Washing your Fleece using the Fermented Suint Method

Suint [soo-int, swint]

noun: the natural grease of the wool of sheep

Fermented Suint Method is a technique to clean wool fleece in preparation for spinning. This method was developed for the lower lanolin wools which have a lower wax content in their wool grease, primitive and long wool breeds specifically. If you’re new to fleece processing, this is one of the simplest ways for cleaning fleece without endangering your septic tank or if you are wanting to wash the entire fleece at once. This method is extremely inter-esting. Set it up and walk away for about a week.

I use a 30 gallon solid colored plastic bin from Walmart not a clear or opaque plastic. A lid is needed as well.

I skirt my fleece well and shake out any VM. I then fill the container with either rainwater that I've collected in the collec-tion tank or you can use your outdoor hose (this is all done outdoors)

Next I push the skirted fleece into the container making sure it's completely immersed and cover the container tight.

Leave it outside in the sun and let the magic happen!

How it works: Basically, the fermentation process is when bacteria is created and it begins to dissolve or eat away at the lanolin and dirt.

When your bath begins to smell (and it will smell)

I leave it for a few more days and then I remove the wool from the bath and rinse it in another container.

Keeping the dirty fermented water for another wool fleece wash. (You can use the same water 3-4 times)

I tend to check it after 4-5 days or so just because I'm nosey. You may or may not smell the fermenta-tion. You should also see some scum floating and bubbles which is the process of creating it's own soap. It will be

quite visible if you stir it up a bit (see bubble photos) When you do smell it leave it another day or so. Usually this full process takes a week or so.

Next remove the wool from the container placing it into a second container and rinse it once or twice dumping the rinse water in your garden. My container cracked which

wound up being a good thing because I was able to drain the water out through the crack ( see rinse photo) you may drill large holes in the side of your container to make it easier. Now remem-ber, I told you it is going to smell and it will. But don't let that turn you off. The crazy thing is after your wool is completely and I stress com-pletely dry there will be no

odor at all and the results will be amazing!

Next I use a very large commercial salad spinner to spin the water from the wool or you can put it in your washer and spin the water out. Be sure you're washing ma-chine does not continue to any other cycle or you will risk felt-ing your wool. If neither one of these works for you spread a large towel and roll the wool and it and remove some excess water.

Now spread it on a screen and allow to completely dry you'll be amazed at the beauty. You will feel a per-fect tiny amount of lanolin left in your fiber and you will be amazed at the sheen

You may then use your initial bath water for a second suint wash and repeat the steps

If you are hesitant to try this method use a 3 or 4 gallon Tupperware and a small amount of fiber and ex-periment.