Cleaning sheepskin (sheepskin) at home: methods and recommendations

From time immemorial, sheepskin has become a part of human life. Products made from it are very warm, comfortable and practical. In addition, the aesthetic qualities of this material are at the highest level. But it also requires special care. Therefore, to help young housewives, the article will discuss in detail how to clean sheepskin so as not to spoil it.

Cleaning sheepskin at home

Cleaning sheepskin at home is considered a rather troublesome and labor-intensive procedure, so most housewives try to delegate it to the dry cleaning staff. However, this is not always convenient and beneficial for the wallet, so cleaning fur yourself is increasingly becoming commonplace.

Did you know? Sheep farming is considered one of the oldest branches of agriculture. Sheep were first domesticated about 8 thousand years ago in the territory of Ancient Syria, Turkey and Mesopotamia.

Today, for this you can use both a lot of professional means and many folk methods, the most effective of which will be discussed below.

Dry cleaning white sheepskin

Dry cleaning is ideal for daily care of sheep fur. It helps to effectively deal with contaminants and protect valuable items from stubborn stains. The easiest way to dry clean is shaking or using a vacuum cleaner. This allows you to remove dust and all kinds of large contaminants from the product.

If the product changes color to gray during use or becomes covered with dark and greasy stains, you need to use a more intensive cleaning method. The surface of the fur should be covered with fine table salt, semolina or potato starch, and then wiped with a soft brush. This procedure is carried out several times until the sheepskin is completely bleached.

Despite its simplicity and high efficiency, dry cleaning is not always suitable. Only perfectly dried fur is subjected to it, without any remaining drops or anything else. Otherwise, moisture may react with the cleaning component and cause the formation of lumps, and this may render the product unusable, so before the procedure it is recommended to dry the wool thoroughly at room temperature.

Read more about technologies, production methods and beneficial properties of sheepskin products.

Cleaning sheepskin using improvised means

In addition to dry cleaning, you can also use a whole range of wet preparations to clean fur. Of the available means for this, the most popular is simple hydrogen peroxide. A tablespoon of liquid should be diluted in a liter of clean water, and then moisten the sponge with the resulting mixture. A damp sponge is carefully passed over the top of the wool so as not to wet the product, and then it is dried.

As an alternative, you can use a mixture of starch and aviation kerosene. It is prepared to a thick consistency, after which it is applied to the surface of the fur. After the mixture has dried, the sheep's fur should be shaken out or vacuumed.

When it is necessary to overcome greasy stains, the most reliable remedy at hand is dried bread. It is necessary to wipe the dirty area with crusts several times.

Use of household chemicals

In most cases, cleaning with specialized chemicals is started after home methods have failed. To do this, use special products for cleaning carpets or wool.

They are a concentrate that should be diluted in water and then whipped until foamy. The resulting foam is carefully applied to the surface of the sheepskin with a soft brush.

As soon as the cleaned surface has dried, the wool should be thoroughly vacuumed to remove large contaminants and then combed.

Highly active chemicals instantly clean sheepskin items, but they have some disadvantages. First of all, such drugs often contain strong allergens, so they can cause acute allergic manifestations or other specific reactions of the body.

That is why they are not recommended for people with allergies, or when there are small children in the house. In addition, such drugs can cause irritation if they come into contact with the skin, so be sure to use rubber gloves when using them.

Did you know? Products made from sheepskin have special thermal insulation properties. In cold weather, they provide excellent warmth, and in hot weather they help avoid overheating, which is what allowed fur to gain particular popularity back in ancient times.

Removing stains

Often, the stains on sheepskin are local in nature, and the product becomes covered with various stains. In this case, most people subject the wool to complex and intensive processing. However, a local cleaning method can be used to target the desired area.

In this case, it is necessary to strictly separate the processing of colored and white products; not only the final success, but also the appearance of the wool depends on this condition.

Household chemicals

You can also clean sheepskin using industrial products. If the quality of the wash is not satisfactory or the stain is not removed after using folk remedies, you can use special stain removers.

What can be used and how to use:

1. Sommieres Powder perfectly removes greasy and oily stains. The powder should be used strictly according to the instructions. Sommieres Powder is applied to the contaminated area and left to absorb for several hours. The powder is removed with a napkin or brush.
2. ULTRA FINISH MILK is a product that can be used to clean sheep fur. It does not stick hairs together and restores shine.
3. You can use LIVAL LICKER KONZ. This product is suitable for any fur. It perfectly cleans the pile, making it soft and silky.

Although wet cleaning using household chemicals is effective, it should not be used very often.

Sheepskin and products made from it look excellent only with proper care. Give them just a few hours a month and your carpets, covers and things will be clean and look like new.

Video: how to distinguish natural sheepskin from artificial one

On colored sheepskin

If the stain appears on artificially dyed sheepskin, it will not be so easy to remove. Under the influence of aggressive agents, the product may lose its rich color, and in the case of local application, even cause a chemical burn to the coat color.

At home, it is best to use special cleaning products for dyed wool. They can be replaced with an aqueous solution of ammonia (1:1). It must be gently rubbed into the contaminated area and then removed with a damp sponge.

If you are a sheep farmer, you may be interested in learning how to process sheep skins and sheep wool.

On white sheepskin

One of the difficult tasks is cleaning snow-white sheepskin from all kinds of stains from chocolate, juices, drinks, etc. In most cases, even after several washing cycles, residues of aggressive substances remain on the surface of the sheepskin. In this case, it is necessary to use a solution of hydrogen peroxide (2 tablespoons/1 liter of water).

This liquid should be applied to the stain with a sponge, without wetting the base of the sheepskin, and then dried. If the stain cannot be removed in one go, the procedure is repeated several times until traces of pollutants are completely eliminated.

Video: cleaning covers made of natural white sheepskin

Whitening

The main problem that every owner of sheepskin and other fur products faces is the change from the whitish shade of fur to grayish-yellow. They fight it by bleaching using a concentrated solution of hydrogen peroxide.

The liquid is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio, after which the prepared solution must be poured into a mechanical spray bottle and sprayed evenly over the surface of the fur. Then the sheepskin needs to be dried thoroughly. If the procedure does not bring the expected result, it is repeated.

However, bleaching often causes irreparable damage to sheepskin. Under the influence of concentrated and aggressive agents, the wool, as well as its base, is destroyed.

This not only leads to a deterioration in the appearance of such products, but also significantly reduces their service life, so bleaching sheep skins is often not recommended; this procedure is carried out only as necessary and no more than 2 times a year.

Cleaning the base of the fur

This procedure is carried out no more than several times a year . Despite its necessity, it causes harm to sheepskin, which over time leads to a sharp reduction in the service life of sheepskin products. The simplest means for carrying out such cleaning is considered to be chopped potatoes.

Important! Before using any of the above methods, apply a small amount of cleaning product to an inconspicuous part of the product. This will help protect the fur from unexpected chemical reactions with all kinds of impurities of cleaning substances.

The peeled tubers need to be brought to a homogeneous mass using a meat grinder, and then evenly distributed over the sheepskin and walked well over it with a soft brush. As the potato mixture becomes dirty, it is replaced with a new one. At the end of the procedure, the remaining potato is removed with a damp sponge, and the product is dried at room temperature.

Stains

If stains appear on the wool, they must be removed before washing. You can either clean sheepskin at home or take it to the dry cleaner.

Methods for removing various contaminants:

1. Yellow spots. Wipe sheepskin items with a hydrogen peroxide solution. Prepare it as follows: 1 tbsp. l. peroxide is mixed with 2 glasses of water. To enhance the effect, you can add a couple of drops of an aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide to the solution. Soak a cloth in the liquid and wipe the yellowed areas.
2. Grease stains are sprinkled with talcum powder, starch or tooth powder. The product is left on the contaminated area for 4 hours, then removed with a vacuum cleaner.
3. A concentrated salt solution will help remove chocolate stains.
4. Glycerin will save your favorite rug from tea and coffee. It is necessary to heat the product to 36 degrees and treat the contaminated areas with it. After 10 minutes, you can wash the product and rinse in cool water.
5. Greasy areas can be removed using a slice of raw potato. How to clean sheepskin: first they are rubbed with a vegetable, left for a while, and then washed by hand or in a machine if the product fits the dimensions.
6. Stains from berries and fruits are sprinkled with salt, then it is lightly moistened with water and allowed to dry. After approximately 20–30 minutes, you can remove the product. Shake the salt off the sheepskin and wash the item in warm water.
7. Berry stains can also be treated with glycerin and medical alcohol, which are mixed in equal quantities. After half an hour, the sheepskin is washed.

It is not recommended to use modern stain removers for sheepskin. But you can use special products designed to remove stains from such things.

Wash

One of the universal ways to remove any stains and contaminants on sheepskin is washing. This is the most aggressive, but at the same time effective way to clean wool, as well as the base of a sheepskin. In this case, you can traditionally use both hand and machine washing, adhering to some of the features of these procedures.

Handwash

Washing sheepskin is ideal for removing medium-sized stains from small items, as well as when you need to achieve a particularly delicate procedure. The general scheme for washing a white product looks quite simple.

Rinsing is also carried out with warm water, otherwise the product may become deformed.

A small container should be filled with warm water (no more than +40°C), and then a detergent for washing carpets or fur items should be dissolved in it. Dirty sheepskin should be soaked in water for 30 minutes, then washed with light and smooth movements.

If dyed fur becomes dirty, soak the sheepskin in a cleaning solution at room temperature. This is one of the main requirements, since otherwise the fur may lose its rich color.

In this case, the soaking procedure can be increased up to 60 minutes. The remaining operations are no different from washing white fur, with the exception of rinsing, which is performed in cold water.

Spin without twisting!

The main disadvantage of hand washing is the size limitations of the product. This method is used to clean only small household rugs and other things, with one side measuring no more than 50 cm. In all other cases, use a washing machine.

Hand washing quite often leads to a change in the rich shine of the fur to a duller one. In this case, the skin will need to be restored. To do this, a handful of walnuts must be lightly crushed, then wrapped in gauze, and then thoroughly wiped.

Machine washable

You can wash sheepskin in a washing machine without any problems. To do this, you should select a special delicate wash mode or a program for cleaning woolen items. At the same time, depending on the color of the wool, you need to choose a special temperature regime. White skins are washed at +30...+40°C, colored skins - only in cold water. In this case, the spin is set to a minimum or no more than 500 rpm.

Important! Regardless of the type of wet wash, to dry the sheepskin should be spread on a horizontal plane and periodically wiped with a dry terry towel. Otherwise, the skin may lose its shape and softness.

Despite the fact that after washing in a washing machine the product is cleaned almost perfectly, such washing may not always go smoothly. Unlike manual, the procedure itself does not allow for adjustments and, if the wrong program is selected, it will not be possible to avoid damage to the fur.

If the temperature setting is incorrectly set when washing in a machine, a product made of natural wool can “shrink,” so to speak, that is, become smaller in size than it was originally.

Regular washing powder is unsuitable for this; machine washing of sheepskin is carried out using special liquid shampoos for wool or fur fabrics.

How to wash a sheepskin rug

Is it possible to wash sheepskin at home in a machine?

Animal rugs, car covers and children's sled covers can be processed automatically.

All products made from sheep fur that fit the dimensions can be washed in a washing machine. But you must adhere to certain rules.

How to machine wash sheepskin and other items:

1. Temperature: set to no more than 40 degrees. Fur can be washed in cold water, heating can be turned off completely.
2. It is better to use a special liquid detergent for delicate fabrics or a detergent designed for sheepskin.
3. Wash mode: delicate, hand or wool. More aggressive mechanical action can damage the item.
4. Spin - it is better not to install this function at all. But manufacturers allow any items made of sheepskin to be pressed at minimum speed.
5. Rinse - it is better to set not one, but two cycles. Sheep's wool will not rinse out from the detergent in one go.

When deciding how to wash and clean sheepskin and whether it is possible to use an automatic washing machine, you should determine whether it will fit into the washing drum. If this is not possible, there is no need to try to fold or crumple the item so that it fits. It is better to wash the sheepskin by hand or take it to the dry cleaner.

Rules for washing in an automatic machine:

1. Before washing, you should shake out the sheepskin to remove small debris and dust particles.
2. The next step is to treat heavily soiled stains. You can use ammonia mixed with water, which will remove all contaminants.
3. When washing in a machine, it is best to use gel detergents rather than dry powders.
4. For washing, you should choose a mode designed for delicate items or wool.
5. The water temperature should not be hot (up to 40 degrees). It is better to set it to 30 degrees - this is the best temperature for washing natural fur products.
6. The spin speed should not exceed 600 rpm. This is enough to get rid of excess water after rinsing.

After learning how to wash sheepskin in the washing machine, you need to think about drying. The product is dried in the unfolded position. Make sure that the fur is facing out. Using your hands, you need to carefully straighten the sheepskin, lightly smooth and fluff the fur. During the drying process, you should periodically shake the skin and stretch it a little so that it does not shrink.

If the sheepskin product is too large to be placed in the drum of an automatic machine, it is washed by hand. This applies to blankets, car covers, and capes. This is not a difficult task, but it is labor-intensive.

• It is necessary to stock up on a large, spacious container for washing; usually a bathtub is used.
• You should prepare the product: shake it out, remove stuck small objects and debris.
• If necessary, treat dirt stains or worn-out, dirty areas.
• Pour warm (up to 40 degrees) water into a basin, dissolving one or two caps of gel detergent in it. Can be washed with liquid soap or shampoo. If your goal is to get rid of microscopic dust mites that live in fur, then you should use dog shampoo.
• The sheepskin product must be soaked in soapy water for 30 minutes.
• When washing, you must avoid sudden movements, do not rub the skin too hard or tug at the fur.
• You need to rinse the covers in several waters until the detergent is completely removed.
• It is recommended to dry the sheepskin in a horizontal position, periodically shaking and stretching slightly.

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Since the rug is a voluminous product, you won’t be able to use a washing machine. Must be washed by hand.

Rules for using a sheepskin rug:

• Daily shaking out of sheepskin flooring should become a rule for every housewife.
• Rugs should be vacuumed once or twice a week, running a brush through the wool. This procedure will help get rid of debris stuck in the deep layers of fur.
• A sheepskin rug must be washed at least once a month. This is done manually, with the addition of liquid detergent. After washing, it should be rinsed in several waters and dried in a horizontal position with the fur facing up.

If your sheepskin rug has turned yellow, you can bleach it. To do this, take two tablespoons of a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and dilute them in 1 liter of cold water. Gently moisten the fur with a sponge, avoiding getting the base too wet. After processing, the sheepskin should dry naturally.

Rules for caring for sheepskin

Every owner of valuable fur should be able to not only properly wash a delicate product, but also be able to care for it. This will make it possible to avoid heavy contamination and also extend the life of the fur cover. To do this, you will need to follow fairly simple rules that do not require specific knowledge and skills.

shorn

The sheepskin pile itself is capable of self-cleaning, this is achieved thanks to a special substance - lanolin. However, such products cannot do without the help of the owner. To preserve the quality of sheared fur for a long time, you will need to clean it from dust at least once a week.

Dry cleaning or simple vacuuming is suitable for this. In this case, the power of the vacuum cleaner should be minimal, otherwise there is a high probability of damage to the fur. As dirty spots appear, the wool must be cleaned using a wet method.

It is better to do such procedures manually, since only in this case can damage to its structure be completely avoided. At the same time, it is permissible to carry out no more than 3-4 washes per year, otherwise the quality of the pile will decrease after 1-2 years of use.

Longhair

If a product made from sheep fur has a long pile, in addition to basic cleaning, periodic combing of the piles will also be required. Otherwise, after some time they will stick together, and the sheepskin in this case will completely lose its decorative value. Use a special or any soft brush for this.

Brush the fur regularly, in the direction of hair growth, but no more than several times a month. Otherwise, the general scheme for caring for long-haired sheepskin is no different from sheared sheepskin and is carried out in the same way.

Sheepskin is one of the most popular natural products, distinguished by its special decorative properties. Unlike other fur products, it lasts many times longer and does not require complex care. However, from time to time such fur needs high-quality cleaning using dry and wet methods, otherwise in just a few years it will become completely unusable.

We remove pollution

Sheepskin can be cleaned well with a special car vacuum cleaner, which is usually used when cleaning the interior. This cleaning should be done regularly to prevent dust from getting inside the pile. Having picked up a compact vacuum cleaner and chosen a brush that is convenient for you, you can begin to return the covers to a neat appearance. The vacuum cleaner must be set to low power and low speed, otherwise the fur may be irrevocably damaged.

During the cleaning process, care must be taken to move the vacuum cleaner against the direction of hair growth, starting from the inside and ending with the ends of the pile. Such an event is held approximately once every two months, but, in general, it is necessary to be guided by the degree of contamination of the fur. Dust must be removed in a timely manner so that it does not get stuck in the fur and can be easily removed without harming the natural material.

You can get rid of dust by shaking out or easily knocking out the covers. It’s not worth making great efforts so as not to believe the structure of the fur.

Any dry cleaner will know how to clean sheepskin covers. The services of such organizations will need to be contacted once a year with an average intensity of car use. But again, you need to focus on the degree of contamination of the covers, the presence of serious stains on them, which it is not possible to deal with on your own. Dry cleaning services should not be abused, since fur from such procedures does not improve and wears out faster.

Don't even think about washing sheepskin covers. Such a rash decision can leave the covers rough or warped, and the fur faded and unattractive. Therefore, such an idea should be abandoned once and for all.

If there is slight dirt, do not immediately take the covers to the dry cleaner. To begin with, you can try to deal with it yourself. To do this, you will need to prepare a damp sponge and soap solution. The sponge is only slightly moistened in a soapy solution so that it is slightly damp, and is rubbed over the fur with light movements.

Please note that you can only wash fur in this way, but never skins. After such simple steps, the case must be dried naturally, not with a hairdryer, especially with an iron or a heater. The cover is hung or laid out on a flat surface and dries at room temperature. If such a procedure does not bring the desired result and the contamination still remains, then you will not be able to do without dry cleaning services.

Proper storage of fur

Often, after long-term storage, many discover that the fur coat has turned yellow or gray. Sometimes even large brown spots appear - all this is due to failure to follow basic rules. If fur products are stored incorrectly, they can permanently lose their original appearance and even run the risk of becoming moth prey. Having purchased a fur product, you need to remember how to care for a mink coat or hat.

After winter, it is strongly recommended to dry your fur coat in the fresh air (balcony or street), but so that the sun's rays do not hit it. Next, shake out the product and place it in a fabric bag. A special plastic bag is also suitable, inside which you should put an anti-moth remedy or a piece of soap. Be sure to first remove all stains and comb the pile.

It is better to check the condition of the fur vest several times a season. Perhaps the pile has become wrinkled somewhere and needs to be straightened. To do this, wipe it with a slightly damp sponge, dry it and put the fur coat back into the case.

Before buying a mink coat, you should find out how to care for the fur coat, otherwise your favorite item can quickly change its appearance. There are many cleaning methods: from regular shampoo to bran and walnuts. In addition to processing, it will not be superfluous to store outerwear correctly.

Hand washing sheepskin items: products, water temperature, intensity of exposure

Cleaning sheepskin items, including sheepskin, by hand is not that difficult. Before washing sheepskin by hand, it is recommended that you first study the rules of this procedure. Washing natural sheep wool has the following features:

• Wash in water whose temperature does not exceed 30 degrees.
• Use detergents for delicate fabrics, preferably in liquid form. It is better to avoid using powders, because unlike gels and shampoos, they are much less easily washed out of the fibers.
• Do not use aggressive bleaching agents.
• Before washing, soak the fur item in soapy water for 20–30 minutes.
• Do not rub the item. Delicate material does not tolerate active mechanical stress.
• Treat heavily soiled areas with a brush.
• Rinse in water at the same temperature as was used for washing. To completely rinse out the detergent, it is recommended to change the water 3-4 times.
• Do not squeeze. Excess moisture must be allowed to drain naturally.

It is important not only to properly clean the sheep wool product from dirt, but also to dry it. Drying sheepskin items greatly affects their ability to retain their original properties after washing. The following rules must be followed:

• Dry flat on a horizontal plane, previously covered with a thick terry towel, fur side up.
• Avoid exposing wet fur items to direct sunlight. Also, you should not lay it out to dry in close proximity to radiators and heaters. A dark, well-ventilated room is best suited for drying such products.
• Shake the item periodically, slightly stretching and kneading it. If you neglect this advice, it may become deformed after drying.
• Do not try to speed up the drying process with a hair dryer or iron.
• Knead the dried product well. This measure will soften the skin. To enhance the effect, it is recommended to lubricate the base of the skin with Vaseline.
• Comb the dried item with a comb or wool brush.

Important Tips

Each owner of a sheep's skin should take into account the following information:

• You need to wash sheepskin in a machine separately from other things;
• Do not dry the product in the bathroom;
• if the floor is heated, then the skin is not spread on it;
• Do not use a wet product;
• It is prohibited to process sheepskin with a washing vacuum cleaner.

If after washing the product emits an unpleasant odor, the procedure must be repeated. It is a consequence of inadequate drying of the item and water decay.

Additionally, you can treat the wool with baking soda mixed with a small amount of essential oil. It is applied to the skin, left for a day, after which it is shaken off and the fur is combed out.

What ways can damage the product?

1. According to professional craftsmen with extensive experience, the use of pure acetone and vinegar essence for cleaning is prohibited. The products can irreparably damage fur coats, collars and hats.
2. Do not use heating radiators, other heating appliances, gas stoves, ovens or hair dryers for drying. The best way is to dry the fur in the fresh air, not under direct UV rays, otherwise there is a danger that the fur will completely lose its appearance.
3. The Arctic fox has capricious fur that does not tolerate various fragrances and perfumes. It is not recommended to spray substances that glue pile and deform materials near arctic fox products. These products include hairspray, substances containing alcohol and insect repellent sprays.
4. You can easily ruin an arctic fox hat or fur coat if you wash it in a washing machine; hand washing is also undesirable. A prerequisite for hand washing fur is a maximum temperature of 35 degrees. The product should not be wrung out or twisted.