If you’ve ever nervously hovered over your sink with a wool jumper in hand, wondering if you’re about to accidentally felt your favourite knit into toddler size… you’re not alone.
Here at Spuggy Designs, wool is at the heart of everything we do—from our slow-made, small batch knitwear to our newest creation: lanolin-enriched soap bars. These clever little bars are designed for handwashing wool garments and as a gentle, moisturising natural body wash. No faff, no unnecessary ingredients—just good stuff that works.
Let’s walk through how to use them properly—especially if you’re reconditioning your precious woollies.
Why lanolin?
Lanolin is a natural wax found in sheep’s wool. Think of it as nature’s built-in moisturiser. It keeps wool soft, helps it repel water, and prevents it from becoming dry and scratchy. When used in soap, lanolin helps replenish wool fibres and leaves your skin feeling hydrated without that tight post-wash feeling.
Perfect for anyone who wears or washes wool… or has skin.
How to use Spuggy Designs Lanolin-Enriched Soap Bars for wool care
You’ll need:
🧼 A bar of Spuggy Designs Lanolin-Enriched Soap
🚰 A sink or basin
💧 Clean, lukewarm water
🧺 Two clean, dry towels
🧘♀️ A little time and space for drying flat
Step-by-step instructions (or see how to videos here):
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Fill your sink or basin with lukewarm water—around 5 litres for jumpers or larger items, and 2–3 litres for smaller accessories like hats or mittens.
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Lather the soap. Wet the soap bar under the tap or swirl it in the water until it becomes cloudy. No bubbles or foam—that’s on purpose! More bubbles = more rinsing = more chance of felting. Cloudy water means lanolin has been released and you’re good to go.
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Remove the soap bar and pop it on a draining dish (this is important—let it dry fully between uses to make it last!).
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Submerge your wool item. Gently squish it to help it absorb the lanolin-infused water.
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Soak for 15 minutes. You can hum a tune, have a cuppa, or plan your next knit.
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Drain the water, and gently squeeze out excess without wringing or twisting (felting = sadness).
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Rinse with fresh cold water. Don’t soak—just swish to remove lingering soap.
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Squeeze gently again. (We’re very anti-aggressive wool handling here.)
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Roll the item in a clean towel to get even more water out.
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Lay flat on a dry towel to air dry. This can take a day or two, so factor it into your laundry rhythm.
✨Tip: Always dry wool flat to help it keep its shape. Hanging = stretching. And we don’t want that.
Why bother handwashing wool at all?
Because your lovely wool jumper deserves better than the washing machine. Especially if it’s handmade, vintage, or a high-quality buy. Handwashing helps:
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Maintain the natural lanolin in wool
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Prevent shrinkage and felting
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Keep colours and texture rich and soft
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Make your knitwear last for years (aka proper slow fashion)
Basically, it’s like giving your knitwear a spa day. And don’t they deserve it?
More than just a wool wash – it’s a treat for your skin too
We made these lanolin-enriched soap bars gentle enough for wool, but also lovely enough for your skin. They’re:
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Moisturising: thanks to lanolin and our triple butter soap base
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SLS-free: so no harsh foaming agents
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Naturally scented: using a carefully chosen blend of essential oils
Think refreshing, soft, and slightly earthy—with the added bonus of repelling moths. (Yes, really. They hate the fresh scent. Win-win.)
Make your soap last
Because this is a solid soap bar (and not a bottle of something watery), it’ll last ages—if you let it dry out properly between uses. Always store it on a well-draining soap dish, not in a puddle.
Trust us: soggy soap is sad soap.
Ready to try it?
You can shop the Spuggy Designs Lanolin-Enriched Soap Bars right now over on the product page here.
Whether you’re washing your favourite cardigan or looking for a simple, skin-kind soap for daily use—this one’s a keeper.