The safest way to clean a sheepskin rug is to keep water away from it for as long as you can: shake it, brush it, vacuum it on suction only and spot clean spills the day they happen. For spills, mix a little Woolskin concentrate into cool water. A full wash is only for a rug whose label or leather stamp says it is washable, because many decorative sheepskin rugs are tanned in a way that turns the leather hard and shrinks it the first time it gets soaked. Down-Under Wool has cared for sheepskins since 1988, and the routine below is the one we give our own customers. Done once or twice a week in a busy room, it keeps most rugs clean enough that they rarely need a wash at all.
Can you wash a sheepskin rug?
You can wash a sheepskin rug only if it was tanned to be washable, so check the label or the stamp on the leather backing first. If there is neither, treat the rug as dry clean only and stick to the dry and spot cleaning steps below. Whether a sheepskin survives water depends on how the hide was tanned, not on the wool: sheep don't shrink in the rain. Shrinking, felting and hard leather come from hot water, agitation, the wrong detergent or a tanning method that was never meant for washing.
Use the label to decide how far you can go:
| Your rug | Dry clean at home | Spot clean | Full wash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decorative sheepskin rug, no tag or stamp | yes | yes, lightly | no; use a specialist cleaner |
| Rug labeled washable | yes | yes | hand wash in cool or lukewarm water; machine only if the label allows |
| Washable lambskin, e.g. our Healthcare Lambskin (M101) | yes | yes | cool or lukewarm water, low agitation; hot water may shrink it |
| HiTemp UR medical sheepskin, e.g. M102C | yes | yes | machine wash, up to 80°C (175°F) |
| Faux sheepskin (fabric backing) | yes | yes | follow the label |
Not sure whether your rug is real? Part the wool: real sheepskin shows leather at the base of the fibers, faux sheepskin shows a fabric grid. Our guide to the types of sheepskin explains the difference.
What you need
- A sheepskin wash. We use Woolskin, a concentrated sheepskin and wool detergent and conditioner developed by the Australian tanning industry. It contains no enzymes, phosphates, peroxide, alkali or bleach, the ingredients that can damage sheepskin leather for good.
- Not a household or ordinary wool detergent. Laundry detergents and wool washes such as Woolite are not recommended for sheepskin.
- A wool comb or sheepskin brush to lift the pile.
- A vacuum you can use on suction only, with the rotating brush switched off.
- Clean white cloths, cool water, baking soda and cornstarch for spot cleaning and freshening.
How to clean a sheepskin rug without washing it
Most of the cleaning a sheepskin rug needs is dry. The lanolin in the wool coats the fibers, so dust and dirt sit near the surface and come out with a shake and a brush.
- Shake it outdoors to remove loose dirt, crumbs and dust.
- Brush it. Lay the rug wool side up and brush with a wool comb or sheepskin brush in short strokes, working in sections from the tips of the wool toward the base. This loosens trapped dirt and stops the fibers matting.
- Vacuum on suction only. Rotating brushes and beater bars grab the wool and pull it out over time. Use a handheld vacuum or a hose attachment and go with the direction of the wool.
- Freshen it with baking soda. Sprinkle it over the wool, work it in with your fingers, leave it at least two hours (overnight is better), then shake it out or vacuum it and brush again.
In a room with daily foot traffic, do this once or twice a week. The same routine suits a sheepskin throw on a sofa or chair.
How to spot clean a sheepskin rug
Spot cleaning works best straight away, before a spill soaks down to the leather. Acidic spills such as food, urine or vomit can soak into the pile and change its color.
- Lift solids with a spoon, then blot liquid with a dry cloth or paper towels. Press, don't rub.
- For grease or oil, sprinkle cornstarch over the spot, leave it a few hours to soak up the oil, then brush it out.
- Mix a little Woolskin into cool water. Dampen a cloth, wring it well and dab the stain, working from the outside in so it doesn't spread.
- Wipe with a clean cloth dampened in plain water to remove the detergent, then blot as dry as you can.
- Let the spot dry naturally, away from heat, and brush the wool once it is dry.
Keep the backing as dry as possible, especially on a suede-backed rug. A stain that has reached the leather needs a full wash (washable rugs only) or a specialist cleaner.
How to wash a washable sheepskin rug by hand
Hand washing is the gentlest way to wash a sheepskin rug that is labeled washable. Use these steps from our washing and drying sheepskin instructions:
- Fill a tub or bath with lukewarm water first, then add Woolskin: about 20 mL per pound of sheepskin.
- Put the rug in and work the solution through the wool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Squeeze it by hand until it is clean. Never twist or wring it.
- Rinse in cold water until the water runs clear. A second rinse is best, because detergent left in the wool makes it stiff.
- Remove excess water on your washing machine's spin cycle, or press the rug flat between towels if it is too big.
Only put a rug in the washing machine if its label says machine washable, and then use the gentle or wool cycle, cold or warm water, and double rinse. Never use hot water unless the label says HiTemp. Our full guide on how to wash sheepskin covers machine amounts and the hot wash for HiTemp UR medical sheepskins.
How to dry a sheepskin rug
Dry a sheepskin rug slowly, lying flat or over a drying rack with the leather side up, away from direct heat and direct sunlight. The leather takes longer to dry than the wool, so allow a day or more, depending on the size of the rug and the room.
- Don't put a decorative rug in the dryer. Only a sheepskin whose label allows it can go in, on no heat or low heat using the fluff or gentle cycle, and it should come out while still slightly damp to finish drying flat.
- Never dry it on a radiator, in front of a heater or in hot sun. Excess heat damages both the wool and the leather.
- Brush the wool gently once it is completely dry, then store the rug only when fully dry, in a cool place and a breathable cotton cover rather than plastic.
How to make a sheepskin rug soft and fluffy again
A sheepskin rug gets its softness back with brushing once it is completely dry. Brush in small sections, from the tips of the wool toward the base, and hold the base of each section so you don't pull fibers out.
If the leather side came out hard or the wool feels harsh, the usual causes are water that was too hot, too much agitation, the wrong detergent or detergent left in after rinsing. A hide that was never tanned for washing can't be made washable. For a washable rug, washing again in Woolskin and rinsing twice is the best fix we know, because Woolskin conditions the leather to keep it soft and supple as it cleans.
Matting is easier to prevent than to fix. Brushing loosens surface matting, but wool that has felted, with the fibers locked tightly together by heat and agitation, usually can't be brushed back to its original pile.
When to use a professional cleaner
Use a professional cleaner when the rug has no washing label, is too large to handle at home, is stained through to the leather, still smells after spot cleaning, or the leather has already gone stiff. Look for a cleaner who handles sheepskin or leather, and ask how they clean it: a regular carpet cleaner's hot water, steam or shampooing machine can shrink and harden sheepskin leather.
Sheepskin rug cleaning FAQs
Can you wash a sheepskin rug in the washing machine?
Only if the label says it is machine washable: gentle or wool cycle, cold or warm water, a sheepskin wash, double rinse. A rug with no label should not go in the machine.
Can you put a sheepskin rug in the dryer?
No, unless the label allows it, and then only on no heat or low heat, taken out while still slightly damp. Everything else should dry flat, away from heat.
How do you get urine out of a sheepskin rug?
Blot it up as fast as you can, then spot clean with Woolskin in cool water, which also disinfects. If the urine has soaked through to the leather or the smell stays, wash the whole rug if it is washable, or take it to a specialist cleaner. For pets or a person who has accidents, a urine-resistant HiTemp UR sheepskin or one of our urine-resistant wool pads is a better choice.
How do you fix a matted sheepskin rug?
Brush it gently in small sections with a wool comb, from the tips down to the base. Surface matting brushes out; felted wool usually can't be fully restored.
Can a sheepskin rug be dry cleaned?
Yes, by a cleaner who handles sheepskin or leather. Dry cleaning is the right choice for a rug with no washing label or a stain you can't spot clean.
How often should you clean a sheepskin rug?
Shake and brush it once or twice a week in a busy room, and spot clean spills straight away. A full wash or professional clean is only needed once or twice a year, or when the rug smells.
How do you clean a lambskin rug?
The same way as a sheepskin rug, because a lambskin is sheepskin from a young sheep. Check the label, keep to dry and spot cleaning unless it is washable, and wash a washable lambskin in cool or lukewarm water only.
The short version
Check the label first. Shake, brush and vacuum the rug on suction only, freshen it with baking soda and spot clean spills straight away with a little Woolskin in cool water. Only wash a rug labeled washable, in lukewarm water with a sheepskin wash, rinse twice and dry it flat away from heat; everything else goes to a specialist cleaner. For slippers, see how to clean sheepskin slippers.
If you need a sheepskin for a bed or a chair that can be washed often, a decorative rug is the wrong choice: it is not tanned or tested for that. Our machine-washable medical sheepskins are made to the Australian standard AS4480.1, and HiTemp UR skins can be washed at up to 80°C (175°F), which disinfects them. Read more about medical sheepskin, or browse our lambskin bedding.
