What should be considered when caring for sheepskin?
Sheepskin is a popular material in equestrian sports. Saddle pads, grooming mitts, and many other equestrian articles are offered with lambskin. But how is sheepskin actually cared for and what accessories are required? The natural sheepskin products from Kramer Equestrian have a high self-cleaning effect. Nevertheless, horse accessories made of sheepskin should be washed regularly, as the sweat absorbed can damage the leather over time. You can find out here how exactly sheepskin is cared for and what needs to be considered.
What do I need for sheepskin care?
You will need the following accessories for sheepskin care:
- soft brush
- damp sponge/cloth
- comb
- suitable sheepskin care products, e.g. SHOWMASTER Sheepskin Detergent
- protection from sunlight
Sheepskin care in everyday life
Sheepskin has a very high absorption capacity. During training, a saddle pad effectively absorbs the horse’s sweat and thus ensures a pleasant climate under the saddle. After each use, regardless of whether it is a grooming mitt or a saddle girth – the skin should always be hung out to dry and protected from sunlight.
If the sheepskin gets dirty while riding, which can often happen with sheepskin bell boots for example, the dirty areas should be carefully brushed with a soft brush, because dried mud sticks the wool fibres together and thus restricts the material’s properties.
Washing sheepskin products in the washing machine:
Horse accessories made of sheepskin should be washed regularly, as the sweat absorbed can also damage the leather over time. Sheepskin can be washed in the washing machine without any problems. However, it is important to consider how and with what it is washed. If the following points are taken into account, sheepskin items can last a long time.
1. Do not overload the washing machine!
Lambskin can absorb a lot of moisture , a saddle pad can become quite heavy when wet, so it is recommended to wash large products like saddle pads separately.
2. Use special detergents
Special detergents for sheepskin items are moisturising, which is very important for the fibres. Conventional detergent is a no-go! The fur can become matted and the leather becomes hard.
3. Do not use bleach or fabric softener.
Bleach and fabric softeners must not be used under any circumstances. The natural properties of the material are lost in this way.
4. The choice of washing programme
Sheepskin does not like hot temperatures. Nothing can go wrong with a maximum of 30°C and a normal spin cycle.
Drying of sheepskin products
For the drying process of horse accessories made of sheepskin, 2-3 days should be planned. In addition, there are a few things to consider when drying sheepskin:
The same rule applies to drying as to washing: sheepskin does not like heat! The tumble dryer should be set to a maximum of 30°C (cold air). When air drying, make sure not to place the clothes airer in direct sunlight. The warm radiator is also a taboo zone for the sensitive material, it could shrink due to the heat.
It is normal that the sheepskin contracts a little after washing. Accordingly, it should be brought back into the correct shape before and during the drying process. Lightly pulling it back into its original shape prevents the product from shrinking.
The 4 most important care instructions in brief:
- After riding, sheepskin products should be hung out to dry and aired in a place protected from sunlight.
- If you store your sheepskin products carefully, you will also save time when caring for them. Horse accessories made of sheepskin should be stored in a dark and dry place at room temperature.
- Coarse dirt can be removed simply by brushing with a soft brush suitable for sheepskin or by vacuuming with a vacuum cleaner. Coarse dirt can also be minimised by applying pressure movements with a damp sponge or cloth.
- To remove stubborn dirt, the lambskin equipment can also be washed. A short cold wash should be carried out in any case without soaking.