Your Dinsmoor Sheepskin has been tanned to a high degree of quality, and needs very little maintenance outside of cleaning.
When the wool becomes depressed from use or filled with debris from outdoor use, simply brush it with a pet “slicker” brush.
When the leather gets dirty, simply wipe and rub with a warm damp cloth, soap is optional and not recommended because it can take out the oil that helps the leather maintain it’s flexibility and softness.
If you need to completely wash the sheepskin, we recommend submerging it in a bathtub with a small amount of unscented laundry detergent. Do not harshly agitate the fleece while wet and soapy, as it may felt. Move the whole sheepskin in the water, and then lift to drain, and exchange the water until you are satisfied with the cleanliness. You may also send it back to us for a cleaning and refurbish, and we will send you an invoice. Usually this costs less than $100.
Use a washing machine at your own risk, and if you do, use the gentlest setting to prevent felting of the wool.
Do not use any solvent on the sheepskin. We have not experimented with dry cleaning, so do so at your own risk.
Optional Ruggedizing
If you decide that you want to use your sheepskin outdoors a lot, you may follow the below procedure to “ruggedize” your sheepskin to the elements. This makes the sheepskin unreturnable.
- Clean the leather side of the sheepskin and make sure it is completely dry.
- Trim the fleece around the edges of the sheepskin so no wool extends beyond the leather.
- Work in an outdoor place out of the weather, or a ventilated place where chemical vapors will not bother you.
- Combine 100% silicone caulking with mineral spirits to form a dilute silicone solution. Start with an amount of caulking in a container, and add mineral spirits until the gel of the silicone is a runny paste.
- Apply the silicone solution to the leather side, making sure it soaks in completely. Do not let the solution get onto the fleece.
- Absorb any pooling or excess solution with a clean rag.
- Wait for the silicone solution to cure. This will take longer than indicated on the silicone’s packaging, as the mineral spirits must first evaporate. Usually 48 hours in still air or 24 hours with a fan, depending on the temperature. It may take longer for the odor of the silicone to fully disperse. The texture of the leather should have changed to be somewhat grabby – this is a silicone layer and impregnation that will repel water extremely well.
- As you use the product, this silicone layer may wear and you may need to repeat this process as needed.