There’s a reason sheepskin rugs never go out of fashion – their sumptuous fleece is a delight underfoot, whether as a touch of cosiness in the bedroom or a statement addition to a lounge or hallway.
However, they can easily become matted and grimy, so below are some tips to keep your rug looking fresher than ever as well as methods of cleaning incase they do get in a bit of a state.
How should you maintain your rug?
Avoid exposure to sunlight and moisture
Try to keep your rug out of locations that are overexposed to sunlight, as it can cause your rug to dry out and lose its delicate tone of softness, plus if a sheepskin rug is kept in sunlight for a prolonged period of time the skin will begin to turn into a shade of yellow.
This also refers to when you are drying your rug, make sure that it is not in direct sunlight and only dried naturally, this will give your rug a much longer life.
You should also try to keep it out of moist environments this is because Sheepskin rugs are sensitive to moisture too, too much can cause the individual fibres to lose their luscious fluffy texture.
Brush to prevent matting
You may want to consider owning a Sheepskin brush, it will allow you to loosen and fluff the parts of your rug that have become matted over time. Sheepskin brushes are inexpensive but essential, which is why we suggest you buy one.
Remember: Before you brush you need to give your sheepskin rug a firm shake to disentangle all the dirt and muck that may be in your rug.
Be prepared
You want to make sure that you have all the essentials required to clean your rug in case stains strike. If a stain does occur and you don’t have the essentials to remove the it could become a longer lasting discolouration. The essentials include a cloth and sheepskin detergent.
If you currently don’t own sheepskin detergent then you should buy some, it is a must for all those who want their rugs to last a lifetime.
How should you clean your sheepskin rug?
Spot cleaning
Spot cleaning is a simple but safe method of cleaning a sheepskin rug. To spot clean you will require a cloth and some sheepskin detergent (dependant on how severe the stain is).
If it isn’t too bad you can simply blot out the stain using a dry cloth, then fluff the rug using a brush.
However, if the stain doesn’t come out after blotting it, you need to use a second damp cloth and work in your sheepskin detergent in the direction of the fur. Then leave the rug to dry naturally in a warm place.
Hand washing
You should reserve hand washing for absolute emergencies as it isn’t great to soak your rug. How to hand-wash:
- Shake you rug firmly to disentangle any mud or dirt that could be stuck between the fur.
- Place your rug in a container of cool water and sheepskin detergent, then slowly swish your rug in a circular motion.
- Pour the dirty water out and refill the container with clean water, and again swish the rug in a circular motion.
- Now, pour out the water for the final time and place your rug in a dry and warm environment but not in direct sunlight/heat.
- Finally, once your rug is dry you can brush it to give it back its soft feel.