Below is a quick and easy way of doing this.
The first thing to keep in mind is that
these fleeces are not being prepared for a show,
so the fleece saddle and staples do not have to stay intact.
Pull it apart - it’ll make cleaning easier
Spread the fleece out on a table or wire screen.
Shake it to loosen any sand and larger particles of dirt.
Remove any coarse pieces, second cuts or really dirty sections
which may have been missed at the shearing.
Pull out a large handful and go over this, removing any burrs or seeds.
You don’t have to remove every little piece of vegetable matter
but the more you get out - the better.
Have a garbage bag or bin for the rubbish and a bag for the good fleece.
Place the cleaned section into your good fleece bag
and proceed onto another handful.
By following this method will have your average saddle of fleece
ready for processing in approximately one hour.
A few things to check for along the way are:
Staple length - not less than 75mm (3") and no more the 150mm (6")
Tender Fleece - this is when the fleece has a weak section. Hold the staple between both hands and given a quick tug. If it breaks, it is unsuitable for processing.
Insect infestation - any fleece with moths, lice or lice eggs is not be acceptable.