- This is an Australian website - Contact Margaret RainbowWebCLEAN LAUNDRY WITHOUT POISONING OUR WATERWAYS!
WASHING WOOLLENS, BLANKETS, QUILTS &
EIDERDOWNS
See also 'Washing a woollen underquilt'
You need:
SOFT WATER, BICARB.SODA or
HOUSEHOLD AMMONIA, ? A little PLAIN SOAP
OIL OF EUCALYPTUS.
If articles are machine washable, & you are using cold water for washing, no special treatment is necessary. Just follow the directions in Pamphlet 1.
If articles are not machine
washable, or you are washing just a few items, soak them for
a few hours or overnight
in cold water.
If heavily soiled, add ammonia or bicarbonate of soda - just enough
make the water feel slippery. Then
squeeze gently in the water, giving
special attention to soiled spots.
A gentle rub will loosen stubborn
dirt.
When article is clean, squeeze
out all excess water, supporting
the garment as much as possible, or
spin dry briefly.
Rinse in two waters
then spin again briefly. Add a few
drops of oil of eucalyptus to
second rinse. Spin again briefly,
or, after sqeezing out excess water
roll in a towel & press to remove
as much moisture as possible.
If
article will stretch, pull gently
into shape, & dry flat.
Otherwise, hang over line, pegging
at seams. Turn several times
while drying. Avoid really hot sun. Do NOT
tumble dry woollens.
Machine washing & spin-drying tends to
clump the filling of quilts &
eiderdowns & they lose their warmth.
While some blankets do well in
the machine, they really respond to hand-washing.
Wait for a windy day to be forecast. Put your blanket or quilt to soak in the bath or paddling pool.
Next morning
wash by treading with your feet.
Remove spots by rubbing, using just
a little soap if necessary. Get someone to help with the wringing,
& place in a large receptacle. Put
the dirty water on the garden, or save it to flush the loo, wipe
out the bath, fill with clean water
& add a little oil of Eucalyptus.
Wring firmly if a blanket, lightly
for a quilt. (If blanket is very
dirty you may need 2 rinses - put the
oil the last one.) Shake well &
lift onto the line. Turn several
times while drying. Shake quilts &
eiderdowns each time you turn them.
Quilts & eiderdowns may take more than one day to dry, depending on the weather. In fine weather, leave on the line overnight. If weather is uncertain, keep a large sheet of plastic handy & drape it over the article during a shower or overnight. Peg the bottom edge to the quilt.
Sleeping bags can be washed in the
same way.
If they do not open out
flat, turn from inside to outside
several times during drying.
Drying woollens overnight gives them a softness that quick drying in the sun cannot.
Note Ammonia, unlike soap or soda,
does not damage soil structure or matt woollens.
Avoid inhaling the fumes when using.
Borax used to be used to keep woollens white, but it is highly toxic to soil organisms, except as a trace element, so I prefer to keep it for killing ants & cockroaches.
Note:In researching & answering questions about earthwise living, Margaret offers information, opinion, & personal experience, but no quick fixes! Readers should evaluate these offerings in the context of their own situations; they are suggestions, *not* recommendations. Any responsibility for their implementation rests *solely* with the reader.
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