Sheepskin Care

Most sheepskin products can be washed using a wool detergent which specifies is suitable for sheepskin or dry cleaned. The current and irrevocable trend in commercial cleaning is to eliminate the solvent cleaning process whenever possible. This is due to more stringent VOC emission control worldwide. If a number of sheepskin items can be laundered safely, this will help in reaching the emissions goal and provide an economic method for the operator to fulfill their customer’s needs. Most sheepskin products can be washed either by hand or in a domestic washing machine using Woolskin Sheepskin Shampoo, which provides considerable saving from expensive drycleaning.

Besides the economic and environmental advantages of washing, the items being washed will be sanitised if the sheepskin shampoo has antibacterial and disinfecting properties which is important for medical sheepskins & baby lambskins. Detergents containing enzymes, phosphates, peroxide, alkali or bleach can cause irreversible damage to the leather. Most woolwash contains water softening properties, mostly phosphates, which removes the metals from the water. Phosphates will therefore remove the tanning chemicals from the leather of the sheepskin resulting in permanent damage to the sheepskin. Only detergents which specify that they are suitable for sheepskin should be used.

The other causes of damage to sheepskin products are heat which causes shrinking, other than The Australian Medical Sheepskin tanned to AS4480.1 1998 and stamped Hi-Temp, and incorrect detergent which causes hardening of the leather

The estimated cost of dry cleaning a lambskin or medical rug is $15.00 whereas the cost of washing in Woolskin Sheepskin Shampoo would be 83 cents.

Drying: best results are achieved by drying in a domestic clothes dryer on LOW or WARM setting or drying out of direct sunlight. Drying in a WARM dryer results in the leather maintaining its softness through the gentle ‘milling’ much the same as in the tannery. When air drying, it is necessary to ‘flex’ the sheepskin to soften the leather.

Frequency:

Medical sheepskins should be washed a minimum of weekly using a detergent with antibacterial and disinfecting properties to prevent cross infection.
Baby lambskins should be washed regularly, much the same as other bedding to maintain a clean fresh environment for the child.
Car seat covers of good quality and manufacture should be washed a minimum of annually to maintain the benefit of the wool pile in maintaining comfort and life of the sheepskin.
Sheepskin clothing should be washed regularly, as with other garments, and the suede facing protected with a water & oil repellent spray which will aid future cleaning.
UGG boots, if well manufactured, may be washed by hand or on a gentle or wool cycle in a washing machine without damage. The antibacterial properties of the detergent will help prevent foot odour. The suede facing should be protected with a water & oil repellent spray which will aid future cleaning.