This material in its natural form and items made from it are chosen by fans of environmentally friendly products. It is used to sew vests, slippers, furniture covers, decorative rugs, and is used as insulation. The healing capabilities and beneficial qualities create a beneficial effect on the health of consumers. To all the advantages of sheepskin one should add that it is not picky. Today we’ll figure out whether sheepskin can be washed in a washing machine.
Basic rules of care
Any item made of sheepskin will look attractive only if it is properly cared for:
- Sheepskin skins laid on the floor, chairs or beds should be shaken out well. This is done to prevent deep penetration of dust;
- One sheep's fur is cleaned every seven days with a vacuum cleaner. This procedure removes dust and straightens lint;
- When cleaning a sheepskin rug, it is recommended to pay attention to the base of the skin;
- Washing such a product in a washing machine should be done monthly. Please note that the material is of natural origin, and if it is not washed, after a while it begins to emit characteristic odors.
In addition to the above measures, sheepskin owners will have to use techniques that help restore the elasticity and softness of the product.
Even at the time of purchasing sheepskin, you should realize that there will be ongoing costs for washing and hand cleaning products for sheepskin, including eliminating odors.
How to wash sheepskin in an automatic washing machine Washing sheepskin in a washing machine is allowed if the product fits in the drum . Items that are large in size and therefore not very convenient to wash are dry cleaned or dry cleaned.
Before machine washing, the product is checked for contamination. If grease, ketchup or chocolate stains, chewing gum adhesion and other "delights" are detected, first clean by hand, and only then put the item in the washing machine. True, before this moment, the sheepskin is shaken out well from small debris or vacuumed.
Remember that synthetic powders for washing in a machine or detergents containing chlorine or bleach, products made of natural wool are not washed. It is recommended to wash with liquid detergents for wool or delicate materials. Conditioners are not used . Machine washing is carried out on the "Wool", "Delicate wash", "Hand wash" modes, the water temperature should not exceed forty degrees. Spinning is carried out in the washing machine, at a mode of six hundred revolutions.If sheepskin items are heavily soiled, it is recommended to repeat the rinsing procedure by entering an additional function into the machine’s memory.
After washing, the sheepskin is removed from the washing machine, carefully straightened and laid out on a flat surface with the fur facing up. While the skin is drying, it should be shaken and stretched from time to time. Drying on a radiator or using heating equipment is strictly prohibited.
Handwash
This method should be used to wash sheepskin items that do not fit into the washing machine. For example, washing mashine covers, blankets, etc. This washing option is also as effective as the procedure in a washing machine, but requires significant physical effort. Note that vests and slippers are also best washed by hand.
We proceed in the following sequence:
- pour water into a container of the size we need or into a bathtub, the temperature of which should correspond to room temperature;
- dissolve the liquid detergent that we use when washing in the machine;
- a sheepskin item is immersed in water and washed;
- rinse generously, changing the liquid several times. During spinning, no twisting movements are performed;
- then we wrap the sheep's fur in a terry sheet to remove excess moisture;
- the final stage is properly organized drying.
How to wash baby onesies with sheepskin
It, like a sheepskin envelope, is often used in winter as outerwear for babies. But not every woman knows the rules for washing baby overalls. And washing in this case has certain features, because the product consists of different types of materials.For example, the lining of a jacket will be made of sheepskin, and the top will be made of a different type of material.
You can wash a sheepskin envelope or overalls by hand or in a washing machine. All zippers and rivets are completely unfastened, pockets are freed. The washing procedure is already known, but drying has some differences. The sheepskin is laid horizontally on the surface, fur side out; the locks are not fastened until drying is complete, so that the metal does not begin to rust.
Dry cleaning method
This method is used when sheepskin items cannot be washed in a washing machine or bath due to their size. In this case proceed as follows:
- Carpets, capes or sheepskin covers should be vacuumed more often;
- Sheepskin items are great for cleaning in the snow. They are laid out with the fur facing up, snow is thrown on top, which, having absorbed all the dirt, is then swept away. You can turn the sheepskin over and repeat the entire procedure. This cleaning method is good because low temperatures help get rid of dust mites;
- stains are removed with a solution prepared from equal parts of water and ammonia. It is applied to the contaminated surface with a sponge and then removed;
- yellowness is removed from sheep fur with hydrogen peroxide, taken in the amount of three spoons per liter of water. But processing is allowed only for the surface of the pile, the base should not be affected;
- In order for the sheepskin base to retain its elasticity, it is recommended to treat it with a mixture consisting of egg yolk and petroleum jelly;
- The purity of the sheepskin is restored with the help of raw potatoes. The vegetable is crushed in a blender and applied to the dirty stain.After this, cleaning is carried out with a brush, the residues are removed with a napkin.
Rules for cleaning washing mashine covers made of natural sheepskin
In winter, some drivers put covers made of sheep fur over their washing mashine seats. They retain heat perfectly and create additional comfort for passengers during long trips. But at the end of winter, the covers need to be cleaned. If they are not very dirty, the cleaning procedure can be performed with starch.
The wet method is also allowed. With a sponge, a product is applied to the surface of the wool, with the help of which wool items are washed and foamed. At the end of the procedure, the cover is dried and vacuumed. The foam can be washed off with water, in which case the vacuum cleaner is not used after drying.
Expert advice
If you follow all the care recommendations, you can keep the appearance of sheep fur unchanged for a long time:
- Get rid of accumulated dust and small debris every day, shake out products in the open air. It is advisable to take out bulky items outside once a week and wash them periodically;
- Vacuum regularly, setting the device to low power and moving in the direction of the lint. The nozzle should be soft so as not to damage the fibers. Do not use a washing vacuum cleaner;
- pets’ access to items made from natural skins should be limited;
- It is best to remove stains that appear immediately, not allowing them to eat deep into the pile;
- It is not recommended to install sheepskin carpets in high-traffic areas, on heated floors or in areas exposed to direct sunlight.In addition, the humidity level in the room must be maintained;
- In order for the pile of your natural sheep fur to remain fluffy and long, it will have to be combed to fluff it up. For this procedure, it is recommended to buy a brush designed for combing animal hair;
- Ventilation of sheepskin items is mandatory during the spring and autumn seasons. They are laid out horizontally, exposure to the sun's rays should be excluded;
- Do not place heavy pieces of furniture on sheepskin rugs.
Conclusion
As you can see, not only artificial wool, but also natural wool can be kept in ideal condition. Simple daily cleaning activities do not cause any special problems, and periodic cleaning will help you maintain sheep fur in perfect condition for a long time. Moreover, It is quite possible to carry out each of the washing or dry cleaning methods on your own, without resorting to chemical cleaning.
