# Alternative for Woolite



## BarBeeRo (Aug 12, 2011)

Can someone please tell me the name of the detergent it seems most of you use in place of Woolite. I have always used Woolite but am beginning to wonder about using it on my knit and crocheted products.
Barbeero


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## knittingneedles (Mar 27, 2011)

BarBeeRo said:


> Can someone please tell me the name of the detergent it seems most of you use in place of Woolite. I have always used Woolite but am beginning to wonder about using it on my knit and crocheted products.
> Barbeero


My lys says that if you r washing wool or alpaca or any other animal hair, you can use shampoo and conditioner just like your own hair.I have used it and it works great.


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## StitchDesigner (Jan 24, 2011)

There are also Soak, Kookaburra, and Eucalan. All 3 are available at KnitPicks. And just for those who might be looking, the only things Woolite is good for are unmentionables.


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## e.ridenh (Jan 24, 2011)

BarBeeRo said:


> Can someone please tell me the name of the detergent it seems most of you use in place of Woolite. I have always used Woolite but am beginning to wonder about using it on my knit and crocheted products.
> Barbeero


~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's the big link on the subject, Bar........

Good luck, sweetie!

Donna Rae


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## patocenizo (Jun 24, 2011)

I use Dreft! I was told by one of the top instructors to never, never , never use Woolite and that Dreft is the only and best for all our handknitted items.


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

Detergent should not be used on fine yarns. Wool shampoos or even human shampoos are best.

Detergent breaks down oils (which is why rescue groups use detergents to remove oil from wildlife, both marine and avian, caught in oil spills). The natural oils in animal fibers help keep them supple. When the oils are broken down the fiber will become "fragile".

I prefer to use wool shampoos but inexpensive baby shampoo works just fine.


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## Wheatie (Sep 19, 2011)

If you are a purist go to a feed store that sells products for show animals. There is a product called Orvus that is a pure soap. You have to buy a qt. at a time, but only use about a teaspon full at a time so you have a lifetime supply. It is good for quilts as well.


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## weaver1510 (Oct 2, 2011)

Orvus is what a lot of quilters use too. It is very nice stuff.


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## deluda (Jul 20, 2011)

Years ago I went to a sewing conference and was told Woolite is similiar to Janitor in a Drum (the all-purpose cleaner). I have never bought Woolite since. I am now a big fan of Orvus. It works great and I'm still using the bottle I bought many years ago. So little is needed.


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## Mevbb (Sep 5, 2011)

Eucalan Great stuff.


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## Beetytwird (Jan 19, 2011)

I have used Woolite for years on my knits, all of mine are acrylic. I am alergic to wool. Woolite keeps the yarn soft and does not fade it as much as regular laundry soap.


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

deluda, I'm going to have to remember that, "Janitor in a Drum"! Great description!


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## mojave (Oct 14, 2011)

I have used Orvus for (ahem) decades on knitted items, crocheted items, counted cross stitch items of heirloom quality, hardanger and pulled thread work. It works well on dirty dogs too.


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## BarBeeRo (Aug 12, 2011)

Can you buy Eucalan or Orvus at any stores rather than order from Knitpicks?
Barbeero


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

You can find Eucalan at many yarn shops, Orvus is sold at farm/feed stores that cater to "show" quality livestock.


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## Ingried (Sep 23, 2011)

I use a mild shampoo. Had ONE experience with Woolite where it changed the color.


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## mojave (Oct 14, 2011)

BarBeeRo said:


> Can you buy Eucalan or Orvus at any stores rather than order from Knitpicks?
> Barbeero


I bought my last jar of Orvus at IMF (Intermountain Farmers). I imagine any feed store in the US would have it in stock.


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## GroodleMom (Feb 27, 2011)

BarBeeRo said:


> Can someone please tell me the name of the detergent it seems most of you use in place of Woolite. I have always used Woolite but am beginning to wonder about using it on my knit and crocheted products.
> Barbeero


I like SOAK because you dont have to rinse it out but I know some people who use baby shampoo which seems to work as well and much less expensive.


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## Mevbb (Sep 5, 2011)

Eucalan does not have to be rinsed out either.


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## StitchDesigner (Jan 24, 2011)

Beetytwird said:


> I have used Woolite for years on my knits, all of mine are acrylic. I am alergic to wool. Woolite keeps the yarn soft and does not fade it as much as regular laundry soap.


Yes, for acrylic. But it's a wool killer. It is not for true woolens.


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

WOOLite for Acrylic..talk about oxymorons!


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## Beetytwird (Jan 19, 2011)

yes it works. Helps to keep it from pilling so much too!


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## courier770 (Jan 29, 2011)

Acrylic is going to pill no matter what you use to wash it in. It's made from petrochemicals not actual fiber. As the strands "weaken", rather than shed, they mat together to form "pills". 

Look into how Acrylic yarn is made and what it is made from and you'll have a better understanding of it.


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## thelmalou (Sep 1, 2011)

I use dreft on all my knitted/croched items, works beautifully, smells so 
Good, also use it on all my sweaters, try it, you'll love it.


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## nweissma (Feb 23, 2017)

apologies if i'm in the wrong forum: i have a wool/acrylic blanket and several pure wool items. i also have several new Turkish Cotton bath towels whose care label states to launder in "mild detergent." I neither crochet nor knit - i don't even know the difference between these two terms! - and my question is whether your recommendations - Orvus, Eucalan, Soap, wool shampoo, adult human shampoo, baby shampoo - can be used in *washing machines*.


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## eloise-the-elder (Nov 10, 2015)

Modern washing machines require detergent. Soap products eventually gum up the tubes, pipes, etc. Look up mfg. recommendations on the internet.


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## nweissma (Feb 23, 2017)

I'm not concerned with this problem because i'm using a laundromat and the number of uses that use detergent far outnumber my one use of non-detergent .. so - staying on topic - can Orvus, Soap, Eucalan, wool shampoo, &c be used for wahing machines or is their use restricted to hand-washing?


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

No specific recommendation. I just wanted to mention that shampoos are detergent. Most "soaps" are. I suppose there are shampoos that are actually soaps but most are indeed detergents.


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## Mitsue39 (Apr 3, 2012)

That is what I use too. It should be a quality shampoo though. Nothing harsh like of the bargain shampoos.


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## KitKat789 (May 17, 2016)

What's wrong with Woolite? I've used it all my life and nothing has ever been damaged.


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

courier770 said:


> Detergent should not be used on fine yarns. Wool shampoos or even human shampoos are best.
> 
> Detergent breaks down oils (which is why rescue groups use detergents to remove oil from wildlife, both marine and avian, caught in oil spills). The natural oils in animal fibers help keep them supple. When the oils are broken down the fiber will become "fragile".
> 
> I prefer to use wool shampoos but inexpensive baby shampoo works just fine.


Shampoo is detergent, too.

Almost everything you can use for washing things is either a soap or a detergent. Soap leaves mineral salts in what it washes (like ring around the bathtub), and it's almost impossible to remove. I'd rather wash knits with a detergent. Detergents like Euclan and Soak are engineered to rinse out completely and not deposit anything on the fibers.


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## nanma esther (Aug 22, 2011)

I haven't see Dreft in years, 1 thing to rember is woolite changes colors, especially red,never use it on embordery...!!!


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## martyr (Feb 15, 2011)

IndigoSpinner said:


> Shampoo is detergent, too.
> 
> Almost everything you can use for washing things is either a soap or a detergent. Soap leaves mineral salts in what it washes (like ring around the bathtub), and it's almost impossible to remove. I'd rather wash knits with a detergent. Detergents like Euclan and Soak are engineered to rinse out completely and not deposit anything on the fibers.


But the label says not to rinse with Euclan. I love it for my wool knits. there was a thread awhile back that was about this topic and someone said that Woolite changed their formula recently, and that's why its not so good for natural hand knits. I can't remember the details but will see if I can link the topic here..

ETA: http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-361511-2.html. This doesn't have the information on Woolite as I remembered it. but it was an interesting thread. and I can't find the other one.


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## CBB (Sep 12, 2014)

I use the same shampoo I use on my hair. Not fancy, by any means, and it's an economy label that I've had good luck with. It's clear, meaning no clammy, sticky additives, and I love the scent. Works great for me.


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

martyr said:


> But the label says not to rinse with Euclan. I love it for my wool knits. there was a thread awhile back that was about this topic and someone said that Woolite changed their formula recently, and that's why its not so good for natural hand knits. I can't remember the details but will see if I can link the topic here..
> 
> ETA: http://www.knittingparadise.com/t-361511-2.html. This doesn't have the information on Woolite as I remembered it. but it was an interesting thread. and I can't find the other one.


Euclan says you don't have to rinse. You can rinse if you want to.

Woolite has _never_ been good for hand knits. It's hard on fiber and _really_ hard on dye.

A while ago, they came out with a special formulation for black, which may have reduced or possibly even eliminated the problems it has. I wrote to them with a series of questions, and they wouldn't answer any of them. They said it's a proprietary formula, so they wouldn't give me _any_ information, even though their competitors publish that same information on their labels.

For instance, most laundry detergents have FWAs in them. That's Fluorescent Whitening Agents. It's what makes whites whiter than snow. It also makes clothing fluoresce in black light. My laundry detergent (All Clean and Clear) says "No Dyes" on the label (FWAs are considered dye). That's one of the things I asked about that they wouldn't divulge.

I also asked about sodium PCA, which tends to break the molecular bonds that attach dye to fabric. They wouldn't tell me about that, either.

I don't use Woolite.

For anything.


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## martyr (Feb 15, 2011)

IndigoSpinner said:


> Euclan says you don't have to rinse. You can rinse if you want to.
> 
> Woolite has _never_ been good for hand knits. It's hard on fiber and _really_ hard on dye.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that. So would you rinse, why? and when? I'll bet you were the person who had commented on this in that other thread that I was trying to find. Good to have someone who knows her chemistry and those details. Thanks for sharing. :sm02:


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

martyr said:


> Thanks for that. So would you rinse, why? and when? I'll bet you were the person who had commented on this in that other thread that I was trying to find. Good to have someone who knows her chemistry and those details. Thanks for sharing. :sm02:


I found out about Sodium PCA when my (then dyed) hair turned green from swimming in a chlorinated pool. There are shampoos that will weaken molecular bonds, and they take the green out, and they all have the same chemical. So I read up about it. They're also good at taking dye out of anything. Like the pretty new sweater that you just knitted.


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## klrober (Mar 20, 2013)

BarBeeRo said:


> Can you buy Eucalan or Orvus at any stores rather than order from Knitpicks?
> Barbeero


You can find it on Amazon also.


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## klrober (Mar 20, 2013)

Even though Eucalan is a no rinse soap I use for all my wool knits I still do a quick rinse even though there aren't any suds.
Also want to let others know a large bottle will last a long time as you only need a drop. I'm still on the same bottle I have had for over a year or so.


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## mAggie C (Apr 18, 2016)

$8iooooooooo.hmmb


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