Caring for a Sheepskin Rug

How to take care of a sheepskin rug, so it takes care of itself.
A little known, best-kept secret: Sheepskin rugs are naturally self-cleaning!
Here’s what that actually means and how they’re truly easy to maintain…

No, wool fairies do not exist, but wool magic is very real.
And by magic, we mean wool's unique ability to kill bacteria, microbes, fungus, odour, mold, mildew, and dust mites all on its own, keeping it safe and hygienic even without your loving care. Another reason that makes our real sheepskin rugs easy to maintain is that a lanolin coating creates a barrier that keeps dirt and liquids at a surface level so it can easily be shaken off or soaked up with a dry cloth without being absorbed into the wool or causing damage.



B A S I C C A R E G U I D E

1. Shake it Out

Shaking it out for a good 10 seconds once a week or every other week, is the best way to get any loose dirt or buildup off, and to give the curls a little bit of their bounce back. This ensures that the dirt doesn’t get pushed down into the fibers of the rug and have a chance to build up.

2. Wash as Little as Possible

Do NOT throw it in the washing machine! Ever! Please!
Sheepskins are made of two things that are very different but naturally fused together: wool and leather. Wool and leather do not have the same ability to take heat, water, and friction, or the same rate of flexibility in drying. This means that the wool side of your rug will remain wet for longer while the leather side will dry faster, which can cause the leather to pull away, cracking or disintegrating and permanently ruining your rug.
As a matter of fact, good maintenance for sheepskins is surprisingly to wash it as little as possible! If for some reason, an entire pot of chili gets turned upside down right on your sheepskin rug, this is a time to throw it in a bathtub and go ahead and wash the whole thing. For most occasions though, spot cleaning is exponentially quicker, easier, and a lot better for your rug.

3. Place in Low Traffic Areas

These rugs are meant to be used, sat on, walked over, and their presence is meant to be seen and felt. We hope they are as decorative and beautiful as they are useful and practical at keeping you, your people, and your home, warm and cozy. However, in the same way you might not want to wear your favorite slippers to go hiking, you might not want to use these rugs absolutely anywhere.
Great places for it include putting it next to beds, on chairs and couches, in front of fireplaces, kid’s play areas, or even just a spot you like to lay on the floor. It probably will not be living it’s best life soaking up muddy boots at the door, getting its fill of food in the kitchen, or soaking up excess moisture in the bathroom. It is up to you how you want to use it, but the more wear and tear it gets, the more likely it is to start losing its luster. That doesn’t mean it’ll fall apart, these sheepskins are incredibly durable at their core, it just means that they may need a lot more TLC along the way.

4. Keep Away from Excess Moisture

First, real sheepskins really are biodegradable, and one of the primary things nature uses to break things down is water. Wool is wonderful at moisture wicking and can absorb up to 33% of its weight in water without feeling wet… So when it does feel wet, that means there’s more water than it can handle, which is saying a lot. Excess water to the point where it’s regularly drenched or soaked can wash away the natural lanolin, and slowly degrade the fibers in the leather that holds it together.

Today's society can label sheepskin rugs as “high maintenance” simply because they can't be thrown in a washing machine. In reality, they are so low maintenance and simple to care for that people had them for hundreds and actual thousands of years before washing machines were ever invented. This is partly because even in simpler times they could keep them clean and hygienic with minimal effort, which contributed to their reputation for incredible durability.

In this day and age we tend to use washing machines for just about everything, along with an array of bleaches, fabric softeners, and laundry detergent. To say that you can’t use any of these typical methods to clean a sheepskin can make it sound like it’s a high maintenance piece, when the truth is, if you do the basics to maintain it, you don’t even need to do any of these things including washing it. Sheepskins last longer and maintain more of their natural properties the less they are washed or fully soaked! With minimal care, they can add beauty and comfort, without almost any hassle or upkeep.