How to Clean Sheepskin Fleece

Genuine sheepskin fleece products, such as saddle pads and girth covers, are investments in your horse’s comfort. Here’s how to prolong the life of these items and maintain the luxurious, natural benefits genuine fleece provides your horse.

Cleaning sheepskin fleece briefly after each ride will help extend its life. Separate your fleece saddle pad from your saddle or your cover from your girth. Shake out the item and brush it to remove dirt and fluff up moist fibers. Some people favor using a stiff dandy brush, while others restore loft using a fine-tined cat or dog grooming brush.

After cleaning sheepskin fleece articles, hang any damp items to dry in a location out of direct sunlight and away from artificial heat sources. You can even lay them on your covered saddle on its rack, fleece side up.

Wash your genuine fleece items only when necessary and only with a gentle cleanser intended for the purpose, such as Mattes Liquid Melp Sheepskin Cleaner. Machine wash in cold water on the gentle cycle and hang to dry in a shaded, well-ventilated area. Heat sources such as sunlight or radiators will dry out and stiffen the leather backing and cause shrinkage.

Sheepskin Fleece Do's & Don'ts

• Do wash genuine fleece in cold water.

• Do use a stiff brush to keep your pad clean and fluffy between washings.

• Do allow genuine fleece to dry naturally, out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.

• Don’t wash genuine fleece in conventional laundry detergent.

• Don’t put genuine fleece in your clothes dryer.

• Don’t store a damp fleece saddle pad under your saddle between rides.