Emulsion Blocks

Handmade Emulsion pre-cut cubes in a nestled on a pillow soft cloud of 100% merino wool.

How to Lanolize

• Use boiling hot water. Heat in the kettle or use a microwaveable glass
  • Use about half a cup
• Use a 1 emulsion block with about twice the volume of lanolin.
• Dissolve the emulsion block in the hot water
  • https://bumbywool.com/product/bumby-wool-solutions-emulsifying-blocks/
  • Don’t worry if its not entirely dissolved
  • The soap makes the mixture cloudy, not as much the lanolin
  • Using too much soap can make a really stable emulsion, but also just puts more soap into the wool. The goal is the lanolin in the wool
• Mix in lanolin
  • https://bumbywool.com/product/bumby-wool-solutions-solid-lanolin/
  • You can use a jar and shake or or just use a spoon to stir
  • A few little floating bits is ok
  • Large chunks is likely due to a water issue
  • Acidic water doesn’t like to emulsify lanolin. Try adding a bit of baking soda. Some need to use distilled or bottled water
• Add room temperature water
  • Use about half a cup
• Pour into a small basin or bowl that your wool fits into nicely
  • Too large and the emulsion spreads too much
  • Avoid plastic because the lanolin is hard to clean off
  • Metal is nice to clean and also cools the mixture quickly.
• Place your INSIDE OUT wool into the basin
  • Aim for the wet-zone aka crotch, to go in first
  • Squeeze gently and move around to allow the lanolin to absorb
  • The wool will absorb the lanolin very quickly. Having heavy lanolin will result in staining and clumping. Light lanolin in the basin will avoid this.
• Remove the wool, no need to soak
  • Your bowl should have a tiny bit of water left
  • This water should be cloudy with a bit of soap and traces of lanolin
  • Reheat this little bit of water to dip a subsequent pair , you can add a little bit more emulsion block if needed
  • Or save to use at a later date
  • It is best to not dump this liquid as it can clog drains with any residual lanolin in the solution over time
• Turn the garment right side out and gently rub the sides together. This will help the lanolin absorb into the fibers
• Lay flat to dry
• If you want to add more lanolin, repeat this process. It is a good idea to let it dry a bit first. You may find you have lots in there though.
• I am adding in a new step, rinse the wool after the lanolin has settled into the fibers.  Turn the wool right side out and rinse the soap out, spinning in the machine is helpful.
• DEEP THOUGHTS
  • The lanolin tends to absorb quickly, so letting it soak just means you are soaking it in soap water, which would be how you would remove lanolin
  • The lanolin coats the wool, so having too much in there just means it is staying in the water as it can’t easily get through and being wasted down the sink
  • Layering is a great way to allow the lanolin to penetrate the fiber first, then adding another layer
  • If you are struggling just get some distilled water, you don’t need much in this process and it is cheaper than wasting lanolin
  • Citric acid or vinegar will pull lanolin from a solution. You can make your solution clumpy and skim off the top and remove the lanolin. It is a wax so you can rinse it to reuse. Do this if your mixture breaks or you used too much and want to save it for later.
  • Why would we do all this? Lanolin is nature’s way of moisturizing wool. It creates a waterproof barrier as well as the anti-microbial natural of your wool.