Washing machines for rugs?

[MagicMelon]

Does anybody have their own personal washing machines for rugs? So many of mine are pretty manky after months spent on shelves in my tackroom, I just tried hand washing my FAL stable rug which was quite a task (very bulky!). I'm not sure what size a machine would need to be to take a rug happily? I'm talking just one rug at a time - don't need those massive industrial ones. Cost me a fortune to send them all away to be pro cleaned so figured it might save more money long term to get my own!

 

[Equi]

For a normal horse rug u fortunately the industrial ones it is. I have a small normal one for my rugs but the rugs are teeny lol

 

[Makemineacob]

As Equi put. Depends entirely on the size of rugs you have to wash. I have a separate machine for rugs and I can get fleeces, fly rugs, no fill turnouts etc of up to 7ft 3 in a 7kg machine without overloading it, anything with a filling won't fit in unless very small. Find them also handy for washing numnahs, boots etc and saves your own machine! I bag up all rugs that don't have a storage bag and this helps keep them from getting dusty while in the tack room.

 

[Speedyfluff]

Have a look at the Samsung machines. mine takes a 12kg load. I have a separate hoover machine for my household stuff.

 

[eggs]

I have a large Maytag out on the yard for washing all my horse and dog stuff.

 

[pec]

i use a concrete mixer. Get the rug wet in it for a start using a couple of buckets of cold water, then a bucket of hot plus the soap powder, let it mix good and proper, then tip out and drain, then lots of rinsing with cold water, brings them up good and clean. Could also be used for re-proofing but we never bother. Works equally well for stable and turn out. A little more labour intensive than a machine but an electric mixer is much cheaper and you can also use it for mixing concrete. The only problem is the straps get caught round the paddles but we tie them start and that makes it much better.

 

[WelshD]

My boss has a heavy duty machine, its a bit bigger than a normal washing machine and she can fit a 7ft stable rug in there no problems

 

[EventingMum]

Depending on the size and weight of rugs a 10 -12KG load machine will work. I buy my heavyweight rugs with a detachable neck and wash them seperately.

 

[Dubsie]

We have the Rambo Duo, so all the component pieces fit the normal washing machine, whether washing or reproofing. I do hand brush and then hand wash the worst hair/muck off before popping it in the machine though

 

[gnubee]

Unless your machine was particularly expensive, I would give it a go. All my 6'6s (even the heavey weight ones) go in our regular machine except the extra heavy with fixed neck. They need a couple of goes as don't spin so well, but it gets the job done.

 

[conniegirl]

I have an 11kg washing machine and can get all my rugs in it (separately).
I Hoover the rugs first though

 

[alwaysbroke]

Currenty have a 9kg 'horse washing machine' it will tke up to 6'6 stable rugs, tend to try not to wash TO rugs, but have jyst got a great deal on a pressure washer so will be using that for TOs in the future. Tend to buy the biggest cheapest washer on offer for the horse washing and scrap it when ir dies, still saves a small fortune in rug washing. When current one pegs it will be looking for an 11kg one though

 

[Speedyfluff]

Be careful using the pressure washer on turnouts. I did and washed the waterproofing off several rugs. Very expensive mistake!

 

[ElleSkywalker]

I just use my normal washing machine, it's 9 kg one and I haven't found a rug that won't fit in it yet. However I do only wash liners, fleeces, stable rugs etc. I also wash then quite often so they are never very heavy and dirty.

I don't touch turnouts, once washed and re proofed they are never as good so I just brush the mud off and leave them be.