Adventures with William and Joshua: Why wool?

So as promised, here is information on wool covers.

Why is wool good?

· Wool absorbs the moisture which then dries quickly, making wool self-cleaning
· Wool, like cotton, can keep you warm when your cold and keep you cool when you’re hot.
· It is a natural fiber
· Allows the skin to breath, making it great to ward off or treat a rash
· Wool is antibacterial
· Doesn’t get smelly and can go weeks before needing to be washed

What are the drawbacks?

· The only drawback I can currently find it is best to hand wash wool and if you don’t normally, this could be extra work for you
· The lanolin can wear off eventually

How do you wash wool?

· Some wool is machine washable, others need to be hand washed (best by hand)
· First, rinse the cover.
· Next, fill the sink with warm water and your soap (many kinds out there, I recommend using one with lanolin otherwise, you have to do an extra step.)
· Gently press the wool.
· Rinse
· Do NOT wring out
· Roll your cover in a towel and press it
· Reshape and lay flat to dry
What is the process to waterproof (lanonilize) wool?
· Get very hot, but not boiling, water in a glass jar
· Add lanolin (think nipple cream from your early breastfeeding days), only 1 tsp-1 tbsp
· Shake till all the lanolin is dissolved
· Add to the lukewarm water and wash like normal

What are longies/shorties/skirties?

Longies and shorties are pants and shorts that are used instead of a diaper cover. A skirtie is essentially shorties with ruffles or a skirt added over. They are all generally made of wool or fleece. They can be crocheted, knitted or sewn. Some moms actually recycle old sweaters to make these.

So, what do you think? Will you give wool covers a try?

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