Experiment in Fermented Suint Method

A few years ago iI had the idea to restrict myself to using only local wool/fleece. It's part of trying to live a more sustainable life and to support people who have local businesses and farms. We do the same for our food as much as budget allows so it was a natural move really.

In practice it turns out I can manage really well at about 80% local wool ( ie fleece) with the remainder being acrylic and other purchases used for family members who have low wool tolerance. So it kinda goes in this order:
1. Local fleeces to be processed spun and dyed by me.
2. Local people selling their stash or thrift store wool. Sometimes that means unravelling a thrift buy.
3. Buying mill ends or 'eco' type yarn at  a chain store. When I am in Ontario visiting my family go to places like Lens Mill.Or the tent sale in Listowel.Or I buy at my amazing lys.

I don't buy a lot of wool. I really like using my own.

I said all that to say this :)  : I'm trying a new to me method of cleaning fleeces. Its called Fermented Suint Method. There is lots of information on Fermented Suint thread on Ravelry ( see the spinners groups) and some online as well.
Basically you take a fairly dirty fleece and soak it for 5 to 7 days. The potassium salts in the sheep sweat (suint) breakdown and saponify.The water ferments, looks milky and smells badly. The action dissolves a lot of the lanolin, but not all. This releases a lot of the dirt.

On Monday we put a pretty dirty greasy fleece in a blue tub along with lots of water. You need soft water and luckily we have it. Today I took pictures - This is day 4. The water is starting to look sliqhtly milky but it just smells like dirty fleece so far. I am hoping its warm enough for this to work. Its been 10 to 12 degrees each day. ( 50 to 54 F.) I'm prepared for it not to work, and soaking the fleece can't hurt it :).

bubbly and milky