Sunday, March 4, 2007

Eucalan or Kookaburra?


I just took down my hand-knit lace wool valence. It has been up for a few years, and I just noticed this morning how dusty it had gotten. Yuck.

This led me to the bucket and the Eucalan Woolwash.

I LOVE Eucalan. If you've never used it, it is an amazing product. I am not into endorsing products just for the heck of it--but there are some things everyone should know about because they are so good. Eucalan is one.

Eucalan is a Canadian product for handwashing wool. It is called Eucalan because it has eucalyptus oil in it--which makes everything smell good and acts as a moth repellent--and lanolin, the natural oil found in wool. They also have a lavender version--lavender oil used instead of eucalyptus oil.

Many knitters I know use Eucalan, and as soon as I tried it, I was sold. You use just one teaspoon per gallon of water. You put your soiled woollens in the solution, and soak them there for 15-30 minutes. Then you squeeze out (no rinsing!) and air dry (I usually blot first and then block my sweaters). It gets wool sweaters very clean, and the lanolin makes them soft and lustrous.

Woolite--a brand known well in the US--is a detergent, not a soap; it can do not-so-nice things to fibers, and those in the know--expert quilters, knitters, etc.--never touch the stuff.

One product that I haven't tried is Kookaburra Sheepskin Shampoo & Woolwash, which uses tea tree oil and lanolin. Has anyone used this? I think it is slightly cheaper per ounce than Eucalan, (and I love the label). It's on my Amazon wish list, but so far, no bites.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried both Kookaburra and Eucalan and has a preference for one over the other.

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