Step-by-step instructions on how to wash a sheep skin at home in a typewriter and by hand
Sheepskin is a natural and very warm material, which is represented by sheepskin and fur. It is used for sewing sheepskin coats, chair covers, rugs, car covers and more. It is pleasant to use such products, they give a feeling of coziness and comfort.
Like any other thing, sheepskin must be regularly cleaned of dust and dirt. But what to do when serious pollution appears on it? Can it be machine washed or hand washed?
How to properly care for a sheep's hide so that it does not felle and lose color, how to get rid of stains? Read about how to wash sheep skins at home in the article.
Content
Is it possible?
Sheepskin can be washed either by hand or in a typewriter. Before starting the procedure, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of caring for this fur product:
- To remove dust and debris, shake or beat the skin well.
- For better cleaning, the product is vacuum cleaned at a low power. You need to brush in the direction of hair growth.
- To give the coat an attractive appearance, it must be combed out with a brush.
- To get rid of stains, there is no need to wash the product completely. It is enough to treat the contaminated area.
You need to resort to machine and hand wash as needed, but not more than 1 time per month. Regular contact with water will make the skin rough and the fur tough.
Washing sheepskin in a washing machine
Machine wash removes stains, lightens the fur and makes it silky. To get this result, you need to follow 5 rules:
- Do not wash fur in hot water. Its maximum temperature is 40 degrees. If you process the product in boiling water, the wool will become felted.
- Before washing, the sheepskin must be cleaned of crumbs, dust must be knocked out.
- Do not use detergents containing chlorine or other aggressive components for washing. Preference should be given to gels and liquid powders.
- Calculate the weight of the product. If the item is large, consists of several skins, then it must be washed in a machine with a maximum load. When wet, the fur increases its mass by 3-4 times.
- Stubborn stains are a reason for pre-soaking.
The product is washed according to the following algorithm:
- Place the sheepskin in a laundry net. If you don't have one, you can use an old white pillowcase. This will help prevent the fur from rolling off.
- Pour detergent into the washing machine compartment or use gel capsules.
- Select a delicate wash cycle. You can install the wool program, or manually adjust the machine. The water temperature should be 30 degrees, and the number of revolutions should be 600 per minute.
- After finishing washing, remove the skin from the drum, shake it and place it on a flat surface to dry.
How to process manually?
The sheepskin can be washed by hand. If the product is small, use a basin. Bulky skins are soaked in the bathroom.
You need to wash and rinse the skin with water of the same temperature. Its drop will lead to the fact that the pile will get into a ball. It will be difficult to comb it.
Procedure:
- shake off dust and dirt from the product, check the pile for stuck debris;
- pour warm water into a suitable container;
- dissolve a liquid detergent or regular shampoo for shampooing in it;
- soak the skin for half an hour, periodically wrinkle it with your hands and heat it;
- after 30 minutes, the sheepskin is carefully washed, it cannot be rubbed or pulled by the fur;
- rinse the thing - the water is changed until it becomes transparent.
You cannot twist the skin. It is left in the bathroom until the water drains. To speed up this process, the product can be wrapped in a terry towel and gently wrinkled.
How to get rid of stains?
If spots appear on the sheep's skin or it turns yellow, they resort to using improvised means. They act carefully without harming the product. The fresher the stain, the easier it is to get rid of.
Yellowness
Hydrogen peroxide is used to whiten the wool. To prepare the solution you will need:
- 1 liter of water.
- 2 tbsp. l. peroxide.
If a small area has been treated, then wipe it with a damp, clean cloth.
Fat
Soda or talcum powder is used to remove greasy stains.
Procedure:
- Sprinkle the stain with soda, crush it with a paper napkin.
- Leave the agent to act for 4 hours.
- The wool is combed out with a brush or washed.
If the stain is old, then the recipe is strengthened with a small amount of dishwashing liquid. In this case, it will not be possible to do without washing.
Coffee and tea
Glycerin helps to remove stains from spilled tea or coffee.
Rules for its use:
- apply the product to the contaminated area;
- leave for 10 minutes;
- wash the item in warm water and shampoo, paying special attention to stains.
Salinity
With active use, the fur becomes salted in certain places. You can cope with the problem without washing the skin.
Procedure:
- Sprinkle salt over the greasy area.
- Spread it evenly over the skin.
- Leave the salt for 2 hours.
- Brush out the skin.
If the greasy shine has not been eliminated, use table vinegar diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio.
It is applied with a sponge or cotton pad... After 15 minutes, the skin is rinsed in warm water, dried and combed.
To give the sheepskin a beautiful shine, a few walnut kernels are crushed, wrapped in gauze and gently run along the wool, in the direction of its growth.
Wine
You can remove red wine stains from sheepskin with gasoline. To give it thickness and to enhance the effect, starch is used.
Procedure:
- the gruel is applied to the fur with a sponge;
- leave the product for 10 minutes;
- wipe it with a cloth dipped in clean warm water.
When removing a stain, you need to move in the direction of the pile.
How to soften the skin?
The hide can become tough after washing it improperly. A softening solution will help correct the situation.
To prepare it, you will need the following components:
- Baby cream - 1 tbsp. l.
- Glycerin - 1 tbsp. l.
- Glass of water.
The resulting composition is applied to the inside of the sheepskin and left for 30 minutes. When the mixture is absorbed, the flesh will become softer. Vaseline and animal fat have a similar effect.
Drying rules
It is necessary to dry the sheep skin correctly. Conditions to be met:
- The product is laid out only with the fur outside.
- Straighten the pile with your hands and slightly fluff it with your palms.
- The thing should not have creases and folds.
- During drying, the skin is periodically shaken and stretched slightly by hand so that it does not shrink in size.
- Sheepskin is not laid out on the radiator or next to the fireplace. Do not allow direct sunlight to fall on it.
- Hanging out wet skin is not recommended. It deforms under its own weight.
- During the drying process, the fur is combed with a brush to care for long-haired animals. Movements must be neat. If the wool has rolled, the bundle is taken apart by hand.
- Do not try to speed up the drying process with a hair dryer. Hot air degrades the quality of the coat, making the skin rough and tough.
When can you not do without dry cleaning?
Dust and fresh stains can be easily removed by yourself. If there is complex dirt on the wool, then it will not be possible to do without the help of professionals.
The longer the stain is on the product, the harder it is to remove.... Dry cleaning will help get rid of traces of blood, cosmetics, fuel oil and more. Cleaners will remove all dirt, wash the skin, dry it and comb it.
Before handing over a thing to dry cleaning, you need to clarify the cost of work and get a contract certified by seals. It must contain all the conditions under which the product is accepted as a laundress, as well as in what condition the item was received, what result should be expected.
You need to pay for the service only upon its provision. The average cost of dry-cleaning a 1 sq. m. is about 1800 rubles. The final price depends on the complexity of the work being done.
Important recommendations
Every owner of a sheep skin should take into account the following information:
- you need to wash the sheepskin in the machine separately from other things;
- do not dry the product in the bathroom;
- if the floor is heated, then the skin is not spread on it;
- do not use a wet product;
- it is forbidden to process the sheepskin with a washing vacuum cleaner.
Additionally, you can treat the wool with soda mixed with a small amount of essential oil. It is applied to the skin, left for a day, after which the fur is shaken off and combed out.
Related videos
How to clean car covers made of genuine sheepskin, video instruction:
Conclusion
It is not difficult to wash sheep skins on your own. This does not take much time and effort. Both hand and machine wash acceptable.
If carried out correctly, the sheepskin will warm its owner for many years.... In difficult cases, you cannot do without the help of dry cleaning.