Cleaning turnout rugs

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Sandstone1

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How do you all clean turnout rugs? I have always sent mine off to horse laundry place but they never seem as waterproof after plus its expensive if you have a lot of rugs.
 
I hang mine over the gate and brush off the worst of the mud. If needed they get sponged down until they look respectable. Turn over and then wash the inside properly with warm soapy water to remove the grease from the shoulder area. My Rhinos are 8 years old and have never been to a rug wash and never leaked but every few years or so I do paint them with Fabsil Gold especially along the seams. Leave on the gate to dry in the sun and then put away for the summer.
 
Hi jumping on your post....I take mine to be cleaned and proofed, but only if they really need it (so main winter turn out which I use most of winter adding layers). Slightly grubby I don't and no fill I put in washing machine with Nikwax products. They definitely are slightly less waterproof each wash.

So my question is what spray on/paint on proofers do people recommend to use after rugs have been cleaned?
 
I never have turnouts cleaned. When it’s sunny and windy I spread them over the fence, turn inside out at lunch time then hang back up. I do this about once every 6 weeks when not in use.
 
When we were kids we used to scrub them by hand!

I’ve just dropped four off for cleaning, hopefully the bill will be here next month 😂
 
Sandstone1 said:
How do you all clean turnout rugs? I have always sent mine off to horse laundry place but they never seem as waterproof after plus its expensive if you have a lot of rugs.
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You hear that a lot, professionally washed & proofed rugs are sparkling, but leaky.
Wouldn’t use a pressure washer though, when FAL Pro were based in NE, their director strongly advised not, and the once I did, the waterproofness was definitely compromised, altho our pressure washers are fierce. Hosepipe, bucket of cool soapy water when washing by hand.
I put mine over a Heston bale, brush off dry mud, maybe sponge any thick grease inside shoulders.
If your machine’s large capacity (mine takes heavyweights 6’3”, without hoods), a cold, synthetics wash, 1400 spin, using a ‘delicates’, non-bio, liquid, something like Woolite, or Tesco own brand.
Dry over a gate, Fabsil to re proof.
If too big for the washer, either do it by hand in a clean trough, or, our local laundromat has an industrial machine, cold cycle, strong spin, and they use non-bio ‘soap nuts’ - which are great. Charge about £8.00.
Dry naturally then Fabsil / Fabsil Gold (large cans from outdoors/ camping store)
A friend has completely opted out: buys a full set of brand new rugs in sales each year, then donates the winter worn ones to a horse sanctuary as her bit of charity. Doesn’t have the expense or hassle of cleaning /repairs, hairy washing machine to tackle, or manky rugs hanging around. Her husband is delighted.
 
Exasperated said:
If too big for the washer, either do it by hand in a clean trough, or, our local laundromat has an industrial machine, cold cycle, strong spin, and they use non-bio ‘soap nuts’ - which are great. Charge about £8
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Our launderette has a big notice saying "horse rugs must not be washed in these machines" 😕
 
Just got 10 rugs washed and 3 also reproofed. £105 which although ouch, it seems reasonable to me for 10 rugs ready to go again.
I did try to use fewer rugs this winter, but I failed :D
 
Jenko109 said:
I've never bothered.
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The outside no - I agree but I find the inside can get greasey and grim

I don't clean outside but do inside the old fashioned way. On my hands and knees with an old dandy brush and several good squirts of washing up liquid for the grease

I don't care that they look like on the outside - but I do want to avoid skin trouble with putting grim dirt on them year after year.

When I rugged (rarely do now) I did leave them in turn outs 24/7 so maybe that was why mine got disgusting inside.
 
Many years ago before the new style turnout rugs arrived (think jute stable rugs and flax/canvas New Zealands) we always used to put a cotton summer sheet on under any rug as they fitted easily into the washing machine. I still have a load in storage and often think I should get them out but then forget to do so. It would make keeping the inside of the turnout rugs clean so much easier.
 
Gloi said:
Our launderette has a big notice saying "horse rugs must not be washed in these machines" 😕
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Oh dear, ours is only service washes, so I guess the staff can make sure machines aren’t abused.
Anyway, they do a lovely job, with their soap nuts!
 
Exasperated said:
You hear that a lot, professionally washed & proofed rugs are sparkling, but leaky.
Wouldn’t use a pressure washer though, when FAL Pro were based in NE, their director strongly advised not, and the once I did, the waterproofness was definitely compromised, altho our pressure washers are fierce. Hosepipe, bucket of cool soapy water when washing by hand.
I put mine over a Heston bale, brush off dry mud, maybe sponge any thick grease inside shoulders.
If your machine’s large capacity (mine takes heavyweights 6’3”, without hoods), a cold, synthetics wash, 1400 spin, using a ‘delicates’, non-bio, liquid, something like Woolite, or Tesco own brand.
Dry over a gate, Fabsil to re proof.
If too big for the washer, either do it by hand in a clean trough, or, our local laundromat has an industrial machine, cold cycle, strong spin, and they use non-bio ‘soap nuts’ - which are great. Charge about £8.00.
Dry naturally then Fabsil / Fabsil Gold (large cans from outdoors/ camping store)
A friend has completely opted out: buys a full set of brand new rugs in sales each year, then donates the winter worn ones to a horse sanctuary as her bit of charity. Doesn’t have the expense or hassle of cleaning /repairs, hairy washing machine to tackle, or manky rugs hanging around. Her husband is delighted.
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I buy each year too, keep the previous years' for one year as a spare. Gallop trojan ones in the summer sales are maybe £60 for the 350g ones and do the job well
 
Stable rugs are done in my machine regularly, before they get too dirty. Turnout rugs, depending on use are sent to be washed twice a year, and reproofed once a year. We're on clay soil and during a wet winter, the linings can be drenched in mud due to my horse rolling in mud puddles.
Although I've always bought top of the range rugs, the quality and durability is no longer the same. LInings rip quicker, as does the outer shell, so more frequent washing isn't helpful.
I never jet wash after destroying a couple of rugs about 20 years ago when the quality was still very good.
 
I have a 10 Kg capacity washing machine, so I run it empty to clear out detergent, then wash one rug at a time in Nikwax rug wash. When they're all washed I either repeat with the reproofer, or part fill a storage box with reproofer/water mix and soak the rug. The latter is obviously more time consuming, but I can do at least two rugs with one lot of reproofer, that way and it's less abrasive on the weave. I hang them over a gate to dry, choosing a hot period to do all my rugs. I've never sent off rugs. I'd like to move onto a liner system, but can't justify replacing current rugs, so will wear those out, first, but the current batch is now 6 years old (I bought the horse in 2019) and still fully waterproof.
 
Alibear said:
Just got 10 rugs washed and 3 also reproofed. £105 which although ouch, it seems reasonable to me for 10 rugs ready to go again.
I did try to use fewer rugs this winter, but I failed :D
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That is ridiculously cheap even if they are very small rugs. When you consider the cost of a new 'proper' commercial machine, Rugwash and Rug proof, overheads, (electric + water + rates) the cost of drying them when the weather prevents drying outdoors, wages / profit, a bag to pack them up in, it isn't worth getting out of bed to do the job. It costs more to have a duvet professionally cleaned and they aren't usually covered in mud and sh1te, which can take a lot of getting out to get the rugs properly clean. And further down the line even after purchasing a new machine there will be maintenance costs, like for example new heating elements and callout etc. and that is only basic maintenance.
 
I used to work for one of the UK biggest equine clothing manufactures and our sales manager used to say that washing rugs was detrimental to the fabric and waterproofness of the material. The best thing to do is to pressure wash the rug, if it's lost its waterproofness there isn't really a product that will truly revive it, the material has lost it's structure, sometimes this is the 'plastic' backing on the underside of the rug that is giving up or the chemicals that the material has been treated with to make it waterproof is wearing off. Personally I don't have mine washed and I've not bothered to pressure wash them either. My horse must just not get that dirty 😁
 
Lady Jane said:
Hi jumping on your post....I take mine to be cleaned and proofed, but only if they really need it (so main winter turn out which I use most of winter adding layers). Slightly grubby I don't and no fill I put in washing machine with Nikwax products. They definitely are slightly less waterproof each wash.

So my question is what spray on/paint on proofers do people recommend to use after rugs have been cleaned?
Click to expand...
I uses FabSil Gold and paint it on with a paint brush working well into seams.
 
Lady Jane said:
Hi jumping on your post....I take mine to be cleaned and proofed, but only if they really need it (so main winter turn out which I use most of winter adding layers). Slightly grubby I don't and no fill I put in washing machine with Nikwax products. They definitely are slightly less waterproof each wash.

So my question is what spray on/paint on proofers do people recommend to use after rugs have been cleaned?
Click to expand...
You can mix Nikwax Rug Proof with water and spray it on and sponge it in to the rug. It makes a better job than doing it in wash, better for your machine as well, and it's going on to the rugs and not going down the drain.

ETA you can also adjust the strength of the mix more accurately with this method, so for older rugs and lighter weight 'shower proof ' rugs you can make it a much stronger mix.
 
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lialls said:
I used to work for one of the UK biggest equine clothing manufactures and our sales manager used to say that washing rugs was detrimental to the fabric and waterproofness of the material. The best thing to do is to pressure wash the rug, if it's lost its waterproofness there isn't really a product that will truly revive it, the material has lost it's structure, sometimes this is the 'plastic' backing on the underside of the rug that is giving up or the chemicals that the material has been treated with to make it waterproof is wearing off. Personally I don't have mine washed and I've not bothered to pressure wash them either. My horse must just not get that dirty 😁
Click to expand...
The best thing to do is NOT to pressure wash rugs !
 
Polos Mum said:
The outside no - I agree but I find the inside can get greasey and grim

I don't clean outside but do inside the old fashioned way. On my hands and knees with an old dandy brush and several good squirts of washing up liquid for the grease

I don't care that they look like on the outside - but I do want to avoid skin trouble with putting grim dirt on them year after year.

When I rugged (rarely do now) I did leave them in turn outs 24/7 so maybe that was why mine got disgusting inside.
Click to expand...
Washing up liquid is definitely a bad idea !
 
I discovered liners a few years ago so now the ponies have a good quality lightweight rug and a spare each, and various liners that are frequently washed so they have clean layers next to them
The waterproof outsides are not washed.
 
Sandstone1 said:
How do you all clean turnout rugs? I have always sent mine off to horse laundry place but they never seem as waterproof after plus its expensive if you have a lot of rugs.
Click to expand...
I don't clean them as the cost of cleaning and reproofing is nearly the same as new, so I use them till they leak then sell them for under a £ 10. I never brush them now as it damages the reproofer like a scouring pad. The expensive Fal Pro I hose ( never jet wash) they are years old but only get used in minus weather so never get muddy or well used. but those are rugs that were £ 300, now I buy Gallop which are £ 50 so use and sell and buy new.
 
I use Snuggy Hood liners. They are thin polyester and can be washed and dried quickly and effortlessly and therefore the inside of rugs don’t get greasy. For outside of turnouts I have a washing machine in one of the outbuildings for pet bedding and horse rugs. I use Nikwax products on the rugs but also paint Fabsil Gold on either all over or on the seams depending on what is needed. I have rugs that are 14 years old that are used regularly in winter that are still waterproof.
 
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