How do I tell if my covers are properly lanolized?

[Angelorum]

I just lanolized a bunch of covers I knitted. How do I tell if they have enough lanolin in them? Performance would be a dead give away, but seeing as how I'm still pregnant, is there a way to test them?

[Michigan Mama]

Hmmm. Good question. I don't know if you could do a test by pouring water on somehow? I honestly don't know. Maybe another mama has done this???

[poppan]

Hmmm... well, a lanolized cover kind of beads up when I submerge it in water and then squeeze out most of the water -- I see some water beads on it afterwards. But, even my covers that don't have enough lanolin still do this, so maybe that's not a good test.

I guess you could pee on it (I'm kidding.)

Honestly, I think you'll just have to wait and see. Even if it needs a little more lanolin it's not going to be a total disaster. The wool will just get saturated with pee and take longer to dry and even when completely dry it will still smell a little like pee. Then you'll know there was not enough lanolin to react with the pee and make soap (a process called "saponification" which is why/how wool is sanitary for CDing). And if it's really bad you might have to wash your baby's clothes and possibly the sheets but I doubt it will be that bad.