Washing Alpaca Fleece, Yarn and Garments at Home

Alpaca fleece after only one washing with Unicorn Fibre Wash and Unicorn Fibre Rinse After only one washing of a section of alpaca fleece with Unicorn Fibre Wash and anti-static Unicorn Fibre Rinse.

Odour-based yellowing residue is gone, dirt particulates have not re-deposited back onto fibres, and a lovely high lustre is obvious.

* Since this test was done Power Scour was developed for home use and we now recommend you use Scour for raw fibres rather than Fibre Wash. Fibre Wash is better for cleaning spun yarn, spun yarn after dyeing, or finished garments.
Alpaca fleece after washing with an alternative non-rinse fibre cleaner After one washing with an alternative non-rinse fibre cleaner on another section of the same alpaca fleece.

Although to the naked eye this fibre looked good, there is evidence of possible protein-based yellowing and the remains of dirt particulates adhering to the “washed” fibre.

“It was a dreary day and I was experiencing what I call ‘fibre deprivation’. Then I remembered the Unicorn Fibre products I’d promised to test—and with my hands still damp from the rinse water, I ran to the phone—I just finished washing a baby alpaca fleece and, oh my goodness...the dirt that was released, without damage to the fibre, was just incredible!
“I tested it on my Huacaya and then on Suri fibre. I even took some yarn that I’d previously washed in my ‘former favourite product’ and, Holy Toledo, the dirt that was released from this already-washed-four-times yarn was also nearly unbelievable, it was as though the yarn had never been washed!
No more dirt—only soft, luxurious fibre...”
- Connie Alexander, Fibre Hobbyist, Indiana

Unicorn Power ScourUnicorn Power Scour

Power Scour sounds harsh but it isn’t! Power Scour is a unique formula designed to deeply clean oily/waxy fibres (like wool and mohair) as well as less waxy fibres (alpaca, cashmere and the finest angora) while protecting the vital fibre cuticle. Power Scour enables the strength and natural beauty of the fibre to carry through to garments, rugs, or into the hands of talented artisans.

Power Scour optimises the cleaning of raw, greasy fleece, and gets the grease out!
• Reduces mats and tangles
• Increases fibre yield
• Eliminates the build-up of cleaning agents
• Non-yellowing
• Cleans at low, energy-saving temperatures
• Leaves fibre with a clean, fresh aroma
• Earth Friendly and Biodegradable

Unicorn Fibre WashUnicorn Fibre Wash

Fibre Wash is intended to be used AFTER spinning (and dyeing if applicable), and is also a great product for washing finished garments after knitting or weaving. For washing raw fibre we recommend Unicorn Power Scour (above).

Fibre Wash cleans and restores lustre and softness to luxury fibres like alpaca, cashmere, angora, mohair, merino, cotton, and other natural fibres. It is strong enough for rough and tumble knitwear, yet so very gentle on the most delicate hand-knit creations.
• Designed to optimise cleaning while protecting the fibre cuticle
• Reduces the “itch” factor with its fibre-shielding formula
• Eliminates odours
• Non-yellowing
• No phosphates, enzymes, fillers, bleaching or stripping agents
• Earth Friendly and Biodegradable

Unicorn Fibre RinseUnicorn Fibre Rinse

Fibre Rinse is an anti-static, buffered pH bath designed to optimise conditioning of the natural fibre cuticle. Fibre Rinse aids Fibre Wash by minimising re-entry of dirt onto the fibre shaft after washing, and is gentle enough to pamper your everyday knitwear garments. Fibre Rinse may be used in the last rinse cycle as a refreshing anti-static texturising bath, and restores lustre and softness to cashmere, alpaca, bison, qiviut, merino wool, mohair, cotton, and other natural fibres.

Fibre Rinse is best used after Power Scour or Fibre Wash for best results.
• Reduces the “itch” factor with its fibre-shielding formula
• Non-yellowing
• Earth Friendly and Biodegradable

“Wow! The pullover I knit for my friend feels clean, smells lovely, looks fabulous. The yarn almost seems ‘brighter’ even though it was already a vibrant blue colour. But the best part is that it feels fresh and so soft when I touch it. ”
- Sheila Phillips

You can buy our Unicorn Fibre Products here or please feel free to contact us at or 02 6337 5774 with any questions you may have.

The two worst enemies of alpaca fleece (and all non waxy luxury fibres) are HOT WATER (which damages the fibre cuticle) and AGITATION (which leads to felting).

Power Scour is used by commercial mills worldwide. It works with alpaca at low temperatures and requires no agitation. Power Scour is not a harsh detergent that relies on hot water and a lot of agitation to do the job. It is in fact a “surfactant” which simply means that the dirt and fibre are separated by a physical process where one repels the other. You can see this by simply adding a small amount of Power Scour to a laundry tub full of water about 40°C to 50°C. Simply immerse the fleece in the water and DO NOT STIR. You will see the dirt separate from the fibre. Carefully remove the fleece and you will be left with a clean fleece AND a tub of very dirty water.

mesh laundry bag
  1. Add about 15mL of Unicorn Power Scour to about 7.5L of 40°C to 50°C water
  2. Swish water to incorporate Power Scour into the water
  3. Loosely fill a garment bag with your alpaca fleece
  4. Fully submerse garment bag into the washing bath (until no air bubbles surface)
  5. Let soak for 10 minutes—DO NOT STIR
  6. Very GENTLY lift garment bag from the bath and GENTLY squeeze excess dirty water from garment bag and set aside
  7. Drain dirty water
  8. Repeat steps 1–7 three to four more times
Unicorn Fibre Rinse
  1. Add about 30mL of Unicorn Fibre Rinse to about 7.5L of lukewarm water
  2. Swish water to incorporate Fibre Rinse into the water
  3. Fully submerse garment bag containing the alpaca fleece into warm rinse bath
  4. Let soak for 5 minutes—DO NOT STIR
  5. Very GENTLY lift garment bag from the bath and GENTLY squeeze excess dirty water from garment bag and set aside
  6. Drain dirty water
  7. Repeat steps above one more time

You will find the rinse has removed all the tangles and made the fibre so much easier to work with spinning etc.

  1. To extract as much excess water as possible, you may put garment bag into washing machine along with a few items (like clean, old blue jeans or towels) to balance the load
  2. Set machine on SPIN CYCLE ONLY—to extract excess water without “felting” the fibre
  3. Carefully, remove clean fibre from garment bag and evenly distribute on a drying rack (a mesh jumper drying rack is a good choice)
  4. Periodically (3 to 4 times a day) rotate fibre from the bottom to the top to encourage even drying

You can buy our Unicorn Fibre Products here or please feel free to contact us at or 02 6337 5774 with any questions you may have.

Fibre Wash is intended to be used AFTER spinning (and dyeing if that is what you do) and is also a great product for washing finished garments.

Washing and rinsing dyed yarn will remove EXCESS surface dye but will not strip the absorbed dye from the yarn.

We feel you are better off using the Power Scour and the Fibre Rinse for raw fleece—use Fibre Wash and Fibre Rinse for cleaning spun yarn or finished garments.

mesh laundry bag
  1. Add about 15mL of Unicorn Fibre Wash to about 7.5L of 40°C to 50°C water
  2. Swish water to incorporate Fibre Wash into the water
  3. Loosely fill a garment bag with your alpaca yarn or garment
  4. Fully submerse garment bag into the washing bath (until no air bubbles surface)
  5. Let soak for 10 minutes—DO NOT STIR
  6. Very GENTLY lift garment bag from the bath and GENTLY squeeze excess dirty water from garment bag and set aside
  7. Drain dirty water
  8. Repeat steps 1–7 if necessary
Unicorn Fibre Rinse
  1. Add about 30mL of Unicorn Fibre Rinse to about 7.5L of lukewarm water
  2. Swish water to incorporate Fibre Rinse into the water
  3. Fully submerse garment bag containing the alpaca yarn or garment into warm rinse bath
  4. Let soak for 5 minutes—DO NOT STIR
  5. Very GENTLY lift garment bag from the bath and GENTLY squeeze excess dirty water from garment bag and set aside
  6. Drain dirty water
  7. Repeat steps above one more time
  1. Lay the garment or skeins or hanks of yarn flat on a table to dry or hang the skeins or hanks of yarn in loops over a clothes horse or laundry drying frame

You can buy our Unicorn Fibre Products here or please feel free to contact us at or 02 6337 5774 with any questions you may have.

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1825 O’Connell Road, O’Connell NSW 2795
(PO Box 289, Bathurst NSW 2795)
Phone: 02 6337 5774


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