Washing your own rugs - machine recommendations

Wagtail

Wagtail

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Due to the extortionate price of getting rugs cleaned professionally, and wanting them cleaning at least once a month (I hate dirty rugs), I have been using my old Dyson washing machine to do the job for the past four years. Sadly, it has now packed up and they cannot repair it due to discontinuation of the parts. So I need to buy a new machine that can cope with washing a heavy weight turnout rug. I cannot afford the £2500 plus to buy a commercial machine, so have been looking at other machines with large capacities (up to 12 kg). The one I think I have decided on is the Samsung WF1124XAU, at around £800. Does anyone have any experience of these machines or have any advice on any others they recommend or would avoid? Thanks

ETA I have a separate machine for household laundry in the house. The one I would be buying is for the tack room and to be used to wash my own and my liveries' horse and dog blankets.
 
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We take ours to the launderette every 6 months in order to avoid mucking up our home one. We've often asked ourselves if it's naughty :o but I would like to think that launderette machines get cleaned once in a while.
 
kirstykate said:
Check out Ebay for second hand ones you should get a pretty good one for under a grand;)
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Thanks. I have had a look and there is nothing suitable there at the moment. Also, I am wary about buying second hand machines as I feel people only tend to sell them once their performance is starting to diminish. The Samsung machine comes with a 5 year parts and labour guarantee. Just need to persuade the husband. :)

NoseyPosey said:
We take ours to the launderette every 6 months in order to avoid mucking up our home one. We've often asked ourselves if it's naughty :o but I would like to think that launderette machines get cleaned once in a while.
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We don't have any suitable laundrettes near by. Also, I like to wash the stable rugs every couple of weeks. I am currently washing fly rugs and dog blankets in the household washer. :o
 
Try google there are companies that sell reconditioned ones, but dont go for a big spin thats what kills them no more than 1000 spin;)
 
My OH managed to buy an ex laundrette machine years ago - we had it in the garages of his pub, and washed all the horse rugs in it. Cost him £50, but we had to put coins in it (we had the key, so just took the coins back out again)

He just asked at all the local laundrettes if they were getting rid of any.
 
Miele all the way. ' You can't buy better'. Expensive at over 1000 pounds but my mother had one which is 20 years old and still going strong.
Am constantly washing rugs, halters, lead reins, numnahs, saddle cloths, girths and...... grooming brushes :D in mine. I also can't stand things dirty. :p

I think some of them also have a separate programme for when you're reproofing.
Mine is a 7Kg drum and have had no problems fitting rugs in (1 at a time). It is also used for the household laundry I just make sure that I run it empty on a very hot wash before I stick our clothes in it.
 
I bought an LG toploader large capacity machine about 11 or 12 years ago, I think it cost about £500 then, it is still going strong and does all the dirty washing (rugs, numnahs, boots, bandages etc). It's got lots of different setting options so you can set it for extra soak, extra rinse, different load levels, different temps etc, so it's versatile and efficient. It went wrong under warranty because of a faulty circuit board, but since then has been 110% (now I've probably put the kiss of death on it though).
 
This is a very interesting thread. could someone please tell me what temperature you wash turnout rugs on and also do you put the reproofer in straight away or do the rugs have to have 2 washes.
 
I wash my lightweights t/os at home, I don't use reproofer and they've been the same waterproof as before. Mainly it's the material that's waterproof these days.
 
I have a LG one that takes 11kg (might be 12kg) and I do all bar the heaviest rugs in it. The only issue I have is the bigger the rug, the harder to get the rug fully rinsed off. However the baby clothes cycle does better (now I have discovered it :D) in the rinsing.

Your warranty won't stand if you are using rugs as it isn't designed for it :(

My friend bought an American (miele?) top loader which does her uber heavyweight rugs for her donosaur of a horse and she got it from someone on one of the US airbases through gumtree.

Would certainly consider the ex-laundrette route if I needed to wash rugs more often (I don't really have anywhere to dry them so try to only do when really needed) :)
 
If the rugs are minging then they get washed with a biological liquid, then either a gentle detergent for babies/allergy sufferers (have used Ecover to great effect, but can't justify the cost on rugs!) and then reproofed with Nikwax rug stuff.

I have the Nikwax rug wash which I find a bit pants, doesn't seem to clean very well, and while I know you shouldn't have strong perfumes on the rugs, I like them to at least smell clean!!
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
If the rugs are minging then they get washed with a biological liquid, then either a gentle detergent for babies/allergy sufferers (have used Ecover to great effect, but can't justify the cost on rugs!) and then reproofed with Nikwax rug stuff.

I have the Nikwax rug wash which I find a bit pants, doesn't seem to clean very well, and while I know you shouldn't have strong perfumes on the rugs, I like them to at least smell clean!!
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Biological liquid will eventually ruin your rugs, will strip them of re-proofer. Nikwax rug wash is in my opinion the best for washing turnout rugs, it is designed for the job and to work in conjunction with Nikwax Rug Proof. I wouldnt use domestic wash products given how sensitive a horses skin can be. Nuumed Nuuwash is good for rugs other than turnouts, fleeces and other items.

I can safely say the above as I have my own Rugwash business....
 
I have a Whirlpool semi professional washing machine - it has a "big items" setting which works well for rugs and in the 4 years I've had it I've not had any problems. I do tend to buy heavyweight rugs with detachable necks now just to allow me to wash them seperately but since having it I've saved a fortune on professional cleaning. I also find Nikwax products good for maintaining proofing on the turnout rugs.
 
Thanks everyone. I have gone for the Samsung machine after trawling though hundreds of reviews. Some of which are from people who wash horse rugs and duvets etc. So fingers crossed it will be a good buy. They do an industrial model that costs another £500 which obviously would have been better suited, but I really can't justify the extra money! Can't wait until it comes. Will be washing all the household duvets before embarking on the equestrian pile!
 
Slightly off topic, but we've always sent our TO's away to be professionally washed and proofed, but this year I had some spare time so to save money thought I'd do it by hand in the garden. It did take about 2 hours and I probably used about £10 worth of the Nikwax stuff, but the results are incredible! The rug's been used heavily for two winters, but now it's so waterproof again that water droplets just sit on top of it.
 
We use a cement mixer, cost about £150. We are lucky in that we have a water heater in the stables but we unly use one bucket of hot water per wash. It is a bit more labour intensive than a machine but much easier than a bath. An added bonus is you can also use the mixer for making concrete/mortar.
 
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