What To Do With Raw Wool. 15 Uses You Didn’t Know!

Raw wool describes its initial quality after shearing and before any processing. Even in such a natural state, you can get many benefits from raw wool. Wondering what to do with raw wool? We delve into some unique uses of raw wool to elevate your fleece game.

More To Wool Beyond Warmth

There are unconventional ways of using raw wool to add value to life. They include the following:

Garden Mulch

Wool can serve as organic mulch for vegetable and flower gardens.

Try some wool mulch this summer, and you will find that your crops will not dry out because it reduces evaporation.

Controls Winter Crop Damage

Cover the ground with raw wool as winter approaches.

Wool has a thermoregulatory ability that protects plants from the biting wintry cold. The mulch also stops root damage from frost.

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Organic Fertilizer

Natural wool contains keratin, which disintegrates to release potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous into the soil.

These nutrients from the biodegradable wool nourish the soil, and your plants flourish with the slow-release fertilizer.

Natural Pesticide

Wool keeps the soil clean and fresh, which makes it unviable for scavenging snails and slugs that plague gardens.

It is a natural alternative for checking their proliferation, keeping in mind their voracious appetite. Wool works by absorbing the mucus the snails and slugs produce.

Eco-friendly Slug Pellets

Raw wool used to manufacture slug pellets does not contain chemicals.

Traditional slug pellets do not disintegrate into the soil, and their chemicals are harmful to birds and the ecosystems in a garden.

Noise Proofing

Wool absorbs sound, which makes it worthwhile to deal with acoustics issues in buildings.

Sound clouds are wool ceiling liners installed into walls and ceilings of large rooms such as opera halls to minimize echo.

Another use is in sound systems, where it replaces synthetic foam, which is not eco-friendly.

If you need a cost-effective and efficient insulator for buildings, invest in natural wool because it is heat-efficient. The wool also absorbs moisture in indoor spaces. It is a favorite in eco-friendly construction projects because it is natural and sustainable.

Eliminating Oil Spills

Do you need to separate oil from water? Wool is highly absorbent and can absorb layers of oil split on marine bodies.

It can mop up close to 10 times its weight and is reusable to mop up more oil by squeezing out the absorbed oil.

Cleaning Material

You can use raw wool around the home to clean up domestic spills and messes. Even low-quality raw wool is an absorbent, chemical-free, efficient cleaner.

If you have been struggling to inject fun into cleaning around the home, this hack will attract the younger inquisitive family members to cleaning chores and mopping up their messes.

Fire Control

Natural wool stops the spread of fire due to its high flame retarding ability.

If you have wondered how firefighters march fearlessly into flames, it happens because their firefighting attire comprises wool in its fabric. 

Making Building Bricks

Recent research shows that clay bricks that contain wool fibers dry well naturally without the need for firing in a kiln. The outcome is strong bricks that do not crack easily.

You can list this as a viable manufacturing process that saves on energy and building costs. It also cuts down carbon emissions released from kilns. 

Suppress Weed Growth

Even the most committed gardener may not like weeding, but the clean and fresh appearance of a weed-free vegetable patch is a rewarding sight.

Small-scale and large-scale farmers turn to synthetic plastic sheeting and chemical herbicides to eliminate weeds.

You can replace the plastic sheeting with biodegradable and affordable raw wool for the same effect. 

No Moss for Hanging Baskets

Sphagnum moss and synthetic liners used for making hanging baskets may be out of your reach due to their costs and availability.

You can use raw wool to line your potted plant’s hanging basket.

Start Wool Craft Courses

Raw wool is available on sale or as shorn from animals on our farms.

You will be surprised that many people are yet to know how to process raw wool at home into a fiber they can use for various crafts.

If you have the skills, you can offer training on such skills at a fee to online groups or through in-person craft courses.

Keep your Children Occupied

Finding fun, safe, and fresh ways of keeping children out of mischief and engaged is a headache in many households.

Use raw wool to teach your children crafts such as felting, spinning, and dyeing wool, which they can use for fun and money. They will also love stuffing pillows and lining their pet’s beds with raw wool. 

Conclusion

The soft and supple natural wool is an underestimated solution to many domestic and industrial issues.

It is an eco-friendly and sustainable material with many uses beyond the textile industry. Raw wool’s versatility makes it valuable and cost-effective.

There are many qualities of wool, and research continues to establish more ways to use it.