How do you clean a sheepskin? Step-by-step guide

Short answer: in most cases you clean a sheepskin without water: beat, air, brush and dab stains with a mild wool detergent. Hand-washing in cold water is a last resort, because water and soap attack the lanolin and can harden the leather. Patchwork rugs are never washed; for those, contact Monroe Life.

Step 1 — Daily and weekly care

• Beating and airing: the most effective way to remove dust, hair and odours. Wool releases absorbed moisture and odour in fresh, dry air.
• Brushing: comb the fleece weekly with a metal dog comb or sheepskin brush, in the direction of the hair. This prevents matting and keeps the volume.

Step 2 — Removing stains

1. React immediately: the fresher the stain, the easier.
2. Dab with a clean, slightly damp cloth. Do not rub.
3. For grease or colourants: a drop of mild wool detergent (with lanolin) on the cloth, tested first on an inconspicuous spot. Choose a wool detergent with lanolin and without enzymes or bleach: enzymes break down protein, and wool is protein.
4. Dab with clean water, let dry, then comb up.

Step 3 — Hand-washing: only if you really must

Water and soap rinse away part of the natural lanolin. The result: a fleece that becomes less soft and a leather back that feels harder and stiffer, sometimes permanently. So only wash an individual skin that really cannot be cleaned any other way — and never a patchwork rug. If it has to be done:

1. Cold water (max. 30 °C) and a wool detergent; do not soak.
2. Move gently through the water, don’t wring or squeeze.
3. Rinse thoroughly with cold water until all soap is gone.

Step 4 — Drying

Roll the skin in a large towel and press the water out. Then lay it flat on a dry towel, fleece up, and let it air-dry — never in the sun, on a radiator or in the tumble dryer. Gently stretch the leather into shape while it is still damp and comb the fleece up when it is almost dry.

Better not

• No washing machine, tumble dryer or steam cleaner.
• No bleach, solvents or all-purpose cleaners.
• No rotating vacuum brush.

Why wool needs so little washing

Wool fibres have a scaly structure and a thin layer of lanolin that keeps dirt on the surface. Research by AgResearch also shows that wool binds odours and volatile compounds rather than releasing them, and that the effect lasts for years. An aired rug is therefore cleaner than it looks.

Frequently asked questions

Can I wash a sheepskin in the washing machine?

We advise against it. Some individual, chrome-free tanned skins tolerate a wool cycle at 30 °C, but the leather often hardens. A patchwork rug: never.

How do I get a yellowed white sheepskin white again?

Slight yellowing is natural (sunlight, lanolin). Airing in the shade and dabbing with a wool detergent help; bleaching damages the fibre. Ask us for advice before trying anything.

What do I do about pet urine or vomit?

Dab immediately with cold water and a mild wool detergent, then let it dry well and air it. For a patchwork rug: send us a photo and we’ll see whether a local treatment in the workshop is needed.

Does Monroe Life help with cleaning?

Yes. Send a photo via WhatsApp (+32 474 73 66 33); we give free advice and repair if necessary in our workshop.

Still unsure? Send a photo of your room via WhatsApp and within a day you get a free trial image of the rug in your own interior, no strings attached. Or come and feel it in the shop, Dumortierlaan 115, Knokke. See the rugs · Size guide · Rug Studio