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Wool covers intimated me for years, I always thought they required way too much maintenance and there would be no way I would ever be able to care for them. The high price of wool covers also kept me from trying them out, I would be devastated if I ruined a $60 cover!
While cloth diapering my last baby she started having issues with elastics and would break out in a horrible rash, so I had to look into elastic-free diapers. We quickly fell in love with preflat but I was still struggling with finding an elastic-free cover that I liked. After talking with a fellow cloth diaper mom I decided to take the plunge! I found a few upcycled wool covers on Etsy for a very reasonable price, while I waited to get them I started researching how to care for them and I was shocked to find out that they really did not require a lot of maintenance!
Washing Wool
I only wash my wool every 3-4 weeks or if it becomes solid. I will also wash it if it still smells like urine after it is dry. You will want to let your wool dry between each use, so it is helpful to have a few covers to alternate between. The lanolin oils in the wool make it anti-microbial, and I am all for doing less laundry! A lot of people will wash their wool in the washing machine with no problem. I hand wash mine, Putting mine in the washing machine makes me nervous and hand washing really is not that hard.
I start by filling my sink with lukewarm water,I then add my wool detergent. I use this detergent for washing in between lanolizing my wool, like if she gets poop on it and I just need to do a quick wash. This detergent is for deep cleaning my wool, it will remove your lanolin. A little bit goes a long way for both of these detergents, I have been using them for 6 months and I have only used 1/4 of the bottle. After My sink is filled I turn my wool inside out and place it in the sink to soak. If there are stains I gently agitate the wool. It is important not to rub your wool too hard or wring it out, this can distort the fibers. To get excess water out of mine I place it on a towel and roll it up while gently squeezing
YOU CAN'T PLACE YOUR WOOL IN THE DRYER! Your covers will need to air dry and they usually take a while to do so. I have 4 wool covers so I can wash 2 and still have 2 to use while they are drying. I like to place my wool on wire cookie cooling racks, I found this does help speed up the drying process some.
Lanolizing Wool
Lanolizing your wool is what makes it water resistant, most wool covers do not come to you lanolized so you will need to do this prior to using your wool for the first time. I lanolize my wool every 3-4 weeks after I wash them or if I noticed any issues with leaking. Some people don't have to lanolize their covers as frequently, but we use ours quite a bit and by weeks 3-4 it is usually time to lanolize again.
After I wash my wool I remove the excess water and get my supplies ready. You will need lanolin and something to emulsify it. I use Bumby Emulsifying cubes but a lot of people use baby shampoo and it works great. Start by warming up some water on the stove or in the microwave, you don't want it too hot but warm enough to melt the lanolin. I then place a scoop of lanolin in the warm water, I don't measure but I usually use a little over a teaspoon for 2 covers. you can then add your emulsifying cube or a little bit of your baby shampoo and stir. You will know it is ready when the solution turns a milky white color. You can use a bowl or sink for the next step, I fill a large bowl with room-temperature water and mix in my lanolin solution. Turn. your wool covers inside out and place them in your lanolin solution, I then let them sit for 15 minutes. When they are done you just roll them up in a towel to remove excess water and then let them dry!
I hope that you give wool a try, it is a great cover for babies with sensitive skin or to use as a nighttime cover. If the price tag of wool scares you there are a ton of great WHAM shops that sell wool covers for a very reasonable price. If you know your way around a sewing machine you can always find secondhand wool sweaters and make your own.