Washing a Mattes wool half pad..

[MissDeMeena]

I remember there was a post on here ages ago (poss. years ago) about washing one of these..
I read a bit of it, but not much as i've NEVER bothered to wash mine, and i've had it about 8 years now.. the wooly part still looks as good as new, but there was a small mark on it, and the quilt part was obviously looking rather dirty..

Well, i'm obviously fretting for Blenheim, and everything that i can lay my hands on has been shoved in the washing machine!!

Help, i've done the wrong thing, it's come out looking all wrong.. the wool has gone a little dredlocked, and doesn't look all 'fluffy' any more...

Anyone know what to do with it now????
Don't tell me how i should have washed it, as it's too late for that now.. is there any way i can make it all fluffy again??

 

[kerilli]

air dry very very gently (near a heat source but NOT on top of it!) and maybe dry gently with a hairdryer?
if you've already dried it, it might have shrunk. did you do it on a wool wash? if so, it should be okay...

 

[milliepops]

brush it out with a stiff brush. I use a velcro cleaner but have seen other people use wire wool brush, metal curry comb, dog shedding comb etc - be careful but that should un-mat it.

Then look for the post about how to wash for next time

 

[AnShanDan]

Rub in loads of conditioner to the fleece, leave it for a bit and then rinse out/spin again. Dry it slowly. Guy selling these told me this and it does work with all sheepskin type numnahs.
Expensive on conditioner tho'

 

[MissDeMeena]

It's still wet.. i blasted it with the hose pipe too.. i'll try the conditioner thing, then the hair dryer..

Thanks

Why did i bother washing it in the first place.

 

[Stoxx]

All the woollen fibres have just clung together, you need to separate them back out again and it will look fine!

I've tried the conditioner but I just can't get it to work so I gently brush the fleece out while it's still damp.

 

[oldvic]

We brush ours with a dog brush that looks like a velcro cleaner. They look as good as new after - it works best when the pad is still damp. Liquid works better than powder, the nu-med wash being the best.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

cover the sheepskin in human hair conditioner and rub in.wash on a wool wash with light spin, no detergent necessary. take out and vigourously rub shepskin by hand, dry in sun til half dry then tumble on cool for 10 mins then fluff by hand and leave to air dry. shoul be super soft and fluffy. cant believe you havent washed it for 8years. does your horse not sweat?

 

[MissDeMeena]

Thanks everyone.. It's looking good now..

Re. ofcourseyoucan.. it doesn't go next to his skin, i use an numnah under it.