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Fleece Fleece Still Isn't Wicking

LoveMyHerd

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Hello all,
I have washed my new anti-pill fleece six times, and it still isn't wicking. Is there any possible reason for this, or is it normal?
Thank you!
 

AmberCalzone

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Have you used any fabric softener or drier sheets while washing? That will go against the wicking process.
 

bpatters

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Are you washing it in hot water, with detergent and bleach?
 

3GPigsplus1more

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There are products out on the market for cloth diapers that you can soak the fleece to remove the barrier and it gets the fleece to wick again.
 

janinehunt

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Put a squirt of dish soap in with the detergent, and white vinegar in the rinse. That got mine wicking when several washes didn't. Make sure as well that you're using a plain laundry detergent, not one that is basically grated or powdered soap, and that it contains no fabric softeners.
 

LoveMyHerd

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I wasn't washing it in hot water, I was washing in warm with just vinegar. This morning it was washed hot with regular detergent and vinegar. And it wicks!
Thank you everybody so much for your help! I might have been washing forever!
 

bpatters

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Fleece is nearly indestructible, and you can wash it in full-on hot water and bleach with no damage and no fading of color. The only thing you have to be careful of is rinsing it enough to get the soap and the bleach out.

For all of you warm-water/vinegar washers out there, that won't kill the bacteria in the fleece.
 

myswtguineas

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Are you washing it in hot water, with detergent and bleach?
When I washed mine on permanent press it shrank! How do you wash it in hot??
 

janinehunt

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When I washed mine on permanent press it shrank! How do you wash it in hot??

When preparing fabric for any usage, you should always pre-wash it so it will shrink in advance of cutting and sewing it, using the temperature and method you will be using when you wash the item in the future, ie, hot water, dryer.
 

myswtguineas

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I didn't make it myself. The person I purchased it form said wash cold dry low part time.
 

janinehunt

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I didn't make it myself. The person I purchased it form said wash cold dry low part time.

Well that's a bummer, because as [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] says, piggy bedding should be washed in nice hot water. Today I had a backlog of piggy laundry, and needed to wash and dry some fast so I could use it tonight. I did a quick wash which will only wash at 60°, and the bed pads still smelled of urine. In my machine a normal wash at 95° takes over two hours, but that's what I normally use, and it does a good job.
 

Blake81

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I brought my first piggies home tonight!! I'll post pictures tomorrow. We're not so patiently trying to let them settle in a bit.

Just wondering, has anyone had issues with 7th Generation Detergent not stripping fleece so it will wick? I had several old blankets so already washed many times (with fabric softner at the time). I've washed them 6 times on hot water with my detergent and a bit of white vinegar. Still no dice.

Could it be the blanket material? I ordered flippers but they haven't arrived yet and I plan on going to the fabric store this weekend to get the polar fleece also. Was just hoping these would work in the meantime. Instead had to buy some carefresh.
 

trumpetmama

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I've had similar problems. Can anyone suggest a detergent that works well to get fleece to wick? I've washed mine 7 times in a homemade detergent and it is definitely NOT wicking.
 

BaconAndEggs

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How can you tell if the fleece has wicked? I will be getting some either tonight or tomorrow. :D
 

lunarminx

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The water goes through right away, it does not puddle on top.
 

LoveMyHerd

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You simply drip a couple of drops of water from about an inch above the fleece and see if it goes through right away. If it does, it's wicking.
 
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