[wasatchmom]

I have a question about blankets. (Didn't get any response over at the home and body forum).

I bought a couple wool blankets from the army navy surplus store to use as a barrier for our mattresses. i'm going to use a plastic mattress cover next to the mattress, then a wool blanket, then a fitted sheet. the blankets i bought, however, are not marked for their content and i'm wondering if they really are 100% wool. there were many different types at the store - all from different countries - with different feels. I asked the cashier but she was clueless. None of the blankets were marked. Does anyone know how to tell if a blanket is all wool? Would it matter if it is slightly synthetic?

The ones I got, by the way, are cream colored from the British army.

 

[sistermama]

Sounds like a good idea! I think you can do a match test on a little snip of the blanket. Burn a little chunk and if it reduces all to ash it should be wool/natural fibers. If it makes a gooey kind of lump then it is synthetic. I would suggest using an allergy barrier cover for the mattress as opposed to a plastic cover though. They cost a little bit more (like maybe $20-30 at someplace like Target) but they allow minute amount of moisture to escape. Plus they aren't so crinkly.

 

[mother culture]

If it is 100% wool it should extinguish a flame when set fire. Also if you put a piece in bleach it would be gone by next morning. I have tested questionable wook with the fire option and it kept burning but when I made a soaker out of it it worked great. I think that it will help to absorb a bed wetting accident even if it isnt 100% .

 

[Ruthla]

A little bit of synthetic mixed in with wool won't affect water repellency.

I do the exact same thing- I have an old wool blanket under my sheets as a water resistant layer. It also keeps the bed much, much cooler than plastic. IMO, you don't need the wool blanket AND the plastic layer- the wool provides enough protection.

 

[ZeldasMom]

I agree with Ruthla, I think it's fine if there's some sythetic mixed in with the wool.

I was going to do what you're doing for a water-resistant barrier in our bed, but couldn't get my hands on a wool blanket. So I am using fleece. Is working great.

I think you will be happy with your wool blankets.

I might stick a toddler size prefold or a doubled up flannel blanket or a fleece throw under the baby so you can go longer between washes.

 

[ZeldasMom]

Just curious, are you going to lanolize the blanket?

 

[vanilla]

wow, that would take a lot of lanolin

 

[wasatchmom]

no, i didn't plan to lanolize the blanket. you still think i don't need an allergy barrier or plastic cover to catch awful things like throw-up?

thanks so much for everyone's ideas! you're great!!

 

[mamaofthreeboys]

I'd probably just place a towel in the general area you and babe are laying in (just under the sheet but above the wool blanket). I used to do this to protect the matress. In your case it would be to protect the wool blanket