Saqta Root

If you are into dyeing fabric and fibers with natural dyes from plants and insects, why not go natural all the way? Saqta Root is also known as Incan Shampoo. The ancient Incans, and their modern indigenous descendants in the Cusco region of Peru, use it for cleaning the various wools that they dye, alpaca, goat, sheep, etc. Normally grated or rubbed on rough rocks and used fresh, we had our family in Peru, that we get our Cochineal from, source some and see if it also works dried (to preserve it). If you reconstitute it as below, it does! So we thought it was worth importing for you, in spite of all the difficulties and expenses there are in getting it here. Fortunately, a little does go a long way.

Instructions-

• For each 1.5 oz (~42 g) of soaproot use approx. 4 cups of water - add more water if needed to cover your fibers when you are cleaning them. In Peru, they make it more concentrated for filthy fleece, but you can stretch it out when pre-washing yarns
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes
• Remove roots from pot and introduce fibers and bring up to a simmer for 30 minutes or cool solution and store in a glass jar for future use.
• After fibers/fabric has simmered, rinse in cool water and let dry.
• For cleaning extra soiled or greasy fibers, like fresh fleece - Also use ¼ - ½ cup soda ash when simmering material