The #1 reason to buy a dedicated natural wool wash

Is buying a dedicated natural wool wash just a gimmick created by cleaning product manufacturers to get you to buy something extra? No. And here's some visual proof for you. I don't own a lot of wool, but around 3 years ago, I was in and out of hospitals and nursing homes late at night in winter (as a daily visitor) and I invested in some wool to keep myself warm in the late night transitions from the hospitals to the car and then in to my house. While I don't wash them often, I have noticed that those things that get washed more often are developing holes in them. Did I wash them in a natural wool wash? No.

In this blog, I'm going to explain why I wish I had used a natural wool wash, and what you can do to avoid the problem I had.

It's what natural wool wash leaves out that makes it different

Our natural cleaning products range is one of the most extensive in the country and we have the best Australia has to offer in laundry liquids and powders in our store. Just because a natural laundry liquid is made using only natural ingredients doesn't mean it's good to use with all fabrics.

We are going to compare the ingredients of the Laundry Liquid and Wool Washes from both Abode and Kin Kin.

ABODE LAUNDRY LIQUID (eucalyptus) - water, soda ash, sodium citrate (food grade), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium coco sulphate, baking soda (food grade), alkylpolyglucosides (derived from corn, wheat and coconut) and pure Australian grown Blue Mallee eucalyptus essential oil.

ABODE WOOL WASH (eucalyptus) - water, alkylpolyglucosides (derived from corn, wheat and coconut), xanthan gum (food grade), sodium gluconate, citric acid (food grade), glycine extracts (protein) and Australian grown pure Blue Mallee eucalyptus essential oil.

You will see that the second ingredient listed in the Abode Laundry Liquid is Soda Ash. It's a great natural surfactant that is highly alkaline and helps remove stains in clothing. However, it makes wool brittle, which I have learned the hard way.

KIN KIN LAUNDRY LIQUID - coconut-based anionic and nonionic surfactants (NO alcohol ethoxylate, LAS or SLS),  rain water,  potassium coconut soap, potassium citrate, enzymes, organic eucalypt essential oil,  organic lemon myrtle essential oil,  tangerine essential oil.

KIN KIN WOOL WASH - coconut-based anionic and nonionic surfactants (NO alcohol ethoxylate, LAS or SLS), rain water, potassium coconut soap, potassium citrate, eucalyptus essential oil, organic rose geranium essential oil.

Besides the different Australian essential oils used in the laundry liquid vs the wool wash, there's one noticeable difference in the ingredients list between the two Kin Kin products, and that's enzymes.

Enzymes are great in laundry liquids for breaking down stains. Since many stains on clothes are food stains, it makes sense that enzymes that help to break down food in your digestive system are also used to help break down the food stains in your clothes. Protease helps to break down protein based stains, amylase will help to break down starch based stains, lipase will help to break down fat based stains and mannanase will help to break down sugar based stains.

Wool is a protein based fabric and using any laundry liquid or powder with enzymes will start to break down the wool. The same thing applies to other delicate fabrics like silk. Any fabric that's based on protein will start to deteriorate if you clean it with anything containing enzymes. Even wiping down leather with an enzyme cleaner is a bad idea.

What does Eucalyptus Essential Oil do for wool?

You may notice many wool washes on the market, whether they're natural or not, use eucalyptus essential oil in them. It's not just for the pretty smell. Eucalyptus helps to keep wool fibres soft. The antimicrobial properties in eucalyptus essential oil also help to keep mould at bay (it's still a good idea to put some moisture absorbing products in with them and ensure your wool doesn't get damp). It's also good at annoying pests and dust mites and mask any musty smells you get from storing wool in between seasons.

Can I use castile soap to wash wool?

Yes. If it's just a one off wool wash job and you already have castile soap in your home, it's safe to wash wool in liquid castile soap. You can add a drop of eucalyptus essential oil to it if you have it for the reasons listed above.