With winters soon to be upon us, it is almost time to take our blankets and winter clothing out. The idea of feeling warm and cosy under a blanket appeals everyone. And when we say everyone, we mean everyone from your family members to your pets. The population of people who own a horse in Australia or UK is ever-increasing.
The perception that horses are only to be owned by the elitist is finally becoming a myth. However, there is some truth to it. Owning a horse doesn’t only denote making it your pet, it means that you will have to provide for its food, shelter, gear and more.
If we only talk about equine rugs for a moment here, we know that they aren’t cheap. This means that they can’t be replaced every now and then with a new one. Therefore, it is important that it is kept in the best condition possible to ensure its durability over time.
A rug with holes in it or one that has been tattered from ends doesn’t serve the purpose does it? Taking care will not only increases its lifespan but also becomes more comfortable and calming for your horse. Comfort and wellbeing should be the prime concern.
Since not everyone can afford to get their rugs professionally cleaned, we thought of taking our readers through a step-by-step guide journey of how to clean them at home.
Before we begin, there is something important that you must know. There is nothing worse that you can do to your rug than clean it with plain soap, clothing detergent or cold water. Doing so will damage its fabrics and wear it out in no time. What you need are synthetic germ-free mild rug cleaners such as:
Rug Clean by Stable Zone
Rambo Rug Wash by Horseware Ireland
Rambo Conditioner by Horseware Ireland
All of these are super-effective in giving your rugs a thorough cleaning without damaging its fabric. Once you have chosen any of these germ-free synthetic rug cleaner, it is time we learn how to actually get down to cleaning. Without further ado, let’s begin!
A Step By Step Guide to Washing the Rug
- Start with laying the rug over a fence. Bang it using a bat or a stick to get most of the dirt out. An old dandy brush can also be used to beat the dirt out of the rug.
- Ensure both sides of the rug are beaten so that no hair or sweat residue remains.
- In a large bucket, mix together lukewarm water and rug cleaning agent.
- Place the rug in the water and use a clean broom to beat dirt out of it.
- After giving it a thorough cleaning, leave it in the bubbly water for 15 minutes.
- Next, take it out of the water and scrub it using a hard-bristled brush.
- Next, place the rug in the washing machine and run it as per the instructions by the =rug manufacturer. You can also add some disinfectant to reduce odour and kill bacteria.
- Once the rug is cleaned, hang to over a fence or strong washing line in the sun.
- Leave it overnight to dry.
It should be ready to be used again.
