Can Sheepskin be machine-washed?

Can Sheepskin be machine-washed?

Buying new products for your baby always comes with some element of risk - particularly spills and stains that might pop up on day one of using it! At Baa Baby, we know how precious time is, and we definitely don’t want you to spend hours worrying about cleaning up your sheepskin baby products. But as experts in sheepskin, we want to make sure you make the most out of your sheepskin without damaging it. 

When you machine wash your sheepskin, it will shrink and lose its lovely softness so try your best to avoid doing this! Our sheepskin pram liners and rugs are so easy to clean that they often don’t need washing at all and also come baby safe and ready to use. If you ever find that your sheepskin gets dirty, make sure to follow our tips below first if you’re tempted to use the washing machine!  

Top 3 Cleaning Hacks for your Baby Sheepskin

1. Regularly Brush your Sheepskin 

Before rushing to wash your sheepskin, we advise letting the dirt dry and using a wire sheepskin brush to brush out the dirt. In most cases, the dirt will come straight out, eliminating any need for a time-consuming washing process. Wire brushes are specially angled to reach into the fibres and loosen debris. This is a quick and easy process that works every time!

Spot Clean Small Stains or Dirt

Smaller stains and dirt often do not require the whole sheepskin to be washed. It is easy to simply use water or a lanolin sheepskin shampoo on a small area of the sheepskin, reducing the need for long drying times and saving both water and product.

Lanolin is a natural waxy substance that sheep produce to protect their coats. When you use a specialist shampoo, it will keep your sheepskin clean and soft and maintains its antibacterial properties. 

2. Hand-wash Tougher Stains 

We recommend handwashing your sheepskin with cold water and a specialist lanolin shampoo (not just wool detergent) if needed and letting the sheepskin air dry in a naturally cool place away from sunlight.  

Lanolin is stripped from the leather during the washing process and needs to be replaced, otherwise, it will be hard and prone to shrinking. We know hand washing can be more time-consuming but it really is worth the extra half hour to give your sheepskin a bath if it needs it.

3. The Verdict: Don’t Machine Wash your Sheepskin!

Although some manufacturers state that their sheepskin can be machine-washed, we do encourage customers to avoid using a washing machine for your sheepskin. The variation in wool cycles, speed, drum and heat between washing machines does mean that it is impossible to say with confidence that it will always turn out well.  No two washing machines will have the same wool washing process! To avoid any risk of damaging the natural enzymes in your baby sheepskin, we always say brush, spot clean or hand-wash and stay away from the washing machine! 

The same also applies to tumble dryers. These will shrink your sheepskin and make the fleece feel rough and dense from the fibres being pulled together. Always make sure to air dry it for a few days in a cool room to reduce the chances of your fleece losing its softness. When drying, the skin can be stretched to maintain its supple feel. Once dry, we recommend giving it a brush to loosen up the fibres.

Follow our easy cleaning instructions and your sheepskin will last a lifetime!

 

Shop our Range of Baby Sheepskin Products

As specialists in sheepskin products, we provide a huge range of sheepskin pram liners and more. From booties to hats, we’ve got something that will make your little one feel comfortable and cosy. Contact our expert team today if you would like to find out more about our range.