How To Clean & Care For Your Horse Rugs

Horse rugs aren’t cheap. You will want to do everything you can to ensure that they last you a long time and remain in good condition. Cleaning horse rugs is a necessity. It is also worth bearing in mind that a tatty or damaged rug will fail to serve its purpose effectively.
Taking care of your equipment is important. You will save money in the long run, but it is also important for your horse. A dirty or broken rug will not be comfortable. Here at Equine Superstore we sell a wide variety of horse rugs. So, we thought that we would offer you some useful tips and advice to help you maintain your rug.

Professional cleaners

One option is to send them off to a professional cleaners. A professional will be able to use their knowledge and expertise to ensure that your rug gets the proper cleaning and treatment that it requires. This is also useful if you own a larger rug, as these can, at times be tricky to clean yourself. Another bonus of a professional is that they will often carry out some minor repair work for you. If required, they may also re-proof them.

Cleaning horse rugs

If you don’t want to send your rug off to the cleaners, then you can always clean it yourself. Some of the smaller, more lightweight rugs will be machine washable. However ensure that you read the washing instructions closely, so you don’t damage the rug during the cleaning process. Larger rugs, which won’t fit in your machine, should be washed by hand. Simply follow these instructions closely and all will be fine.

1. Lay the rug over a fence so you have easy access to all of it. Then, using a hard bristled brush, you should remove all of the dirt, grass and any other debris from the rug.
2. You should then turn the rug inside out and lay it back over the fence and repeat the process to remove all of the sweat and hair.
3. Get a large bin and fill it with hot water and some non-bio soap. You should also add some non detergent soap. Detergents can end up hardening the proofing layer, which can cause it to peel off. You will then want to drop the entire rug into the bin. Use a clean broom to mix it around and beat it. Once you have done this you will want to leave it to soak.
4. Once the rug has soaked, you will want to remove it from the bin and lay it out on the floor. Once you have it flat, you should scrub it with a hard bristled brush or broom. This will remove any lasting stains.
5. When it comes to all of the straps and removable elements of your rug, you should remove them and place them in a special wash bag or a pillowcase. You can then wash them in the washing machine. You can always add some detergent to the wash to kill off bacteria and reduce odours.
6. Once you have washed your rugs, you should hang them up on a strong washing line or over a fence. You can hang them up using the breast straps over a pole. However, you must ensure that they are hung high enough so that they aren’t touching the floor.
7. You should always make sure that the rug is completely dry before you take it off its hanger. This is even more necessary if you are going to be storing the rug for a prolonged period.

There are a number of products out there that you can use to help maintain your rugs. Here are a couple…

Rambo Stormsure

Rambo Stormsure is a useful product that you are able to use yourself to help fix and maintain your horse rugs. It is used to contain and waterproof any nicks and holes that may appear on your rug. With this, you will be able to preserve the life of your rugs for a long time.

Rambo Rug Wash

This is an easy to use, vegetable-based soap cleaner that can be used for all animal coats and rugs. It is the safest way to thoroughly clean and revitalise the insulation. It also maintains the waterproofing abilities and the breathability of your horse’s rug. The Rambo Rug Wash is specially formulated to clean horse rugs constructed of synthetics, canvas, cotton, polyester, poly cotton, acrylic or denim.

To check out all of the horse rugs available on Equine Superstore, click here.