Now that you’ve read my blog on cloth diapering and my blog on wool care, you may be wondering, “How do these two products actually work together?”  This blog will explain just that.

PookaPants cloth diapers are designed for simplicity and ease.  They are made with cotton or hemp fabrics, without an outer plastic layer.  They can be covered with conventional diaper covers, or the fleece and wool diaper covers found on this site.  Wool-Agains Longies and Footies are also the latest and trendiest variation on the diaper cover scene.

STEP 1: Take one baby, place her in a side-snapping or velcro-tabbed PookaPants cloth diaper.

STEP 2: Add a set of stylish and eco-savvy  lanolized Wool-Agains  Soakers, Longies, or Footies and you’re set!

Baby is diapered and covered, and if baby is wearing Longies or Footies–they’ve got pants on too!  How about that!

All of Pookinoo’s Wool-Agains come lanolized and ready to use.  Cloth diapers should be prewashed before use to make them more available for maximum absorbency.  Diaper care and wool care instructions come with each order.

Wonderful Wool…Baaa!

The latest craze in cloth diapering is all about wool.  Upcycled sweaters have been donning the tooshes of many little tots around the globe.  Pookinoo is excited to join the club!  For those who are new to woolies and to Wool-Agains in particular, here are some wool care tips that you might find so easy that you’ll soon find yourself addicted to wool like the rest of us crazy eco-mommas!

When it comes to cleaning wool, nature has already done half the work for you. Wool and lanolin have naturally built in anti-bacterial properties (hooray!!) so you don’t have to worry about funky smells lingering in your woolies.  In effect, you don’t have to wash them too often either.  This is the magical glory of wool!  This may sound strange but it’s true!  Unless your woolens are soiled, they only require a washing every few weeks.  And that is usually when they need a new dose of lanolin anyhow!

Washing: When to wash your woolies?  Don’t worry, with a little dedication, you’ll soon become wool-savvy.  If they feel moist–but not soaked– after a changing,  simply toss them over a dry rack (out of direct sunlight) to allow them to dry out again. The lanolin is still working, just needs a breather!  If they feel heavily soaked, they may need to be lanolized again.  (**TIP**It’s nice to have a few pair of soakers or longies to rotate  throughout the day.) Hand wash your Wool-Agains in tepid water with a mild soap. Castile soap is recommended as it is gentle and will rinse out easily.   Add 1 tsp. soap to a gallon of tepid water and let your woolies soak for about 10 minutes and swish around before rinsing.  Wring out gently and then lanolize  with fresh water.

Lanolizing: Lanolize diapers when you notice that your wool is absorbing wetness instead of wicking it away.   As mentioned in the previous step,  you’ll become accustomed to whether the outside of the garment is wet or not.  (Some dampness may occur after wetting, but you should be able to tell the difference between damp and wet.)  Lanolin comes in a few forms: a lanolin bar, a lanolin and soap bar combo (my new fave!), or liquid lanolin.  Add 1/4 teaspoon of liquid lanolin to a gallon of tepid water.  You’ll need to use your hand to swish it all around so that the lanolin will disperse in the water.  Add your Wool-Agains and allow to soak for about 15 minutes.  Do not rinse out lanolin! Gently wring out excess water and roll in a towel to remove a bit more water.  Then simply lay flat to dry out of direct sun and heat. If you are using a lanolin bar variety, fill your sink with the tepid water, wet your inside out woolies, and scrub with the bar.  Any method you use, be sure to lanolize the crotch and inner legs the best.  If you are lanolizing longies or footies, dangle the legs over the sink edge to keep them dry.

Piece of cheesecake, right?

…next time you are around a flock of sweet sheep, go ahead and give them a big smooch–they deserve it!