Steam causing spots?

[mookien]

While this article deals with hand-washing wool sweaters rather than kilts, the concepts and concerns involved are the same:

Dale: I assume the process described applies to Scottish hose, too. Is that correct?

John

[Chas]

There is, of course, one way to test. To see if the fabric is to blame or the iron is to blame. Take a freshly laundered pillow slip or sheet or tea towel or shirt. Plain white for preference, but any plain light or pastel shade will do.

Iron it as you did your kilt. Use lots of steam - extra bursts and just normal. Marks or no marks?

Marks or grit and it is your iron or water.
No marks, then it is the kilt.

Let us know.

Regards

Chas

[Dale Seago]

Dale: I assume the process described applies to Scottish hose, too. Is that correct?

John

If they're all-wool and untreated, yes. There ARE treated wools and wool/synthetic blends which are okay to machine-wash on at least a delicate or gentle cycle -- Lewis hose, for instance.

[creagdhubh]

Dale: I assume the process described applies to Scottish hose, too. Is that correct?

John

I always hand-wash my kilt hose and country socks (both kind are from House of Cheviot - various styles), but usually after several wearings first. I use a wee bit of woolite and cold water, then lay flat to dry. Simple, easy, and effective.

Cheers,

[mookien]

If they're all-wool and untreated, yes. There ARE treated wools and wool/synthetic blends which are okay to machine-wash on at least a delicate or gentle cycle -- Lewis hose, for instance.

I always hand-wash my kilt hose and country socks (both kind from House of Cheviot - various styles), but usually after several wearings first. I use a wee bit of woolite and cold water, then lay flat to dry. Simple, easy, and effective.

Cheers,

Dale and Kyle: Thank you.

Since most, if not all, of my hose are wool/poly blends, I have been laundering them as Kyle described, ... and as my wife directed. Looks like she knew of what she spoke.

John

[Deirachel]

I always hand-wash my kilt hose and country socks (both kind are from House of Cheviot - various styles), but usually after several wearings first. I use a wee bit of woolite and cold water, then lay flat to dry. Simple, easy, and effective.

Cheers,

Woolite is BAD for wool. It is NOT formulated for natural fibers any more. It's specifically designed for synthetics.

Sources:

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/yarn/1306453 (needs a free log in, but is one of the best fiber arts sites on the web at all for anyone interested in the fiber arts)

http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_..._for_orga.html

http://community.discovery.com/eve/f...6/m/6191971699

http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/articles/wash_sweater.shtml

My wife the spinner/knitter....



The best commercial products to use for washing wool:

SOAK http://www.soakwash.com/

Eucalan http://www.eucalan.com/

Good quality shampoo http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=sr_tc_2_...qid=1327736533 (Yes, as in the stuff you rub into your hair.....Tresemme, Nutragenia, etc.. Not Baby Shampoo. Moisturizing is ok, and some fiber artists even recommending using a very small amount of conditioner in the final rinse.)

[Paul Henry]

Woolite is BAD for wool. It is NOT formulated for natural fibers any more. It's specifically designed for synthetics.

Sources:

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/yarn/1306453 (needs a free log in, but is one of the best fiber arts sites on the web at all for anyone interested in the fiber arts)

http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_..._for_orga.html

http://community.discovery.com/eve/f...6/m/6191971699

http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/articles/wash_sweater.shtml

My wife the spinner/knitter....



The best commercial products to use for washing wool:

SOAK http://www.soakwash.com/

Eucalan http://www.eucalan.com/

Good quality shampoo http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=sr_tc_2_...qid=1327736533 (Yes, as in the stuff you rub into your hair.....Tresemme, Nutragenia, etc.. Not Baby Shampoo. Moisturizing is ok, and some fiber artists even recommending using a very small amount of conditioner in the final rinse.)

This is a constant ( and often hot) discussion on fibre boards, and actually the jury is out on whether Woolite is good or bad, the main thing to remember is to use as little as possible of any sort of washing product, and to rinse well.
Woolite is still favoured by as many would not touch it with a barge pole. If you read the article on ravelry nowhere does it say that it is bad, but that there are other producs as well, infact many on ravelry support it's use!I've used many different products, including baby shampoo for washing wool,and have had good reults each time, and to be honest Woolite isn't really so bad, and it was designed for wool,not for synthetics.

It's a case of where some people have favorites , and of some who are loyal to brands, ultimately choose something that works for you.

[Dixiecat]

Distilled water by definition is neutral - ph 7.0, neither acidic, nor basic.

During bottling and handling it can, and often does, get "contaminated" with CO2 from the air. That exposure forms a very mild carbonic acid, which is largely harmless - even to wool.

That exact same contamination occurs in mineral water, as well. So, with mineral water you get two kinds of contaminants - minerals and carbonic acid.

Rowenta recommends against distilled water, because their heating element is coated with some substance that enhances steam production. Distilled water in some way unknown to me, and also to the representative with whom I spoke, interferes with that process. Perhaps someone from Rowenta will weigh in and inform us about the chemistry involved.

Most iron manufacturers, today, state that it is unnecessary to use distilled water, but only because their irons filter the minerals out of the tap water.

I did not say distilled water was acidic but that it acts like an acid. Nature abhors a vacuum a chem prof once told my class and distilled water is such a vacuum. When in contact with metals or other materials it tends to leach out the metals or elements in an effort to balance the chem equation. This how it can 'interfere' with the coating of which you describe.

And Craigdubh, I have been at tradeshows where Rowenta reps are selling their irons and have gone through flats of bottled water. If it's safe to drink it's safe to iron with in a Rowenta at least.

[creagdhubh]

This is a constant ( and often hot) discussion on fibre boards, and actually the jury is out on whether Woolite is good or bad, the main thing to remember is to use as little as possible of any sort of washing product, and to rinse well.
Woolite is still favoured by as many would not touch it with a barge pole. If you read the article on ravelry nowhere does it say that it is bad, but that there are other producs as well, infact many on ravelry support it's use!I've used many different products, including baby shampoo for washing wool,and have had good reults each time, and to be honest Woolite isn't really so bad, and it was designed for wool,not for synthetics.

It's a case of where some people have favorites , and of some who are loyal to brands, ultimately choose something that works for you.

I agree with you, Paul. I never use a lot of Woolite at any given time, only a wee bit. I have been washing my kilt hose and country socks with Woolite, by hand (no machine - ever!) with cold water, and have yet to have ANY sort of problems. It doesn't make much sense to think that Woolite was specifically designed for synthetic fabrics, really? Come on now!

I take my time washing, and since my kilt hose and country socks never really get filthy-dirty, I rub and rinse them very gently. If I ever happen to get any build up of material, or 'fuzz-balls' on the hose or socks, especially in the heel area, I will gently use a fabric shaver to collect the unwanted and unsightly 'balls.' Works well - EVERY time.

Cheers,

[opositive]

my beloved wife endorsed the wool cycle of out fairly new side loading washer. after seeing the effect on one of my wool sweaters in the machine vs. my experiment with "jocking" a new wool bonnet, i am voting for the soaking method promoted by seago's article and above.