This article covers several methods for washing grease wool to remove the lanolin content.

To wash wool, some basic equipment and supplies are needed. This list includes everything needed for all of the methods given below:
A large tub or bucket.
3 small tubs, such as 1lb margarine containers.
A pH neutral soap or detergent such as Dawn Dishwashing Liquid or Orvus Paste Soap.
A bar of Fels Naptha soap.
Mesh laundry bags or nylon netting or non-metal screening.
Heavy sewing thread.
A thermometer for checking water temperature.
A large towel.
A salad spinner or a wire mush basket or a washing machine with a spin cycle that does not automatically run water in during the spin cycle.
A rack of some sort to dry the wool on.
Rubber gloves, preferably lined.
And, of course, some grease or prewashed fleece.

A note on pH: a bath that’s too alkaline can damage wool. Damage starts occurring at a pH level of about 9.5. Use your pH test strips of meter to test your wash water and add a bit of vinegar to lower the pH if necessary. Too acid of a bath can also damage wool so if your bath tests out with a high acid content, add some washing soda to neutralize the acid. Try for a bath with a pH range of 7 to 8.

RECIPE FOR A HOT WATER BATH:
Grease or prewashed fleece
Large tub of hot water
A pH neutral soap or detergent such as Dawn Dishwashing Liquid or Orvus Paste Soap.
Mesh laundry bags or nylon netting or non-metal screening.
Heavy sewing thread
A salad spinner or a wire mush basket or a washing machine with a spin cycle that does not automatically run water in during the spin cycle.
A rack of some sort to dry the wool on.
A thermometer for checking water temperature.
Rubber gloves, preferably lined.



Place the fleece into the mesh bags, or sew it into the nylon netting or screening. Smaller packets are best, as large packets won’t become saturated all the way through. Fill the tub with hot water (110-130 degree F.). Add the soap or detergent, about 1/3 cup per pound of wool. Try to avoid raising any soapsuds. Add the packets of fleece, gently pushing them down under the water. Do not stir or agitate as this may cause the wool to felt. Cover the tub to keep it as warm as possible. Soak for 20 minutes. Remove the fleece packets and let them drain. Check the wool – does it look and feel clean? If not it may need another wash or two. Rinse in hot water, two rinses usually removes all of the soap residue. Spin the wool out using the spin cycle of your washer, a salad spinner or by wuzzing it in a wire mush basket. Place the wool on a rack to allow it to dry. This washing method will leave some lanolin in the wool, how much depends on how hot the wash water is.


RECIPE FOR SCOURING GREASE FLEECE:
Assemble the equipment called for in the Hot Water Bath recipe above. The procedure is exactly the same as for the Hot Water Bath washing method EXCEPT that very hot water – 140 to 160 degrees F. is used for scouring. Be certain to use rubber gloves when scouring fleece, it does get very hot and can easily cause burns and scalds.

One of the easiest ways of maintaining an even wash water temperature for both the Hot Water Bath and Scouring methods is to use an old turkey roaster with a thermostat. Fill the roaster with water; let it come up to the temperature you need, then add the soap and the wool. I keep a pot of hot water in reserve on the stove so that when the wash water needs to be changed, all I have to do is empty the roaster and pour in the clean hot water. This prevents the fleece from cooling between the first and second and perhaps even third washes and if extra washes are not needed, the hot rinse water is already at hand.

RECIPE FOR DIP WASHING FLEECE:
Grease or prewashed fleece
3 small tubs of hot water
Mesh laundry bags or nylon netting or screening to contain and support the fleece
Sewing thread
Thermometer
Towel
A pH neutral soap or detergent such as Dawn or Orvus
Rubber Gloves, preferably lined

For this method, make very small packets of fleece – just a few locks per packet. Prepare one small tub of hot water with soap and 2 for rinse water. Dip each packet into the hot (140 degree +) water and then into each tub of rinse water. Lay the packets on the towel, once the towel is full, roll it up and walk on it. Lay the packets on a dry towel to finish drying. Change the wash & rinse water as it becomes dirty.

RECIPE FOR WASHING LOCKS OF FLEECE:
Grease or prewashed fleece
3 small tubs of hot water
A bar of Fels Naptha soap
A pH neutral soap or detergent such as Dawn
Towels

For this method, separate the fleece into locks about the size of a pencil. Holding one lock by the butt end, dip it into hot water then place it on the bar of soap and gently rub the fleece on the soap until it lathers. Turn the lock around and do the same to the other end. Dip it in the 2 tubs of rinse water and lay it on a towel to dry. This method is especially good for washing fine wools such as Merino. If the fleece is at all tippy, the damaged tips can easily be removed during the washing process by simply pulling them off with your fingernails. And it’s also possible to get dirty tips really clean as the wool will not felt with heavy rubbing as long as it is either underwater or it is on the bar of soap. While this is a very labor intensive method of washing fleece, the end results are well worth the effort.