How do I keep my lambskin soft?

A genuine lambskin rug is a natural product that is almost self-cleaning and therefore requires minimal care. Regardless of whether your lambskin comes from New Zealand, Iceland, or Tibet, the natural lanolin, a fatty substance present in the wool, helps keep the lambskin clean. The most important care tip is therefore to regularly shake out the rug to keep it loose and fresh. Nevertheless, the hairs of a lambskin can become matted or tangled over time.

So what do you do then? Below you will find the most important care tips to make your lambskin soft again so you can enjoy it for a long time.

How do I make my lambskin soft again?

The more often a lambskin is used, the faster the hairs can become matted. However, this is completely natural. If you wanted to avoid this 100%, you would have to use the lambskin exclusively as a decoration – and that is neither sensible nor enjoyable. For a smooth-haired lambskin, you can simply brush out the matted hairs with a special lambskin brush or a pet brush. This way, the matted hairs will loosen and the lambskin will regain its soft, fluffy appearance. You can find such brushes either from us or in a well-stocked pet store.

Regular brushing not only keeps the hairs soft but also helps to remove dirt. Dried stains can usually be brushed out, but proceed carefully to loosen as little hair as possible. However, it is advisable to first try to brush out the stain instead of washing the entire rug. Because if the rug is washed in a washing machine, the leather side gets soaked, which washes out the tanning salts. This causes the leather side of the lambskin to become hard. This risk also exists with hand washing, which is why we recommend washing the lambskin only as a last resort.

Another way to make the hairs of the fur even softer is to apply a wool conditioner. Mix the conditioner according to the dosage instructions with warm water and massage it into the fur with a cloth. Make sure the leather stays dry. After an hour, remove the mixture with a damp, clean cloth. Let the fur dry on a drying rack with the fur side down, without direct heat exposure. Once the lambskin is dry, brush it vigorously. This will make it as soft as it was on the first day.

My sheepskin is hard. How do I make it soft again?

If the leather side of your lambskin has become hard, it is usually due to a wash cycle in the washing machine. How to soften the fur again depends on how the fur was originally tanned.

A fur that has been tanned with salts is difficult to soften again after a wash cycle. This is because the salts used in tanning were washed out of the fur during washing. Vegetable-tanned and medically tanned furs, on the other hand, are easier to soften after washing – especially because medically tanned fur is designed to be washed.

The leather is hard - what do I do now?

If the leather side of your lambskin is hard after drying, this can be a tricky situation!

Our best tip is to rub the leather along an edge to loosen it up a bit again. Be careful with this process and apply even pressure to the fur. Choose an edge that is not too sharp and cannot splinter. Gently pull the leather side back and forth, and the leather should soften again.

If this method does not lead to the desired success, as a last resort you can try to treat the lambskin with a lanolin cure. Wash it in the machine and spin it thoroughly before letting it dry in a well-ventilated room without direct sun or heat exposure. During drying, constantly pull the fur into shape and knead it well. When the fur is dry, you can gently brush it out. While this method does not guarantee success, if you are at the point where you don't want to give up on your lambskin, it can't hurt to try.

Why is my lambskin hard after washing?

As already noted, washing in a machine washes out the important tanning salts from the lambskin, which often leads to the fur becoming hard after drying.

It is important to ensure that you should never hang a dripping wet fur to dry. If you decide to put the fur through a washing machine cycle, be sure to give it an extra spin cycle. Also, never dry a genuine lambskin in a tumble dryer and never place it on a heating appliance to dry. Both will cause the leather to dry out and become brittle or hard.

Also, do not try to brush the fur when it is wet. Wait until the fur is completely dry, shake it out well, and then gently brush it with a special fur brush.

Ultimately, we recommend using a detergent with lanolin for washing. Normal detergent or ordinary fabric softener are not suitable, as they do not return the important fatty substance lanolin to the fur. Therefore, always choose a special detergent with lanolin to minimize damage caused by washing.

However, before simply putting your lambskin in the washing machine, always ask the seller if the fur is suitable for a machine wash cycle.

Prevention is better than cure

As with many things in life, for all lambskins, it's better to be informed in advance than to have to react to the consequences later. If your lambskin gets dirty, a machine wash cycle is usually not necessary.

Smaller stains can often be removed with a damp cloth, while dried stains can be brushed out. Larger stains can be carefully treated with a mixture of lanolin detergent and lukewarm water. Always make sure not to soak the fur too much. Then let it dry on a drying rack with the fur side down in a well-ventilated room and away from direct heat sources.

Every lambskin is individual - we are happy to help personally

Has your lambskin become hard – whether from washing, not being used for a long time, frequent use, or another reason? We are happy to assist you personally so that you can continue to enjoy your fur.

Send us a photo of your hardened fur along with a brief description of the problem to hallo@sheepskinhouse.ch. We will examine the fur and try to find a solution. We look forward to hearing from you!