How to Clean Sheepskin Rug

Sheepskin rugs are a great addition to any home decor. Their silky and luxurious appearance takes your interior design game to a whole new level. Sheepskin rugs are also durable, warm, and a lot easier to maintain than you might think. However, improper cleaning might damage your rug’s backing. No matter where you decide to place your rug, it will still need regular maintenance to keep it clean, soft, and fluffy. 

Start by giving your sheepskin rug a hard shake to remove dirt that has accumulated.  After shaking off the dirt, vacuum your sheepskin rug. If you have lingering odors after vacuuming, sprinkle some baking soda and vacuum again.  Avoid using all-purpose detergent because this tends to damage most sheepskin rugs.

There are many ways to clean your sheepskin rug, but nothing is as effective as vacuuming. Regularly vacuuming your sheepskin rug is the best way to keep it clean; pair it with an occasional shake and air drying, and your rug will be in top shape. Vacuuming is pretty simple, all you need to do is;

• Turn the vacuum on and then slowly move it forward and backward, focusing more on areas that have crumbs or other particles.
• Shake your rug out to get rid of the remaining particles.
• Leave the rug out to air dry but keep it as far away from direct sunlight as possible.

Be sure to use plain suction as other more intense settings might cause serious damage.

This method is mostly used to remove strong odors from your rug. To do this;

• First, apply a generous amount of dry baking soda to the rug. 
• Massage the baking soda into the rug’s fibers with your hands. Alternatively, you can use a comb to help the baking soda get into the rug.
• Leave the baking soda on the rug overnight and then shake it off the next morning.
• Vacuum the rug to get rid of excess baking soda and then comb to detangle and raise its fibers.

Wool wash or wool shampoo is specifically designed to clean your sheepskin rug. It can clean various stains, including mud stains, food stains, and even wine stains. Wine stains and other acidic stains are difficult to remove because they go deeper into the fibers of the sheepskin and dye it. To use this method;

• Create a mixture of warm water and wool shampoo.
• Dip a piece of colorfast cloth into the mixture and then gently dab the stain(s) on the rug.
• Let the shampoo mixture sit on the stain for about 15 minutes, and then continue using the cloth to blot out the stain. Be sure to move to a clean part of the cloth as you clean.
• After removing the stain, dip another colorfast cloth in a bowl of pure water and smudge the area to remove any leftover soap. 
• Air-dry the rug and then pass a comb through it to raise and untangle its fibers.

For mud stains, it is better to wait till it has dried, then vacuum it and shake it off before you start washing it with wool shampoo.

Cornstarch helps to remove oily stains (such as eyeliner stains) by absorbing the oil or grease on the sheepskin rug. For this technique, you will need to;

• Wet the oil stain with a white cloth and some water.
• Sprinkle a good amount of cornstarch on the stained area.
• Leave the cornstarch on the rug for some time, and then vacuum the leftover starch. 

If you don’t have a vacuum, you can brush the rug instead.

Generally, you will want to avoid using any bleach on your sheepskin rug. However, a very weak solution of hydrogen peroxide and water should be able to clean your rug without damaging it. This solution can only be used to remove light stains on a white sheepskin rug. 

How your rug reacts to being thrown in the washing machine varies depending on several factors, including the soap used to wash it, the tanning method used, and its age. Machine washing an old sheepskin rug might cause it to disintegrate. 

In some other cases, the rug might come out of the machine a lot harder than it went in, and you might never be able to get that soft wool texture ever again. If you decide to take the risk, avoid machine washing a stained rug because the stain will hardly come out. If your sheepskin rug comes with a tag, I suggest you read its washing instructions

Remember to select the wool setting on your washing machine and use a bit of mild detergent and wool shampoo. Place your rug inside and choose the slowest spin level to avoid damaging the sheepskin. Air-dry the rug away from the sun; don’t tumble dry the sheepskin rug.

The steps to maintaining a faux sheepskin rug are not entirely different from a natural sheepskin rug. You generally want to use the same tips as cleaning a faux fur rug.  You can hand-wash it with gentle detergent. Regularly brush the fibers of the faux rug to maintain it. 

Both natural and faux sheepskin rugs should be air-dried and not placed in the sun or machine dryers. The UV rays from the sun are too intense for the sheepskin and might damage the rug’s skin backing or cause it to lose color.

• To clean your faux sheepskin rug, you could also try creating a cleaning solution of warm water and a hair conditioner. 
• Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and then sprinkle it on the rug. 
• Slowly and gently detangle the fur with a comb. If you are doing it right, your rug should not shed any fibers.  
• Use a cloth to clean the rug and then leave it to air dry.

A sheepskin rug is a beautiful statement piece that improves the decor of any room, and as such, it should be treated with care. Remember to study the care label of the sheepskin rug so that you can know what is good for it and what isn’t. If you’re good with your rug, it will remain soft, fluffy, and lush.