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Are You Allergic to Wool?
Hi I have inherited a large amount of wood from a friend who passed away
I have checked the wool and the one that I thought had wool bugs I THREW OUT
but everytime I open my cedar chest to pick up some wool I feel itchy instantly I cannot see any bugs I have cedar wood balls in there as well.
why would that be ?
I have crocheted with some of the wool and perservered with the itch and the garment washed up and finished up nicely. I have used a magnifer to check wool , could the bugs be that minute that I cannot see them?
I really don’t want to throw the wool out , what else can I put in the chest , I have mohair, wool and mixutre of acrylic and wool. For how many years can you keep balls of wool, I would appreciated any help or advice many thanks Melissa
Melissa, there are a few reasons I can think of for your itchy reaction to the wool. A lot of people say they are “allergic” to wool, but doctors will tell you that is unlikely, since wool is made from keratin, the same stuff as human hair. But, if you’re itchy from touching wool, it doesn’t really matter if the technical term is “allergy” or “sensitivity!” Itchy is itchy! Because you describe feeling the itch instantly upon opening your cedar chest, before you’ve touched the wool, though, I would guess you have an allergy to something else that is volatile (gets out into the air.) Cedar oil, which you can probably smell, can cause allergic reactions in people that are similar to hay fever. (You may be interested in this article.) Another possibility would be the soap your wool has been washed in, or any scents added to deter moths. Fragrances can be very irritating to some people! The good news is that your itch is probably not caused by bugs. The types of bugs that hang out in wool aren’t interested in chewing on people– just wool. They are certainly large enough to see, as well. I would recommend washing your wool — very gently and with no agitation– in a soap or detergent with no fragrance. Try keeping the cleaned wool in a non-cedar container for awhile, and see if the itchy reaction doesn’t go away.
I hope this helps!
–Kelley