Washing Fleece, the fermentation method ( Suint )

No photos at this stage,  really we all know what a dust bin looks like.

This is a method of washing fleece that uses the natural properties of fleece to wash itself.

Think about it,  when you handle raw fleece and then wash your hands and you need no soap to get that soapy feeling.

I am now starting my third 'brew' and decided that I would blog its development.
You need a dust bin,  draining racks that you can put containers under to catch the water,  large tub to rinse the fleece.  Somewhere not too near your house or any other house as the smell is pretty awful.
I am about to have a concrete area made now that I have no farm yard.

Stage 1 :  You need a black dust bin with lid.  Any water holding container that doesn't let the light in and has a lid will do.  Sunlight will allow the water grow algae and the lid prevents bugs getting in and laying eggs.  

Fill this with rain water,   pure and slightly acidic.  Hard water will cause precipitation of calcium and other minerals.  Add some fleece that you may need to discard afterwards although I have always used them.  This needs to have lots of natural grease.   I break it up so that I can lift it out of the bin when it is 'washed'.  It is extremely heavy when it is water logged.  Put the lid on and just leave it for 2 weeks.  Have the odd peep in to see how things are going.  You may see a scum developing on the surface of the water.  This a good sign.

My brew has been going almost a week now so photos will follow when I take it out of the water

Drying Rack for Wool Fleece

At last I have organised a large rack for drying my fleece.   I have used an old greenhouse table that was made to take seed trays.  It originally had wooden slats that have long rotted away.  I have replaced these with plastic mesh.  Seen here with a complete Jacob type fleece and a large quantity of Wensleydale.  I should have done this years ago but it is only recently that I have been washing and drying fleece in larger quantities