Care of wool nappies

All you need to know

Using wool nappies is easy – The free e-book gives you all information needed: how to wash and grease a wool cover, tips for stain treatment, but also how to store wool covers after use and many more insights. If you still have questions, please contact us. We are happy to help you!

Trust yourself and experience the wonderful world of wool nappies

How to wash wool covers

Wool is traditionally aired-out and rarely washed: as seldom as possible, as often as strictly necessary. Wool covers can be washed either by hand or by using the wool-washing program of your washing machine at maximum 30 degree celsius. However, washing wool covers by hand removes dirt and residuals more thoroughly than the washing machine, especially on the long-term.

There are different reasons why a wool cover has to be partially or completely washed:

• When poop got in contact with the wool
• When yellow traces of urine stone occur
• When the wool starts to smell
• When the wool cover leaks on a larger area
• When you think it’s time again

General cleaning with wool detergent

Wool covers should be washed as a routine every 2-3 weeks (depends on how many wool covers you use). You can do that either by hand or by using the wool-washing program of your washing machine at maximum 30 degree celsius. Therefore you can use a conventional wool detergent. However, from time to time deep cleaning is needed because wool detergent is not designed to clean wool thoroughly from urine and poop.

Refreshing with wool washing soap

Wool washing soap (also called lanolin soap) is a wonderful invention. It washes and simultaneously re-grease the wool. You can use it in two ways for minor contamination: Locally to remove stains and as a full bath to wash the entire cover. The latter is recommended if the wool cover leaks at one point but not yet needs to be greased in a full lanolin bath.

Deep cleaning with olive (curd) soap

If the wool cover still smells after washing or if yellow traces of urine stone occur it has to be deeply cleaned. Therefore, soapy water (e.g., from green soap flakes) is used to remove the coarsest dirt. This method gently cleans the wool without stressing it too much. An olive curd soap bar is particularly suitable for removing stains in a targeted manner. The affected areas can be rubbed directly with the soap.

Intensive cleaning with baking soda

Wool covers that are still dirty after deep cleaning with olive soap or that are over-greased need to be intensively cleaned. Therefore, the wool cover is treated in hot water with baking soda. However, the method stresses the wool and should applied occasionally only. It is therefore important to find the cause of the heavy pollution.

How to grease wool covers

For many, this is sure to be the scary part but trust me, it’s not a closed book and actually quite simple.

There are different ways of greasing wool, but they all have one thing in common: lanolin (also called wool wax or wool fat), which is needed to get the wool water repellent.

1. Full bath with pure lanolin
2. Re-greasing with lanaolin soap
3. Local treatment with a lanolin emulsion

Full bath with pure lanolin

A full lanolin bath is applied for new wool covers and after that every 2-3 weeks (depending on how many wool covers you use). All you need is a bucket or large bowl, warm water, lanolin and an emulsifier (e.g., green soap flakes or olive curd soap). In a first step you create the emulsion by mixing a bit of lanolin with boiling water, grease droplets and lumps will occur. With the addition of soap, these are transformed into a milky liquid. Give the emulsion together with warm water in the bucket/bowl. Now the wool covers can soak over night or for at least a couple of hours.

Re-greasing with lanolin soap

Re-greasing with wool washing soap (lanolin soap) is applied for wool covers with minor contaminations or when the cover leaks at one specific spot. Therefore, rub the soap gently in warm water by hand until the water becomes milky. The more soap you dissolve, the richer the solution becomes. Then wash the cover by hand. You can also directly treat stains without washing the entire cover. For both option, you can dry the cover and use it again without applying a full lanolin bath.

If possible, apply this method as often as possible instead of a full lanolin bath. It prevents the wool from getting too greasy.

Local treatment with lanolin

Residual amounts of the lanolin emulsion can be kept in a small bottle for later use:

New wool covers have to be greased at least twice to get water repellent. It is an option to pour some of the lanolin emulsion over the entire wool cover instead of a full bath.

Stains can be treated locally with olive soap, however it may not be necessary to wash and grease the entire wool cover. Hence, lanolin emulsion can be applied to locally re-grease the wool cover. Dry and use.

• For new wool covers
• As a routine every 2-3 weeks
• When larger areas are leaky

• Wash & grease in one step
• For minor contamination
• When punctual leakage occurs

• To grease new covers a second time
• After stain treatment
• When punctual leakage occurs

How to dry wool covers

Never wring wool because it could get damaged or felted. The best way to dry wool is rolled up or folded in a towel. Then lay it flat on the ground and trample on it. That way the water is gently pushed out of the wool without applying any friction.

Afterwards lay the wool cover on a drying rack to dry completely. Don’t hang it up by the leg elastic, otherwise they will permanently stretch out. You can also dry it outside in the sun if the sun is not too intense. Don’t leave it there for too long. Drying on a heater is not recommended. The wool would get dry and brittle.

A wool cover needs approximately a day to dry.