[SaraFR]

What's the best way to wash a home-made woolen soaker? I really DON'T like handwashing. Also, how many do you to have?<br><br>
Thanks!

 

[Woolly Meredith]

If your soaker has been made with good qualtiy wool (not superwash) it needs to be hand washed.<br><br>
As far as how many, to do wool full time I would say at least 5-8 covers.

 

[curly_mommy]

Wool soakers are really easy to care for. Unless they get poo on them, you only have to wash them every few weeks.<br><br>
Green Mountain Diapers has a great informative <a href="http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/lanolize.htm" target="_blank">page</a> on how to wash soakers. I know a lot of people like Eucalan wool wash. I use Lana wool wash because I happened to have it around the house. I let the soaker soak, sometimes as long as an hour, then wring it in a towel and let it dry. Super easy.<br><br>
I have more than 10 soakers that I use pretty regularly. I have my baby in wool almost full time, and I use soakers/longies/shorties as clothing, so I like to have enough that I can color coordinate with her shirts and dresses, along with some for nighttime.

 

[SaraFR]

How do I wash it when it does get poop on it? I've had that come up, more than once.

 

[SaraFR]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>curly_mommy</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7891309"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Wool soakers are really easy to care for. Unless they get poo on them, you only have to wash them every few weeks.<br><br>
Green Mountain Diapers has a great informative <a href="http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/lanolize.htm" target="_blank">page</a> on how to wash soakers. I know a lot of people like Eucalan wool wash. I use Lana wool wash because I happened to have it around the house. I let the soaker soak, sometimes as long as an hour, then wring it in a towel and let it dry. Super easy.<br><br>
I have more than 10 soakers that I use pretty regularly. I have my baby in wool almost full time, and I use soakers/longies/shorties as clothing, so I like to have enough that I can color coordinate with her shirts and dresses, along with some for nighttime.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
Thanks for the link to the video. The poo still makes me nervous (I can't imagine just a little bar of soap) but I'm glad to see I can wash it only once every few weeks (that's a long time!).

 

[SaraFR]

I'm sorry to ask so many questions. Do I need to be concerned about bacteria from urine and poo staying on the soaker?

 

[ailurokat]

wool is antimicrobial, you don't need to worry about urine. just air it out after use and wash when it gets stinky. if it gets poop on it you should wash it out, also.

 

[mzfern]

FWIW, urine is sterile = no bacteria

 

[SaraFR]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>mzfern</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7891608"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">FWIW, urine is sterile = no bacteria</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
Even in older kids?<br><br>
The question still remains about any bowel movements. My prefolds are washed in hot water to kill everything. I can't do that with wool.<br><br>
Thanks everyone for your help. I'm finding out how I made mistakes with the soakers I already used.

 

[amandapanda9]

Urine that is freshly produced by the kidneys is sterile in most healthy individuals who are not drug users and eat a healthy diet (and obviously if someone has a UTI, their urine is not sterile).....but once it leaves the body, it can be contaminated by the surrounding skin areas where bacteria is present and it can definitely grow bacteria sitting on a diaper left in the pail too long....that being said, wool is antibacterial so the amounts of urine absorbed by it should be fine....just let it air dry in between wears and wash it every couple of weeks. It may smell like pee when it's damp but it's amazing how there is no odor after it has air dried....wool is like magic!