How to clean an expensive sheepskin saddle pad successfully!!!

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Befairtoall

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I’ve just ruined a beautiful Bartle Sheepskin saddle pad grrrrr.

I put it on a 30 degree wash thinking this would be best ( what an idiot). It came out mangled and totally ruined. I have others that need washing, as we know white doesn’t stay white for long, but now terrified to put in machine. I can’t hand wash as they are too thick so what did I do wrong? Label said 30 degree wash???
 
I managed to recover a lovely Mattes dressage square with sheepskin pad after it's used Bio detergent by mistake. I got a load of hair conditioner and gently combed that through with a fine brush. It wasn't perfect but it was fine to use.

What detergent did you use - was it Bio?
 
How do you mean by ruined? I wash my genuine sheepskins in the washing machine, with very gentle (and very small amount of detergent). It needs to be on a gentle and very long wash, with minimal spinning.

It comes out of the wash VERY clumped up. I lay it flat on a drying rack in the shade for a day or so (wool side up). Then I brush the damp wool with a human paddle brush, using quick surface strokes. Let it dry for a few more days (depending on your climate), then I give it a proper brush with the paddle brush. Good as new.
 
Northern Hare said:
I managed to recover a lovely Mattes dressage square with sheepskin pad after it's used Bio detergent by mistake. I got a load of hair conditioner and gently combed that through with a fine brush. It wasn't perfect but it was fine to use.

What detergent did you use - was it Bio?
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I've done the same with ancient sheepskin pads, lots of hair conditioner, rub it in, wash off in the shower, then wash in the machine with Mattes Melp. I've found that it's not the temperature that mangles things, it's the ferocity of the spin cycle! If you can dial the spin cycle right down it will come out really quite wet but not mangled. Then dry gently however you can, and brush with a stiff brush once dry.
 
I've also just bought some Melp detergent for mine.

Haven't actually been brave enough to wash it yet. I'm probably more concerned about it taking days to dry and ending up stinking!
 
southerncomfort said:
I've also just bought some Melp detergent for mine.

Haven't actually been brave enough to wash it yet. I'm probably more concerned about it taking days to dry and ending up stinking!
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I dry mine on a heated airer- I know you're not supposed to put them on direct heat but it's a pretty gentle heat source and it means it does dry properly over a couple of days - so no stinkiness. Maybe worth a try if you can borrow one from a friend?
 
I use a special wool cycle in the washing machine, Christ Sheepskin detergent or Melp and dry flat on a clothes horse. It's over 10 years old and still looks like new. The wool cycle does a gentle spin so it doesn't damage but isn't dripping when it comes out. Doesn't take long to dry in a heated house.
 
Wool cycle (yes, it'll be the spin speed that's the issue I imagine), Melp detergent or other leather wash, VERY gentle heat so a drying rack could be okay, but better in front of it than on it if you want super low risk. You could try conditioner to revive it but I suspect it's structural now, and shrunken/screwed up leather sewn into a cotton layer isn't going to flatten enough to use under a saddle I'd have thought.
 
This is what the wool cycle on my machine does

How it works
Low heat: The cycle uses lower temperatures to prevent the fabric from shrinking or felting
Controlled movement: The cycle uses reduced agitation to gently treat the fabric
Cool down: The cycle ends with a cool down phase to prevent chill shock when the cold rinse begins
 
Bartl use to sell their own wash when we were selling his pads and we always said better to hand wash very cool water.
 
Mattes do NOT recommend hair conditioner, so try at your own risk but they absolutely do say to use a machine wool cycle (front load, top load will be more of an issue I'd imagine) and don't need to hand wash. Le Mieux were the main ones that introduced the idea of human hair conditioner afaik.

Melp is brilliant stuff, I've had Nuumed pad owners say they've never felt nicer. You can definitely machine wash
 
I find that they come out looking clumped but a really vigorous shake while they are still damp raises the pile and has them all springy and lovely again. I just use Fairy non bio gentle or similar on mine
 
Widgeon said:
I dry mine on a heated airer- I know you're not supposed to put them on direct heat but it's a pretty gentle heat source and it means it does dry properly over a couple of days - so no stinkiness. Maybe worth a try if you can borrow one from a friend?
Click to expand...

Good idea! I have been thinking of buying a heated airer.
 
Landcruiser said:
I find that they come out looking clumped but a really vigorous shake while they are still damp raises the pile and has them all springy and lovely again. I just use Fairy non bio gentle or similar on mine
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Sheepskin or wool? Might be JUST about okay for wool eg Nuumed. I'd not recommend just a non-bio for either wool or sheepskin, glad it's working for you, but I'd not suggest anyone else use similar. It would be a bit like washing your hair in Fairy washing up liquid.

southerncomfort said:
Good idea! I have been thinking of buying a heated airer.
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I would probably suggest laying a (dry) towel down first and putting the pad on top, caution is needed with these expensive pads!
 
Northern Hare said:
I managed to recover a lovely Mattes dressage square with sheepskin pad after it's used Bio detergent by mistake. I got a load of hair conditioner and gently combed that through with a fine brush. It wasn't perfect but it was fine to use.

What detergent did you use - was it Bio?
Click to expand...
Hi, no not bio and I think spin too fast.
 
Curly_Feather said:
How do you mean by ruined? I wash my genuine sheepskins in the washing machine, with very gentle (and very small amount of detergent). It needs to be on a gentle and very long wash, with minimal spinning.

It comes out of the wash VERY clumped up. I lay it flat on a drying rack in the shade for a day or so (wool side up). Then I brush the damp wool with a human paddle brush, using quick surface strokes. Let it dry for a few more days (depending on your climate), then I give it a proper brush with the paddle brush. Good as new.
Click to expand...
Hi yep spin too fast on mine.
 
sbloom said:
Sheepskin or wool? Might be JUST about okay for wool eg Nuumed. I'd not recommend just a non-bio for either wool or sheepskin, glad it's working for you, but I'd not suggest anyone else use similar. It would be a bit like washing your hair in Fairy washing up liquid.



I would probably suggest laying a (dry) towel down first and putting the pad on top, caution is needed with these expensive pads!
Click to expand...
Towels a good idea thank you
 
Widgeon said:
I've done the same with ancient sheepskin pads, lots of hair conditioner, rub it in, wash off in the shower, then wash in the machine with Mattes Melp. I've found that it's not the temperature that mangles things, it's the ferocity of the spin cycle! If you can dial the spin cycle right down it will come out really quite wet but not mangled. Then dry gently however you can, and brush with a stiff brush once dry.
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
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