Sheepskin Rug Cleaning Process

[mattsh]

My Mom acquired three sheepskin rugs. They are white, no dye, and have about a 3 inch pile on the rug. I would like to know how to go about cleaning them, obviously without ruining them.

[electrathon]

My understanding is the most proper way I dry-cleaning.

I have never done it but have heard that corn starch works as a home alternative. Work some in and brush it through the fur. Never tried it though, but a bump if nothing else.

[Studio-N]

The idea behind the corn starch is that it gives dirt and dust something to cling to and then you can brush it out.

Since it is a rug, you can treat it as such and throwing it on a line and beating the dirt out of it like the old days.

[oltoot]

Native peoples cleaned sleeping robes, woven goods, etc by placing them flat on the ground next to a snow drift and brushing snow through the item being cleaned, the colder and drier the snow the better. Obviously this was only available in the northern worlds and was quite time sensitive. I have used the method satisfactorily on woven wool saddle blankets.

[NakedDog]

This is going to sound foolish, but my experience with a huge sheepskin rug, (four pieces sewed together) about five feet long or so and four feet wide, was a rug that my dog loved to sleep on. I got tired of telling him all the time to get off the rug and finally gave in to him loving it. Of course, it ended up with doggie smell and the dirt from the back yard. Looked bad to me and needed to be cleaned.

I had a small sheepskin purchased 30 years ago, yes 30, I have washed it in my washing machine under gentle with baby fabric soap and it comes out beautiful each time. I air dry and put some lotion, whichever is my favorite all over the back and it soaks in to condition. Of course now we have leather supplies to choose from so I don't use my lotions anymore.

Now, back to this dog rug, it was big. Would never fit in my machine. I took it to the local laundromat and put this dirty sheepskin rug in their heavy duty machine. Sat there reading until it was done, still dirty. Paid for a total of three washings and it was looking great. Then put it in their dryer because I had no desire to put a wet rug in my truck. After 20 minutes in the dryer under a low heat, it was no longer dripping. Took that rug home, let it air dry, a little oil on the back flesh side and it was like new. It never got back to the pure white as it was when brand new, but the creamy color now cleaned, was quite awesome.

The large sheepskin rug is about ready for another trip to the laundrymat, will do it all again in March.

[pokerinot]

This is an old post but I can second the machine washing. Use very little gentle soap dissolved in the washer first if it's a top loader. Air dry or on a very low heat. If it's matted get a cheap pet "slicker" brush from the dollar store and brush it out!