How To Clean A Sheepskin Rug To Prolong Its Use

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Sheepskin rugs elevate your space with a sense of rustic comfort and luxury, and they offer a subtle way to incorporate an animal theme in your home. Other than their looks, what sets sheepskin rugs apart is that the soft, plush wool of the rug is still naturally attached to the tanned hide underneath, not glued or sewn on. And before you get too worried about the sheep the rug came from, rest assured that while they're far from vegan interior design, these rugs can still be (relatively) ethically sourced — they come as a byproduct of sheep from the meat industry, so skin that would have otherwise been wasted now gets recycled into something useful.

A sheepskin rug can last up to 15 years or even longer if it's properly taken care of, and part of that care is giving it a good cleaning. How much and how often you should clean your rug depends on how much use it gets, but a more intense wash shouldn't happen as frequently. Wool-bearing animals' glands secrete an antibacterial self-cleaning wax called lanolin. If you wash the rug too often, you'll strip the lanolin from the fibers and lose the rug's natural defense against dust and dirt. For that reason, you'll need to approach cleaning your sheepskin rug in two ways to really make it last: regular surface-level maintenance cleanings and less frequent deeper cleanings.

The frequency of cleaning will depend on how much wear and tear your sheepskin rug gets — for example, a rug that gets walked on every day should be brushed out monthly, if not weekly. But if it's an accent piece that's more for looking at than touching, you can get away with only cleaning it periodically thanks to lanolin making it harder for dirt to stick. For regular cleaning, vacuum with a suction-only vacuum on a low setting so it doesn't harm the wool fibers; don't do this every day, since overly frequent vacuuming can also cause wool fiber damage. For bonus odor defense, sprinkle baking soda on your rug and leave it for an hour before vacuuming.

If you need to spot-clean dirt from the rug without doing a whole rug bath, dilute a no-rinse wool wash in a spray bottle, then spritz and carefully wipe in the direction of the wool growth only. For spot-cleaning stains, apply that same wool wash to a damp cloth instead of a spray, blot onto the stain, leave it for 10 to 20 minutes, then dab the stain gently in the direction of the wool growth. Use a careful touch, since scrubbing too hard and in the wrong direction can cause matting.

This type of deeper cleaning is only a once-a-year deal; maybe twice if your rug is visibly dirty. First, brush your sheepskin rug's wool out to loosen up any dust and dirt, and give it a good shake outside to remove the dust you unsettled. You want to remove as much dirt as possible before washing, so next comes a pre-wash vacuum. Use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner on a low setting, and if you have the option, use a wide spade attachment, since this allows the vacuum head to suck up more dry dust and dirt that didn't fully shake out.

Now, it's bath time. Fill a bath with cool water, and add a wool-safe shampoo, like this Outback Gold wool wash, using the amount specified by your shampoo's instructions. Avoid using any laundry additives, like scent boosters, since these can damage the rug's fibers. Let your rug soak for about 30 minutes, then empty the tub and rinse the rug with fresh water to make sure no soap residue is left behind. 

Wring the rug out, and let it air dry outdoors, but keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent fading. Brush the rug again to detangle the fibers. It may be tempting to tumble dry, but most sheepskin rugs are not dryer-safe as direct heat can shrink the rug's skin and make it brittle. Follow these steps to take care of your sheepskin, and your rug will last for years to come!