Washing
Wool covers only need washing if and when they become soiled or dirty as the natural antibacterial properties of lanolin will break down any urine absorbed during use. Day to day simply turn your cover inside out and air dry. When washing your wool cover ensure you use cold water and hand wash only using a gentle wool wash.
Lanolising
Before you use your cover you will need to add lanoline to make it water repellent.
From time to time you will need to replace the lanolin in your cover. The period of time between lanolin treatments will differ for every family. A good way to tell if your cover needs treating is if it still smelly after airing or if the outside layer is damp to the touch after use.
Spray Lanolin can be applied to dry or damp wool, massaged into the cover and left to air dry. It is great for top up applications but usually not intensive enough to fully lanolise your cover.
Solid Lanolin will give a much deeper treatment. Place a pea sized amount of solid lanolin in a small glass jar. Add a drop of baby shampoo and a tablespoon of hot water and shake vigorously to melt and disperse the lanolin. If the oil is not fully dispersed it will settle and can make oily spots on your wool. Add the mixture to a bucket of cold water and swish to ensure it is evenly distributed. Add your wool cover/s and massage the lanolin gently into the wool, concentrating on the areas that get the heaviest use.
Leave your items to soak for half an hour. Remove items from the water and gently squeeze out any excess water. Lay your cover flat on a towel and roll to remove any additional moisture. Lay flat to dry avoiding full sunlight. Drying may take up to 24 hours.