How to Clean a Sheepskin Rug: Methods That Preserve the Pelt

The wrong cleaning method ruins a sheepskin rug in a single afternoon. Hot water shrinks the leather backing. Detergent strips the lanolin that keeps wool soft. Tumble drying matts the fibers permanently. After working through dozens of sheepskins, including my grandmother’s 1960s Icelandic that still looks new, I learned how to clean a sheepskin rug the way the original tanners intended. The process takes time but every step matters, and skipping any one of them is what destroys the rug.

Understanding What You Are Cleaning

Sheepskin is leather (the hide) with the wool still attached. Both materials need different care, often opposite care. The leather wants to stay supple and never gets too wet. The wool wants regular brushing and benefits from cool washing. Conventional rug cleaners are formulated for synthetic carpets and damage both layers.

Before any cleaning, identify what you have. Most modern sheepskins are New Zealand or Australian merino, which are larger and softer. Icelandic sheepskins have longer guard hairs over a denser undercoat. Both clean similarly, but Icelandics need more brushing to maintain their shaggy character.

Daily and Weekly Maintenance

The best way to clean a sheepskin rug is to clean it less often by maintaining it properly between deep cleans. Daily and weekly habits:

• Shake outside weekly to remove loose debris
• Brush with a wire wool brush (not a regular hairbrush)
• Vacuum with a hand-held tool, no rotating beater bar
• Spot clean spills immediately with cool water
• Rotate position to even out fiber wear

The wire wool brush is critical. Sheepskin specialty brushes have round-tipped wire bristles that lift fibers without damaging the leather backing. Brushes from Bowron, Auskin, or generic “carding” brushes from spinning supply shops all work. Avoid stiff plastic bristles that snag and tear fibers.

Spot Cleaning Fresh Spills

Most household spills clean off without a full wash if you address them within 30 minutes. The technique:

1. Blot, never rub. Use a white cloth or paper towel
2. Press from the outside of the spill toward the center
3. Apply cool water with a damp cloth, working in small areas
4. For oily stains, use a tiny amount of mild dish soap
5. Rinse the soap with damp cloths until no foam appears
6. Press dry with towels, then air dry away from heat

For wine, coffee, and pet stains, white vinegar diluted 1:3 with water works as a rinse step before rinsing with plain water. Avoid colored cleaning products that can transfer dye. Avoid heat at every stage. Hair dryers and radiators damage leather backings.

Full Hand Washing for Heavy Soiling

When spot cleaning is not enough, hand washing in a bathtub handles a deep clean. The water must stay cool, never above 90°F. Hot water shrinks the leather backing and can render the rug 30 percent smaller permanently.

Use a wool-specific detergent like Eucalan, Woolite Delicates, or The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo. These formulas contain lanolin to replace what cleaning strips. Avoid regular laundry detergent, which contains alkaline cleaners that strip lanolin and damage wool fiber structure.

1. Fill bathtub with cool water, add 1 capful of wool detergent
2. Submerge the rug, swish gently for 5 minutes
3. Let soak for 15 to 30 minutes depending on soiling
4. Drain and refill with clean cool water
5. Rinse by gentle swishing, drain, repeat 2 to 3 times
6. Press water out gently, do not wring

Pressing water out is the most physical part. Roll the wet rug in dry towels and press with body weight to absorb water. Replace towels as they saturate. Two or three rounds of toweling removes most of the excess water.

Drying Without Damage

This is where most sheepskins die. Direct sunlight, dryers, and heat sources all destroy the leather backing. Proper drying takes 1 to 3 days depending on the rug size and humidity.

Lay the rug flat, wool side up, on a clean towel or drying rack with airflow underneath. Reshape gently to original dimensions before it dries. The leather backing tends to curl as it dries, and stretching back into shape later is much harder than maintaining shape during drying.

While the wool is still slightly damp, brush gently with the wire wool brush in long strokes. This separates fibers and prevents matting. Once fully dry, brush again more vigorously to restore the fluffy texture.

What Damages Sheepskin Permanently

Avoid these common mistakes that ruin the rug beyond saving:

• Machine washing (especially front-load with high spin)
• Tumble drying at any temperature
• Direct sunlight while drying or storing
• Wringing out water
• Hot water at any stage
• Bleach, oxygen cleaners, or enzyme cleaners
• Steam cleaning
• Stiff brushes or beater-bar vacuums

Some manufacturers (Auskin in particular) sell sheepskins labeled machine-washable. Even these benefit from hand washing. The “machine washable” claim refers to surviving the cycle, not maintaining premium appearance afterward.

Tackling Specific Stain Types

Different stains need different approaches. The general rules:

1. Urine: blot, then rinse with diluted white vinegar (1:3), then plain water
2. Vomit: scrape solids, rinse with cool water, then mild detergent
3. Blood: cool water only, never warm, treat immediately
4. Grease or oil: cornstarch absorbs first, then mild dish soap
5. Mud: dry completely, brush out, then spot clean residue
6. Ink: dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball, very minimal

For pet accidents, enzyme-based cleaners formulated for wool exist (Auskin Sheepskin Cleaner, Bowron Wash) and outperform improvised solutions for breaking down odor-causing compounds.

Storing Between Uses

If you rotate your rug seasonally, store it properly to extend its life. Roll loosely with the wool side in, secure with a fabric strip (not rubber bands), and store in a breathable cotton bag or pillowcase. Plastic bags trap moisture and grow mold.

Keep in a cool, dry, dark location. Cedar blocks help repel moths, which can devour wool fibers in storage. Vacuum-seal storage damages the wool fiber structure permanently. Once a year, even in storage, unroll and brush to maintain pliability.

When to Pay for Professional Cleaning

Some situations call for professional help. Heavy oil stains, mildew that has set in, large rugs over 5 by 8 feet, or vintage and heirloom pieces all benefit from a specialist. Look for cleaners specifically experienced with sheepskin or sheep pelts. Generic carpet cleaning services rarely have the right equipment or knowledge.

Professional cleaning runs $40 to $150 depending on size. Compared to replacing a quality sheepskin ($150 to $800), it is cheap insurance against ruining one in the bathtub. Ask the cleaner specifically about their sheepskin process before handing it over. Anyone who says they will steam clean it should not get your rug.