Washing sheepskin with shampoo

Washing sheepskin with shampoo: why not?

Many people reach for hair shampoo when their sheepskin gets dirty. The result is often hard leather and dull wool. Here you will find out why shampoo is unsuitable and what to use instead.

Three reasons against shampoo

• No re-fatting: shampoo dissolves grease. Sheepskin, however, needs its lanolin, the natural wool grease that keeps leather and wool supple. Without lanolin the leather becomes dry and brittle.
• Wrong pH value: shampoo is formulated for the human scalp. Tanned leather reacts sensitively to it and can become porous.
• Residues: fragrances and conditioning agents remain in the fleece, attract dirt and can trigger allergies.

What works instead

• Fleece detergent with lanolin or a mild wool detergent without enzymes, bleach or softeners.
• Lukewarm water, no more than 30 degrees. Hot water makes the leather hard.
• Little moisture: dab stains with a damp cloth instead of soaking the whole fleece.
• Air-dry in the shade, never on a radiator, never in the tumble dryer, then brush up with the fleece brush.

Summary

Shampoo is made for hair, not for leather. With fleece detergent and a little patience your sheepskin stays soft and fluffy. You will find detailed instructions in our article Washing sheepskin.

What you need

• Fleece detergent with lanolin
• A soft fleece brush, included with every stool from us