does anyone machine wash their own rugs

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CazD

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Just wondering really? I normally just wash the least dirty ones with the garden hose and a broom and then send the worst ones for cleaning but with money being tight, I wondered if it was Ok to wash some of the smaller, lightweight ones in the washing machine. Obviously they'd need re-proofing but half the time I find that even if they've been professionally washed, they need a coating of tent re-proofer to make them completely waterproof. So, is it a good idea, or will I just wreck them??
 
CazD said:
Just wondering really? I normally just wash the least dirty ones with the garden hose and a broom and then send the worst ones for cleaning but with money being tight, I wondered if it was Ok to wash some of the smaller, lightweight ones in the washing machine. Obviously they'd need re-proofing but half the time I find that even if they've been professionally washed, they need a coating of tent re-proofer to make them completely waterproof. So, is it a good idea, or will I just wreck them??
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I wash some of mine in the machine, but only if they are lightweight - either no fill, or maximum around 200g fill. I find I have to wash them a few times, pulling them out to rearrange them so all bits do get washed properly. If you use Rugwash, and then do a final wash with Rugproof, before leaving outside to dry it does work well (better than commercially done rugs anyway).
It is not great, however, for the health of your washing machine. :p
S :D
 
im not sure about outdoor ones but i always wash my lighter stable rugs in the washing machine. they come out lovely and clean and saves a lot of money!! sometimes the really dirty ones take a second wash. i just tend to ball socks up and put them on the heavier buckles with a bobble or elastic band so they don't bash the glass on the washer. i no you can buy the re proofing liquid that goes in the washing machine as im considering doing this myself.
 
Shilasdair said:
It is not great, however, for the health of your washing machine. :p
S :D
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I'm not too worried about the machine - I've been washing numnahs, horse fleeces, dog towels etc etc in it for years. I just leave the door open afterwards to let the drum dry and then poke the hoover in to get the loose hairs out. The next wash always has hubby's work stuff in it - just in case! LOL
 
CazD said:
I'm not too worried about the machine - I've been washing numnahs, horse fleeces, dog towels etc etc in it for years. I just leave the door open afterwards to let the drum dry and then poke the hoover in to get the loose hairs out. The next wash always has hubby's work stuff in it - just in case! LOL
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OMG why didn't I think of that?! May stop me getting dog hair over everything :D

I *would* wash light stable rugs inside a duvet cover, however I mentioned it in conversation and my landlady over heard and said NO!!
 
Yes I do. All the rugs that will fit - cotton sheets, lightweight stable rugs, lighter turn outs go through the machine. I only really send the real heavy T/O's and those that need repairing to my rug lady :)

I am quite lucky that I have a dedicated washing machine in my tack room, so it doesn't matter too much what I put in it - but I do try to brush the worst of the grey hairs off before I put anything in the machine.

OP - borrow / beg / steal a pressure washer, and you can do the heavy rugs yourself as well. I have done this before, and it does clean the worst off, maybe not as well as my rug lady, but not a bad job. I lay the rug out on concrete (ideally give the concrete a good wash off first to save the other side of the rug getting filthy during washing!!). You just need a sturdy fence to put the rug over to dry and a bit of sunshine and wind and they dry in no time :). Make sure the fence is pretty strong though - those turn out rugs are bleddy heavy when they are completely soaked through :) :)
 
I get the turnout rugs done professionally and also the very largest superthick polywarm with neck as its doesnt fit but everything else goes in the machine - I have one of the ones with a big 8kg drum.
 
Yes, but only fleeces, turnouts with no fill and lw stable rugs, and only when hubby isn't around otherwise he would go mental, so it's a bit of a covert op.

Managed to wash Ted's pink fleece when, he was on Rugby tour last weekend, it did feel a bit like payback as he was off getting drunk in Cardiff and I was staying around my parents! I did have to de-hair the washing machine afterwards, and clean the filter as last time I washed a rug it blocked the machine and flooded the kitchen, so can understand why oh, gets annoyed but I can't have Ted wearing smelly, dirty rugs and we've no one locally that I know of that does rug wash at a reasonable rate.
 
I wash horsey & doggy stuff (that fits) in the washing machine at home, bigger stuff I take to the laundrett, in the evening when there are no staff around.
 
I wash all my summer sheets and wool dress rugs in my machine but leave the heavier ones to the saddlery shop. They do a great job, rugs coming back really clean and re proofed for approx $30.
 
We have a large machine in the tack room that takes everything but a HW. It's saved me a fortune in sending rugs off for cleaning.
 
Large drum wm in the rug room. Takes most of my rugs except hw turnouts. These sometimes go away to be done and sometimes get powerhosed on the gate b
 
I sneak to the laundrette down the road -infact I've just done 4 turnouts in there.

£6 for a huge washingmachine & then I do a £1 15min tumble to kick start the drying process and finish off at home.

I wash the small stuff that doesn't smell too much at home.
 
I tried wahsing my stable rug once.... in my boyfriend's parents wahsing machine. I put it in, well crammed it in and turned it on. Needless to say the drum struggled, so I turned it off and dragged this hot steaming rug out through the concervatory *it stank* and chucked it outside. I then decided maybe to try it in the tumbledryer....needless to say again this failed and more steam ensued. I was so worried I broke the £800 wahsing machine I put a nother load on just to test it, I ended up checking it every 5 minutes to make sure it was still alive. It's still working :D But I shall never suffer that stress again :P
 
I wash the stable rugs if they fit but I have to clean the filter of hair afterwards and the next wash is always horsey things like jods. Also throw in numnahs, headcollars and various boots.
I have washed hw in the large machine at the laundrette though they don't like it so you have to go in when the attendant is off duty.

I don't like washing turnouts if I can help it as they never seem as waterproof after even if they are reproofed so I brush the mud off with a stiff dandy brush, they never get used indoors so it is only mud that needs to come off.
 
GrumpyMare said:
I tried wahsing my stable rug once.... in my boyfriend's parents wahsing machine. I put it in, well crammed it in and turned it on. Needless to say the drum struggled, so I turned it off and dragged this hot steaming rug out through the concervatory *it stank* and chucked it outside. I then decided maybe to try it in the tumbledryer....needless to say again this failed and more steam ensued. I was so worried I broke the £800 wahsing machine I put a nother load on just to test it, I ended up checking it every 5 minutes to make sure it was still alive. It's still working :D But I shall never suffer that stress again :P
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Love it - made me chuckle!
 
I do, I only really use lw and light fill turnouts so they go in as soon as OH's away for the day. I use the Nikwax washing and then the proofing, 2 loads and a rug's clean and proofed. I then have to clean the filter and hoover the washing machine so OH doesn't know. I normally do 1 a day as soon as I'm back from the yard and he's off somewhere.

I once forgot to do this and he came home and put his gym stuff in the machine. I got back from the yard to find him in the kitchen, with the washing machine pulled out (he didn't know where the filter was), him surrounded by swirling, dirty, hairy water and all his gym kit soaked through and more dirty than it was when it went in.

Cue lots of cursing, lots of apologies and I sorted the kitchen out.

I've also managed to break the handle off the door of the machine when he rang to say he was on his way back. I thought the wash had finished and the door had unlocked so pulled at the door and the plastic handle came off in my hands :)
 
We have a big toploader washing machine and all my horses rugs get washed in that with rugwash, with the surcingles etc in pillowcases tied on with hair bobbles. Works a treat and they come up sparkling :)
 
CazD said:
I'm not too worried about the machine - I've been washing numnahs, horse fleeces, dog towels etc etc in it for years. I just leave the door open afterwards to let the drum dry and then poke the hoover in to get the loose hairs out. The next wash always has hubby's work stuff in it - just in case! LOL
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What a good idea, will be doing that tomorrow afer washing saddlecloths tonigh
 
I do all the fleeces, no fills and LW rugs, but anything else goes off the be cleaned. Unfortunately as Farra has 7' rugs, only the very lw ones fit in my machine.

Never had a problem and what I do if the washing machine is a bit smelly is to run an empty cycle with a dash of bleach which gets it clean and fresh again.

I never wash t/o rugs - just give them a hose on the underside and forget the outer, as they will be muddy within 10 minutes of going on again. They may after 3 - 4 years go to be properly cleaned and proofed if they are leaking.
 
My christmas present was a 9kg washing machine for the stables everyone was getting fed up with "hairy" clothes.
Ive only got ponies so all their rugs fit in and after shows tail bandages, travel boots and show rugs get washed straight away........its the best present ive ever had.
 
I jet wash my outdoor rugs with a power washer then reproof them with a automatic spray bottle.
I bought a massive jug of reproofer online last year and bought a automatic spray bottle and took 10 mins per rug, just had to wait for a nice sunny day!
I think the reproof solution was around £20 and covered over 4 rugs so worked out much cheaper, i went and bought another one!
Hope that helps save some pennies!
 
I wash mine - hes a cob so only has light and middle weights.
I then use a tent reproofer from halfords to rewaterproof - works a treat and is so so much cheaper than proper horse rug reproofers :)
 
I pre-wash my rugs in a plastic tub with handwash detergent, and hot water. I put on my wellies, and stomp the rug to death, drag it out, turn rug inside out, repeat wash, then rinse it (using the same stomping method) several times - until the water is reasonably clear.

Then it goes in the machine on a 30º cycle with no detergent and a cup of white vinegar in the soap drawer, then it gets another rinse cycle.

Leave the door open afterwards and wash something that's not an expensive designer outfit next time you wash (like CazD says!)
 
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