Just How Does Wool Work?

In a nutshell, Wool will replace your plastic diaper coverings as a natural and breathable cover.  The natural lanolin acts as a waterproofing agent.  Not only is wool functional, but we have combined style as well. They can take the place of clothing so you end up with something that acts as diaper cover and clothing all in one which makes for a dual purpose item. 

 How to Care for Your Wool:

We recommend washing your cover by hand after several times of wearing unless it gets soiled. Allow the cover to air dry in between uses. Wool will not develop a smell because of its resistance to odor & rash causing bacteria. If you notice the cover is not as leak proof as before, it may be time to lanolize (instructions below). Never wash your cover in a machine or tumble dry, they shrink!

 How to Wash Your Cover:

Fill your sink with enough lukewarm water to sufficiently cover your wool. Add a bit of wool wash (do not use Woolite, only use a lanolin rich wash specifically designed for diaper covers) to your running sink water. Wool wash bars can be used to help remove tough stains as well. Most wool washes are formulated so there is no need to rinse. A bit of baby shampoo can be used if wool wash is not readily available. With liquid wool wash, let your wool sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain water and gently squeeze wool. Lay in between 2 bath towels and roll to remove excess water. Or if you are doing several covers, put them in your washing machine and run the spin cycled (no water) to quickly and efficiently spin out the excess water. Reshape, and lay flat to dry away from direct heat or sun. Liquid wool wash is good if your cover needs a gentle cleaning. If your child is like mine though, they like to abuse their wool with food, dirt, and grime. A good wool wash bar is good for these times. Fill up a sink full of warm water, wet your wool, and then lather the bar right into the wool to get out those tough stains. Always check in a hidden spot to ensure colorfastness. Then rinse immediately and remove right away and dry as listed above.

 How to Lanolize?

Prepare your sink just like you are about to wash your cover. I have found the creamy style lanolin to work the best in getting an effective coat of lanolin on my wool. It contains all the original fats that are removed from the liquid forms. Take a pea sized amount and place in a baby food jar along with a drop of baby shampoo. Fill jar with super hot water and shake to dissolve the lanolin (or an alternative to completely melt your lanolin is place the jar lanolin without the lid in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then add the hot water & shampoo. (This will ensure the lanolin is completely dispersed). I prefer to microwave to really make sure that the lanolin is liquifed and will not form pool and form spots on my covers. Fill your sink as I stated just above with warm water and wool wash. Add your lanolin mixture and swish. I prefer to turn my covers inside out so the majority of the lanolin is on the inside right where you need it. Add the wool cover and let sit anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Make sure water remains relatively warm to keep the lanolin suspended properly and from forming lanolin spots. Drain and dry like normal.

 Where do I find Wool Care Products?

Here on HC are a few vendors I like to use Country Soaps by Marlene,  Ewe Need It, Alioop

 My Cover Seems Wet & Leaks:

Wool is not 100% waterproof like plastic. Wool is a natural fiber and absorbs 30% of moisture that comes in contact with it and it slowly evaporates. If your cover leaks, it is possible that you are not using an absorbent enough diaper. Try using doublers for heavy wetters. Also, change your baby more often. It is also possible that this indicates it is time to relanolize.

 I Lanolized, but My Cover Seems Sticky Feeling.

While it is possible to use too much lanolin, this will not harm your cover. It will feel normal again after some wear. If it bothers you, you can rewash the cover using warm water and tad bit of dishwashing liquid like Dawn to help strip it back out, but you will need to lanolize again, using a smaller amount. This method will also work if you happen to get lanolin spots from uneven dispersement of lanolin in the wash.

 Help! I Shrunk My Cover!!!

If you shrink your cover, as a last effort to save it, soak the cover again in lukewarm water. Work lots of hair conditioner into the cover. This will make your wool softer and will help make the wool easier to work with. Rinse the cover really well and remove the excess water with towels. Pull the cover back into shape. I would "stuff"; the cover with hand towels to help hold the shape while it is drying. That should work! You can also stuff your wool to hold a desired shape. Rolled towels placed inside your wool while it dries can help reshape the wool. Sometimes though wool can be shrunk beyond hope. If the wool is hard and no longer stretchy at all, it is best to just accept it and let it go :)

 Help, My Dark Colored Covers are Bleeding Onto My Diapers!

Occasionally some dark colors can bleed onto a really wet diaper or bleed into the wash water. I panicked when I put a deep red pair of longies on my son, and when I changed his crisp white diaper, it had turned pink. Research shows this is a more common problem with boys for some reason. Don't panic, the dye that is used to color yarns will normally only adhere to wool and silk fabrics and is non-toxic. I put the pink diaper immediately in the diaper pail and washed it the next day normally and it came out just like new. To minimize this problem, you can give your cover a white vinegar bath. Allow it to soak in the pure vinegar for about an hour. Rinse well in lukewarm water and then wash & relanolize normally. Avoid washing your dark covers with the lighter ones too. Occasionally, it may take several washes for the dye to completely fade from the diaper, but it will come out.

 I Have a Super Duper Heavy Night Wetter! What do I do?

I feel your pain on this. I have a son that gives me a very wet diaper in the morning. It is important that you use one of your most absorbent diapers and add extra layers. I put the wool cover right on and then he sleeps for 12 hours. The sheets are perfectly dry in the morning. One little trick I learned from trial & error is to not put anything on top of the wool cover like cotton pants at nighttime. This tends to hold wetness in and it will sometimes wick through the wool making the pants wet. The wool cover should be allowed to "breathe" so it can allow moisture to evaporate. It is normal for the wool cover to feel slightly damp in the morning, but you should not have any wet sheets. If you are still having problems with leaks, let me know and we can together work on finding a solution to fit you and your baby. If you feel you need to use disposables at night, please try these hints and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

 My Wool is Pilly, What do I do?

Some wools tend to look shabby after some wear. I have tried all sorts of things and here is what I have found.... the cheaper, the better. I invested in an expensive battery operated shaver. It was loud, and didn't pick up a thing. It went to the yard sale pile. Picking by hand is excellent. It goes surprisingly quick and your wool will look like new. Another tool (and my personal favorite) is a pumice stone. You know, one of those things you find in the cosmetic are of the store used to make the bottom of your feet nice and smooth. Just rub vigorously downward and the pill balls and other nasties will come right off.

 Do you do any custom orders?

Yes! Please check for custom slots or contact me directly