How often should I wash saddle pads and how?

[Conniexox]

Also, is there a certain way to hand wash them? With a hose and what soap/ washing liquid ?

 

[MissTyc]

Hose & a solid body brush works fine for removing hair and grease. Then I do put them in the machine for a nice finish. Or, during moulting season, I drop them off with the rug lady for her professional machines to deal with!

 

[flying_high]

I wash mine each time i ride - straight in the washing machine!

Wow - I've two horses, each works 6 times a week. I'd be washing 12 saddlecloths a week!

I have fairly clean, fairly fine coated horses, that are fairly fit, and don't sweat too much. I have wicking saddlecloths, and three saddles used on two horses, so 3 saddle cloths in use at any one time.

If get damp with sweat, normally dry as fine to stay in use. I wash once look manky with grease / sweat.

Each lasts about 7-20 days. But I go by look and feel not by number of rides. Winter tends to be longer, summer shorter. Occasionally one long hot ride is a enough to finish off a saddle cloth!

 

[Andrew657]

You may wish to wash only one the first time - as have known some horses that are allergic to some washing powders.

 

[Cowpony]

Wait for husband to go out.

Put in washing machine ��

This, but I'd also add:

Run machine empty after washing your saddle pad, to make sure no hairs remain

Remember to clean the filter to remove evidence. Nothing worse than the machine not working and husband removing filter to find half the horse in there!

 

[Lorenzo zoil]

White or pale ones every use. Others are every 3-6 uses which is every day/ alternate days as got 4 horses.
Washed at 30

 

[MumofWhiz]

I wash them about every third ride - just put them in with non-bio powder on a 30 wash express which only takes 15 mins so quick and easy to do - sometimes fling the brushing boots in too!

 

[Birker2020]

Yikes I'm obviously some heinous numnah slut; I wash mine when they small bad but I do hoover them before I put them in the washing machine; Mr Mouse is very silly about having hairy pants. At the moment I'm using a felt pad supplied by my saddle fitter which I can't wash so that gets a periodic stiff brush.

My late Father used to brush and vacumn my saddle cloths for me as he said he didn't like getting hairs in his smalls!

 

[Annagain]

Yikes I'm obviously some heinous numnah slut; I wash mine when they small bad but I do hoover them before I put them in the washing machine; Mr Mouse is very silly about having hairy pants. At the moment I'm using a felt pad supplied by my saddle fitter which I can't wash so that gets a periodic stiff brush.

You'll notice I didn't actually put a timescale on mine . I suspect my "look or feel dirty" is very different from some of the other people on here. I only use brown ones for a reason .

 

[TheOldTrout]

Yikes I'm obviously some heinous numnah slut; I wash mine when they small bad but I do hoover them before I put them in the washing machine; Mr Mouse is very silly about having hairy pants. At the moment I'm using a felt pad supplied by my saddle fitter which I can't wash so that gets a periodic stiff brush.

I was so glad to see that, pansymouse, I feel less guilty now