Lanolizing is a key process in waterproofing wool. Wool is a reliable fabric to use for cloth diaper covers because it’s naturally breathable and wicks moisture away from the body. It’s also pretty odor resistant, which really comes in handy when dealing with urine. Some would say this combination makes for a no-fail solution for heavy wetting babies.
Lanolizing is very simple, and can be done with just a few items you may already have around your home.
How To Lanolize Wool Diaper Covers
Here is what you will need:
- 1 small bucket or bin (I use a 14 qt. storage bin)
- 1 small bottle with lid
- Gentle baby wash
- Pure lanoline (This is the same as the lanoline nipple cream found at baby retailers and drugstores.)
- 1 bath towel
- Wool diaper covers or longies
Instructions:
1. Fill your bin with room temperature water.
2. Add a couple drops of any gentle baby wash. Go ahead and mix it a bit with your hand. I had a little helper who was ready and willing to get her hands into a bucket of water.
3. Fill your bottle with HOT water, and add 1 glob of lanoline about the size of a kidney bean. Also add another drop of baby wash to the bottle.
4. Secure the lid and shake, shake, shake!
5. Once you can see that the lanoline has completely mixed into the water and isn’t sticking to the inside of the bottle, pour the mixture into your bin of water.
6. Use your hand again to completely mix the lanoline mixture and water.
7. Submerge your wool diaper cover(s) in the water. You want all of your items to be completely submerged.
8. Let your covers soak for 30 minutes. Flip them inside out half way through.
9. When its time to remove your wool covers from the water, give them a gentle squeeze. Do not wring your wool, as it may cause it to stretch and become misshaped.
10. Lay your covers flat on a large towel. Fold the towel over each cover and press gently with your hands or feet. Again, my little helper was ready to jump in on this step.
11. Once you’ve pressed out as much water as you can, lay your wool items flat to dry overnight. Once dry, they’re ready to wear!
I can lanolize up to three covers or cover and longie combinations in my 3 ½ gallon bin. When in doubt, lanolize your diaper covers in separate batches. Plan on lanolizing about once a month for frequently used wool covers. Otherwise just keep an eye on the covers after a few weeks. If they aren’t repelling urine as well it’s probably time to lanolize them again.
Lanolized wool diaper covers don’t need to be washed after every use. When your covers become soiled and smelly, let them soak in a bin with a couple drops of gentle baby wash and lukewarm water. Give them a quick rinse, and follow the same steps for drying as you would when lanolizing.
More Natural Baby Articles
How to Make Felted Wool from Old Sweaters
How to Make Wool Baby Pants from an Old Sweater
How to Make Reusable Cloth Baby Wipes
Cloth Diapering: What You Need to Know to Get Started
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Allison says
What constitutes “gentle” baby wash? Will live clean tearless shampoo and wash do the job?
kim- Today's Creative Blog says
Who knew this would be so easy!