Anyone ever washed a sheepskin coat?

[fannybanjo]

and it's come out ok??

I have a Joseph sheepskin coat which I've had for 5 years - it's look bit manky, I've been quoted £60 to dry clean it! What would happen if I put it on a hand wash cycle....?

I have washed sheepskin rugs without incident before and yes, they dry stiff but become supple again with use. I'd be very careful about a Joseph coat but would use a woolwash, on cold, rinse a second time and dry it (outside if possible) on a hanger somewhere fairly breezy but out of direct sunlight. But I'd listen to Joseph's advice ahead of mine. I was washing baby sheepskins and they were treated to be washable.

By even asking your forfeited your right to own a Joseph shearing. Please send me your address at once so I can come and save this beautiful, neglected object of wonder.

Thanks.

I think op will have washed or dry cleaned it by now, this thread is from 2011

It would't have been very likely that she'd have given it to me at the time but I felt it was worth a shot.

Silent, I was really referring to the poster who resurrected the thread with advice for the op 6 years on!

That was me! . I only looked at the month.

Actually it wasn't OC, the person before you resurrected it after 6 years. You were a month after that. Anyway, no matter, I just always wonder how that happens after such a long time. People then don't realise and start offering advice and wasting their time

I was obviously wasting my time but I'm not so sure about anyone offering constructive advice. MN threads often come up when I'm googling something or other, just because the OP might not benefit from the advice doesn't mean that it just goes into the wind.

True silently

No but I was pushed in a freezing swimming pool wearing one at a bonfire night years ago.

I have a sheepskin jacket that is about 30 years old, purchased in Norway. Years ago I took it to a dry cleaner and asked that they send it to a furrier or suede cleaner. They didn't. They dry-cleaned it and the fleece became stiff and too scratchy to wear. I just took it to another cleaner in hopes that after all this time maybe something had come up in the way of cleaning. I would really appreciate some advice. I see people washing, but this would have to be by hand. Help please.

Aware this is an old thread but this may help someone in the future:

I recently bought a vintage sheepskin coat, which turned out to be in quite bad condition. The seller refunded me but didn't want it back so I decided to try to restore it: IT WORKED.

Obviously I can't guarantee this will work on other coats but here is what I did:

1. Handwash in the bath with Woolskin sheepskin cleaner.

1. Dry lying flat on a towel over a clothes rack - I turned it over and inside out every 6 hours or so and it took about 5 days to dry inside in the winter.

3.The wash left the leather a bit stiff but did get rid of the mould. It also had water spots in several areas. To treat this, I used Ecco suede and Nubuck everyday care conditioner (only £8 a bottle). I used it liberally and several times but it totally softened up the matte leather and removed quite a lot of the water spots.

1. I sprayed it with Ecco 'Repel' suede protector to prevent future stains and water marks. I also lengthened the sleeves by sewing on bits of sheepskin (fur-side out) from old slippers :)

Basically, if you aren't too precious about the coat, you can totally wash it but be prepared for a fair bit of work and time.

I have some lovely lilac sheepskin gloves that I got from John Lewis about 20 years ago. I wear them every winter. Other than having sown up the seams a few times they are still immaculate. Every couple of years or so I handwash them gently in laundry liquid for wool and it hasn't done them any harm.