Horsey washing machines!

Kylara

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I'm looking and looking and I'm flipflopping. I think a 10kg+ would be best but I'm not sure. Would be for numnahs and boots and bandages and fleeces/waffles and hopefully the odd stable rug.

I can't afford a big commercial and don't intend on running a rug washing business but I will need one to wash all the things mentioned above (and anything else I may have forgotten).

Am I thinking way too much capacity? Not enough? Brands to avoid and programmes to look for?

I think I've been looking for so long it's all just turned in a big mushy mess in my head and I'd love some input from those of you with machines (either at home or on livery).
 
I have a 7kg standard machine donated for my tack room when its owner bought a new one. I can get 7ft lightweights turnouts in as a max really but nothing of a heavier weight. I can't fit my mares 6ft lightweight stable rug in as the drum is too small, depends what size rugs you are washing as I can fit all of my wee ones rugs in, even heavy weights (3ft 6 - 4ft 6). Numnahs, boots, bandages, fly rugs all fit in easy.
 
I dont think its necessarily about capacity weight-wide but more about ruggedness and a good sized drum that wont bunch the items up so they dont come clean

My friend has an ex commercial washer for horsey things, she bought it at auction quite cheaply
 
I just have a 7kg domestic one which washes everything bar big rugs. I put thin stable rugs and no fills in it and haven't had any hair on my clothes. Worked out I would need to wash a huge number of rugs every year to justify buying a 'horse' washing machine.
 
I use a concrete mixer and hot water, a little labour intensive but it will wash all rugs and even make concrete if you need to.
 
I buy the biggest and cheapest on offer. Latest is a 9kg can take a 7 ft stable rug best if you put it through 2 cycles, tend not to wash turn out rugs though. I scrap them when they go wrong, usually works out that the price of the machine equals 45-50 commercial rug washes, the machines I have had usual last over two years and pay for themselves within a couple of months. Have 6 horses so find it far cheaper and much more effective ( being able to wash saddles clothes, bandages and dog beds) than taking rugs to be washed
 
Oh now wouldn't that be great pepsimaxrock!

Wouldn't be doing turnouts I don't think (unless in emergency!) but would love to be able to do stable rugs. How thick is the 7ft one you can fit in alwaysbroke?

I'm currently looking at Hoover and Zanussi, but haven't had one of theirs before so not sure about quality!

Would be for popping at my yard so up to 7 horses worth of stuff so plenty of use and worth having dedicated machine I think!
 
I have a 7kg Bosch (it's 8 years old now), and while it's great for boots bandages, stable rugs and even no-fill rain sheets, it is absolutely rubbish for saddle cloths - and I don't have many thick ones either.

I have my eye on a 13kg washer, which I'm trying to convince myself I can justify as it should wash all bar my heaviest duvet... but 900€ is a lot to spend on a washer lol!
 
I bought a LG 12kg washing machine 2 years ago. Best buy ever, even for winterrugs! It's "direct drive" technology which makes it much stronger than the old belt driven machines. It cost 800euros (new) 600pounds

It's earned its money back already AND it also does the normal washing :-)
 
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