care of wool before invention of the dryclean

**jjoseph** · 1st July 06, 06:25 PM

Pasted from another thread:

Originally Posted by Barb T.

Once fabric is washed, it has a different "hand". I would avoid washing an all-wool kilt, even by hand.

Just a point of curiosity:
Barb, maybe you or Matt N. would know... How were woolen kilts cared for prior to the invention of the dry cleaners?

**davedove** · 1st July 06, 06:34 PM

Well, for one thing, frequent washing of clothes (or even bodies) is a pretty recent thing. People didn't have the time or necessary fuel to keep heating up water for something as "unnecessary" as a bath - think "unwashed masses".

You would have a long-tailed shirt to protect the inside of the kilt from excess bodily oils, and it was a lot easier to wash the shirt. I suppose if the outside got a little dirty, they would probably beat it a little to get out dust and mud. If it got too dirty, you would have to wash it like anything else.

**Woodsheal** · 1st July 06, 06:57 PM

Before dry-cleaning, woolen clothes were simply brushed - with a stiff clothes brush made for the purpose - to clean them. I've read accounts of soldiers, however, throwing their wool uniforms into large mess kettles and boiling them (mostly to kill the lice!).

Wouldn't recommend that for a kilt, however....

**Caradoc** · 1st July 06, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsheal

I've read accounts of soldiers, however, throwing their wool uniforms into large mess kettles and boiling them (mostly to kill the lice!).

In winter, it's a lot easier to just leave the cloth outdoors to freeze, then beat the ice out of it and brush the fabric roughly with a stiff brush (to get the lice and eggs out of the garments) before allowing it to "warm up" to dry.

**GMan** · 1st July 06, 09:51 PM

This may seem like it is not going anywhere, but here goes..

When I was about 12 my family visited Ft. Laramie, Wyoming (the fort itself, not the town) on a trip. While being given a tour the ranger stopped in the back of the officers quarters and I noticed at least 50 huge ant hills (might not be that many, but remember I was about 12). He asked if we knew why the ant hills were so massive in size? No one really gave the answer he was looking for. He then pulled out of his pocket a very soiled hankercheif and placed it next to one of the ant hills. Within seconds it was covered with ants. He then proceeded to tell us that was how they kept their uniforms clean, they kept their uniforms outside on the ant hills over night, as dry cleaners were not very plentiful at that time, ants loved to pick off the grime and junk off of cloth. Hey the ants were digging it. When he was finished with his talk, he picked up his hankie and shook it off, and put it back in his pocket.

Maybe his story had some merit, and not sure about the accuracy, but it does make a great sound bite.

**Riverkilt** · 1st July 06, 11:08 PM

Well GREAT GMan!

It appears I live in some PRIME kilt cleaning country. Y'awl ship your wool kilts to me and I'll have them cleaned up in a jiffy.

Ron

**Rex_Tremende** · 1st July 06, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by GMan

This may seem like it is not going anywhere, but here goes...
[Domesticated ants]

Ah, so those ants in my kitchen sink were doing housework!
Guess I shouldn't have killed them - I should have paid them.

**Blu (Ontario)** · 2nd July 06, 04:09 AM

I'ts my understanding that in centuries past, prior to the development of cleaning solvents, ripenned urine was used. Because it had a high ammonia content, it had the ability to remove the sheeps body oils and grime from the wool fabric. Whether or not it was used on an ongoing basis... ??

Not exactly your lemon fresh Tide!

**Scottish Chi** · 2nd July 06, 04:45 AM

Originally Posted by Blu (Ontario)

I'ts my understanding that in centuries past, prior to the development of cleaning solvents, ripenned urine was used. Because it had a high ammonia content, it had the ability to remove the sheeps body oils and grime from the wool fabric. Whether or not it was used on an ongoing basis... ??

Not exactly your lemon fresh Tide!

OK not to rely to heavily on my short and long term memory too much but wasn't the urine (also) used to set the dye in the fabric? I know there was a use for it other than as a cleaning solvent. Just can't remember. Darn earlyheimers.

Cheers! Bill

**smaughazard** · 2nd July 06, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by Blu (Ontario)

I'ts my understanding that in centuries past, prior to the development of cleaning solvents, ripenned urine was used. Because it had a high ammonia content, it had the ability to remove the sheeps body oils and grime from the wool fabric. Whether or not it was used on an ongoing basis... ??

Not exactly your lemon fresh Tide!

Actually, it was used after weaving to remove the excess lanolin. Look up what a "fuller" did for a living. (thanks to my friend David Fuller for educating me on this one day when we were discussing the origins of names)