How to keep your horse blankets clean(ish) this winter!
You always have the option of laundering your horse’s blankets in the winter! But it can be a pain, especially if the only laundromat that allows blankets is on the other side of town. Or you can’t spare any blankets until you have a freakishly warm day. You CAN, however, do a little bit every day to keep things cleaner in between washings.
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- You absolutely can’t go wrong with owning a super stiff grooming brush. SUPER. Use daily on blankets to get rid of dust, dirt, caked-on things. It’s best if any mud has dried, otherwise, you just smear things around.
- You can remove leg straps if they get poopy. Which they will. I like to soak and rinse. Borrow clean leg straps from another blanket or your spare pile in the meantime.
- For belly straps, these are generally attached to the blanket. Sometimes they are in the field, hiding with a tossed horseshoe or something. Spot clean parts of your horse’s blanket with soapy water, rinse as best you can. I find these get straps get super stinky, so regular attention is key here.
Before
After
- Pay attention to the underside of the blanket – the part touching your horse. Try to blanket a horse that’s spotless, stain-free, odor-free, and this will help keep the insides of your blankets clean. Pro Tip – use a thin cotton sheet as a blanket liner. These are easy to clean.
- You can also take that same stiff brush to the inside of the blankets. You might be able to spot clean here with water.
You can also undo any poopy leg straps for cleaning.
- If you layer blankets, chances are that the inside of one is going to rest on the dirty outside of another and then eventually be against your horse’s coat. If you use a super thin blanket as a base layer for all other blankets, this is not an issue. And, thin base layers are easy to wash and dry.
- You could also use a nylon underwear set, but be sure any parts that stick out (neck, face) will never have the chance to get wet. You can find these nylon undies in neckless versions. I also love these because they help ward off blanket rubs.
No stacking dirty blankets over clean ones!
- Don’t stash dirty blankets around clean ones! I have been at barns where blankets are stacked on each other, which just spreads the dirt love around. Now I hang my blankets, with plenty of room between them.
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This sheepskin care liquid is great for horse products and sheepskin horse accessories.
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