill like crazy. I have all knits, though, no interlock.

smurfetteinred · March 2009

I was wondering about the lanolin buildup thing myself. When I use a wool wash it is fine but when I use melted lanolin I have to use some elbow grease to get all the lanolin film out of my sink. It sounds like a lot of people are doing this with no problems but I would be worried about the inside of my washer or the outtake line buildup. Plus do you think you'll have problems with any leftover lanolin getting on your diapers later?

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Just washed and lanolized wool IN THE WASHER:)

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