Washing wool - Why do I use orvas paste?

 I'm desperately trying to wash the rest of the wool before the rainy season sets in.  Even on hot summer days, it takes two days to dry the wool enough for long term (air/bug tight) storage.  In the winter (aka, rainy season)... well, it's a challenge.

The other challenge is in the warm weather, the animals get first priority with the well water.  So there aren't many days when I can wash the wool.  

Washing in the garden helps, because then the dirty water not only waters the plants but it adds a lot of benefit to the garden.

So why do I use Orvas Paste?

Orvas paste is pretty much pure SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) which is extremely unpopular in cosmetics and soaps these days.  SLS makes a lot of suds and is often added to shampoo or detergent to make it look like it is working.  We are trained that bubbles do the cleaning (this is not true, but it is believed).

A lot of people have skin sensitivities to modern detergents and soaps. Quite often SLS gets blamed for this.  So they buy things that are SLS-free.  Their skin gets better.

Sometimes SLS is the cause.  But more often, I suspect the problem is poor quality control of the ingredients.  If a company takes the effort to remove the most common additive, then it is probably paying a lot more attention to the ingredients that do go into the product.  

I think this for two reasons.  One, quite often I am washing wool with someone and I stick my hand in the Orvas Paste and they stick their hands in it either.  Then they comment, oh wow, this is awesome stuff, I normally get a rash.  Then they panic from it being SLS.  But still no rash.  

The other reason is my own skin is hypersensitive to just about every soap.  Even real soap made from lye and oils can cause massive blisters.  Orvas paste is one of the very few things I can use without hurting my skin.  

Orvas paste is often used to wash babby animals, like lambs and goats.  

It's also quickly biodegradable so it's safe to use on the garden without having to dilute the wash water first.  Most other washing substances I've tried, kill the plants - always test on a section of lawn before using in the garden.

Most of all, I love how quickly it rinses out of the fibre.  All the other detergents and soaps I've tried, take a lot of rinses to get the residue off.  

But if it causes a reaction to your skin, then don't use it. Test a small area of skin first. 

Also, different cleaners react differently with different minerals in the water supplies, so always do a small batch to test.

Orvas paste:

• doesn't hurt my skin
• doesn't kill my plants  
• biodegradable
• mild insecticide in the garden
• need very little (1-4 Tablespoons per fleece) - it actually works better with less
• extremely affordable $40 for enough to wash a hundred+ fleeces
• great on protein stains (like poo, urine, and blood)

It's not the thing for everyone.  But it works for me.  

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