sitemap The Joy of Handspinning - How to Wash Your Fleece Help
WHO WE ARE
About Us
How I Started Handspinning

DROP SPINDLES
*Types of Drop Spindles
How To Make A Drop Spindle
Making Yarn With A Drop Spindle 

SPINNING WHEELS
Styles of Spinning Wheels
Parts Of The Spinning Wheel
*How The Spinning Wheel Works
* Adjusting The Wheel's Tension
*Drive Ratios & Twist

HANDSPINNING TECHNIQUES
Preparing To Spin 
Basic Handspinning Techniques 
Adding On More Fiber 
Spinning Woollen and Worsted Yarn
*Making A Skein With A Niddy Noddy
* "Setting In The Twist" Of Handspun Yarn
*Navajo Plying 

FIBER INFORMATION
Alpaca 
Angora 
Llama 
Mohair 
Silk
Wool 

WOOL PREPARATION
How to Wash Your Fleece
How to Use Hand Carders 
How to Use a Drum Carder
How to Use Dutch Combs
How to Use Mini-Combs
Using a Diz

DYEING INFORMATION
Natural Dyes
Mordants
Dyeing with Gaywool Dyes

BUY EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
ONLINE PRODUCT CATALOG
Return Policy
Payment Options
Mail-in Order Form

*THE BOOK STORE

WOOLY WABBIT(TM) FARM
Meet the "Wooly Wabbits" 
Angora Rabbit Breeds
How to Care For Your Angora Rabbit

FEEDBACK
REQUEST INFORMATION

RELATED LINKS

* WORLDWIDE LIST OF
SPINNING GUILDS



How to Wash Your Fleece

Using a Washing Machine
1. Fill the washer with very hot water. Add liquid detergent about a cup. Turn off the washer. Gently put your fleece in the washer tub. Close the lid and let the fleece soak for about 45 minutes.

2. Next, turn washer to the end of the SPIN cycle. Spin the water out of fleece. Lift the fleece out and set it aside.

3. Fill the washer tub with very hot water again. Put the fleece back in and let soak for about 30 minutes.

4. Turn washer to the end of the SPIN cycle. Spin the water out of the fleece. At this point, sort out the fleece that is clean enough to dry. If fleece is especially fine or dirty, you may need to repeat the wash and spin steps a few more times. Mohair often needs multiple washes as does merino, rambouillet and sometimes other finer wools.

Use hot water with about one-half cup of white vinegar and soak fleece 30 minutes for the last rinse, then spin it out.

Spread the fleece to air dry on a towel or drying rack.


Using a Bath Tub or Other Large Container
Using very hot water and the same amount of detergent as above, follow pretty much the same steps as for the washer method. Do not allow running water to run directly on the fleece.

A nylon mesh laundry bag can be used to help contain the fleece for lifting but the more open the fleece can be in the water, the cleaner you can get it in fewer wash and rinse sequences.

Any liquid detergent, without bleach should work fine. However, avoid using products with conditioners, because they can leave a filmy residue on fiber which will impede the carding process.

To prevent the fleece from felting, avoid the urge to knead the fleece or handle it excessively when it is in the water. Also between rinses be sure to fill the next tub of water at the same water temperature you are taking the fleece from.

Gently squeeze out the water from the fleece and spread it to air dry on a towel or drying rack.


Copyright © 1999-2004, The Joy of Handspinning® All rights reserved.