Fleece Making fleece wick -- how much vinegar to use?

[Aleks]

Hey you guys, yesterday I bought fleece for Rigby's cage. I washed and dried it a few times last night, with no laundry detergent or fabric softener as i read you aren't supposed to use those, and it wasn't wicking after that. I tested it by pouring some water onto it and seeing if it would go through and it didn't.

I read that you're supposed to use vinegar while washing it to make it wick better, so I just bought some but I have no idea how much I'm supposed to use. (If there's a certain amount at all?)
This is the first time I've ever had to wash fleece so if anyone can help I'd appreciate it. lol

 

[porkchophamster]

You SHOULD use laundry detergent but make sure it has no fabric softener added. I use All Free and Clear. I washed mine 3 times with the detergent and no vinegar and had no problems.

 

[Aleks]

You SHOULD use laundry detergent but make sure it has no fabric softener added. I use All Free and Clear. I washed mine 3 times with the detergent and no vinegar and had no problems.

Oh okay! Thanks!! We don't have a whole lot of laundry detergent left, so will it be okay to just use vinegar? It won't make the fleece smell really bad like vinegar will it?

 

[porkchophamster]

It won't make it smell bad, no. But I'm not sure if using only vinegar will make it wick. It's worth a shot though if you are low on detergent lol

 

[bpatters]

You ARE supposed to use detergent, just not fabric softener -- it affects the wicking.

I don't think vinegar will help much with the wicking, either, but it may vary by the kind of fleece you have. You just have to wash it enough to break down the covering on the fibers, and the detergent will help with that.

I just washed mine with the normal amount of detergent, with bleach, in very hot water, over and over again, until it started wicking.

 

[Aleks]

Thanks for the replies! I'm gonna try using some detergent and vinegar and see if that works.

 

[Aleks]

@bpatters Okay I'm kind of confused now. I got it to wick, but the top stayed really wet.. I thought the point of wicking was so that the fleece stayed dry on top?

 

[bpatters]

It's not really wicking if it's wet on top. Did you put something absorbent underneath it?

 

[Aleks]

It's not really wicking if it's wet on top. Did you put something absorbent underneath it?

Yes, I put a towel underneath it. Do different kinds of fleece need to be prepared differently? (Sorry if that's a dumb question, like i said this is my first time ever having to wash fleece. lol)

 

[bpatters]

No, you prep them all the same. But it does take more washings for some kinds than for others.

 

[Aleks]

@bpatters I'm really sorry to keep bothering you about this, but I have washed and dried the fleece about 10 times now and it still isn't wicking properly. The water goes through in most places, but it's still staying wet on top.
I'm almost completely out of laundry detergent now except for some tide pods that we have, but if I'm not mistaken those have fabric softener in them, right?
I got anti-pill fleece-- is that one of the kinds that takes more washes than normal?

Also, I was considering putting some bleach in the next wash like you said you do, but the fleece is black. Won't that stain it?

 

[Rabbit_Lover]

Not sure, but I believe the polar fleece wicks very fast. I've used polar fleece with all my fleece and it only took 3 washing's to get it to start wicking.

 

[sdpiggylvr]

@Aleks: Anti-pill or blizzard fleece have worked the best in general.

In my experience drying the fleece on hot settings is what makes the most difference as far as wicking -- vinegar is used more for odor control and deeper cleaning. Personally, though, I think it would be no problem to put the fleece in the cage now. Fleece is fabric after all, and the surface will no doubt stay damp when moisture is applied to it no matter how many times you wash and dry it. Whatever moisture is left on top will dry eventually.

 

[Artista]

You ARE supposed to use detergent, just not fabric softener -- it affects the wicking.

I don't think vinegar will help much with the wicking, either, but it may vary by the kind of fleece you have. You just have to wash it enough to break down the covering on the fibers, and the detergent will help with that.

I just washed mine with the normal amount of detergent, with bleach, in very hot water, over and over again, until it started wicking.

I'm getting ready to use fleece flippers. So you always wash in hot water from first wash and on? Does color safe bleach (with no dye and perfumes like 7th generation) help with the wicking or you use it to help get stains out on dirty fleece? And for drying the fleece and Uhaul pads, I assume permanent press setting is what to put the setting? Or delicate or colors? I'm in an apt complex and don't really worry about my own clothes but I want to do the best thing to preserve the fleece and it's shape.

Thanks!

 

[sdpiggylvr]

@Artista: "Hot" water in washing machines never gets hot enough to actually kill bacteria, so it's probably a waste of money to use that setting. I just use cold or warm water and dry on high heat -- I've heard especially from the cloth diapering community that the hot dryer is what kills bacteria the most.

Bleach does not help with wicking. It is just used to kill bacteria from urine and residue of feces.

I have used detergent, bleach, warm water, and hot drying settings for years and my fleece is still brightly colored and wicks very well!

 

[Piggy_]

@bpatters I'm really sorry to keep bothering you about this, but I have washed and dried the fleece about 10 times now and it still isn't wicking properly. The water goes through in most places, but it's still staying wet on top.
I'm almost completely out of laundry detergent now except for some tide pods that we have, but if I'm not mistaken those have fabric softener in them, right?
I got anti-pill fleece-- is that one of the kinds that takes more washes than normal?

Also, I was considering putting some bleach in the next wash like you said you do, but the fleece is black. Won't that stain it?

The hardest part about using fleece is setting it up properly in the first place, but I've found once that's done it's pretty easy to use after that, so don't get disheartened!

I had a similar problem with the fleece staying wet on top when I used it in my cage, and there are a few more things you can try:

1. I figured out that the recommended two layers of towels was nowhere near enough to put underneath, and ended up needing about 5 layers of towels (but maybe that's just my guinea pigs). Try increasing the amount of absorbent layers you have under the fleece, and see if that helps. I should also mention that my fleece still doesn't wick the moisture away instantly- it takes a few minutes between the water being poured on the fleece and the towel absorbing it all (and the fleece being completely dry again).

2. The other suggestion I have is to check you haven't used fabric softener when washing the towels either as I find this reduces their absorbency. If they've been washed with fabric softener, rewash them on a hot wash with laundry detergent and no softener (and I use vinegar for my towels too, but I don't think it's necessary).

3. If all that still shows no improvement, maybe check you actually have fleece? The store you bought it from should be able to tell you if the material is 100% polyester (this is what I look for when I buy new fleece).

As for the white vinegar: I don't think it matters how much you use- I use about 1/2 a cup, and just pour it straight into the fabric softener area of my toploader washing machine without measuring it out and that seems to work. Hope you can work it out, it must be very frustrating for you!

 

[Artista]

@Artista : "Hot" water in washing machines never gets hot enough to actually kill bacteria, so it's probably a waste of money to use that setting. I just use cold or warm water and dry on high heat -- I've heard especially from the cloth diapering community that the hot dryer is what kills bacteria the most.

Bleach does not help with wicking. It is just used to kill bacteria from urine and residue of feces.

I have used detergent, bleach, warm water, and hot drying settings for years and my fleece is still brightly colored and wicks very well!

Thanks! These dryers don't label hot/warm/cold settings. I'm guessing delicate isn't hot so is it colors or perm press that is the hottest?

Also vinegar seems to be for odor control only?

 

[sdpiggylvr]

Probably colors. Permanent press is moderate heat, and delicate is low heat. Good luck!

 

[Aleks]

@Aleks : Anti-pill or blizzard fleece have worked the best in general.

In my experience drying the fleece on hot settings is what makes the most difference as far as wicking -- vinegar is used more for odor control and deeper cleaning. Personally, though, I think it would be no problem to put the fleece in the cage now. Fleece is fabric after all, and the surface will no doubt stay damp when moisture is applied to it no matter how many times you wash and dry it. Whatever moisture is left on top will dry eventually.

Thanks, I think I'm gonna wash it a couple more times and see if the wicking improves at all. I still have a week left before I need to put it in the cage, so during that time I might just get a different kind of laundry detergent and try that as well.

The hardest part about using fleece is setting it up properly in the first place, but I've found once that's done it's pretty easy to use after that, so don't get disheartened!

I had a similar problem with the fleece staying wet on top when I used it in my cage, and there are a few more things you can try:

1. I figured out that the recommended two layers of towels was nowhere near enough to put underneath, and ended up needing about 5 layers of towels (but maybe that's just my guinea pigs). Try increasing the amount of absorbent layers you have under the fleece, and see if that helps. I should also mention that my fleece still doesn't wick the moisture away instantly- it takes a few minutes between the water being poured on the fleece and the towel absorbing it all (and the fleece being completely dry again).

2. The other suggestion I have is to check you haven't used fabric softener when washing the towels either as I find this reduces their absorbency. If they've been washed with fabric softener, rewash them on a hot wash with laundry detergent and no softener (and I use vinegar for my towels too, but I don't think it's necessary).

3. If all that still shows no improvement, maybe check you actually have fleece? The store you bought it from should be able to tell you if the material is 100% polyester (this is what I look for when I buy new fleece).

As for the white vinegar: I don't think it matters how much you use- I use about 1/2 a cup, and just pour it straight into the fabric softener area of my toploader washing machine without measuring it out and that seems to work. Hope you can work it out, it must be very frustrating for you!

Thank you! I'm not sure about if the towel was washed in fabric softener or not- i wasn't using one of the new ones i bought specifically for his cage so it's possible.
The fleece I got is 100% polyester anti-pill fleece from walmart. Funny story, I was actually about to buy felt before I read the label on it. lol

 

[Artista]

Probably colors. Permanent press is moderate heat, and delicate is low heat. Good luck!

Thanks! Do you wash the uhaul pads the same way: warm water wash/ hot dryer every time it's time to launder them?