Sheepskin wash mitt care

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blkSSS03

New member
Hey guys,



I have the sheepskin wash mitt from autogeek, and i have just been rinsing it out after each use and hanging it in the garage to dry. Is there a better way to clean it? I know with my MF towels i throw them in the washing machine with the DP MF cleaner. Is there any special cleaner to use on the mitt or is regular laundry detergent fine?



Thanks guys



Chris
 
blkSSS03 said:
Hey guys,



I have the sheepskin wash mitt from autogeek, and i have just been rinsing it out after each use and hanging it in the garage to dry. Is there a better way to clean it? I know with my MF towels i throw them in the washing machine with the DP MF cleaner. Is there any special cleaner to use on the mitt or is regular laundry detergent fine?



Thanks guys



Chris
Click to expand...



when i am done using a sheepskin mitt, i put it in a empty bucket of water and massage out all the debris/soap and then take the hose (blast it once more) and put it inside the mitt while i hold/close the cuff to fill it up while it floods water through and massage the outer mitt once again too remove any leftover debris. then i take a pant hanger (once i've squeezed and swing out all the water) and clip one side of the cuff with it open (so it can breath) and hang it to dry...
 
I've been washing my sheepskins in the washer for about a year now w/ two incidents:



The first one involved washing a mitt by itself, it seemed to have gotten caught under the agitator and was ripped. I now use and wash 2-3 mitts together.



The second was when I left a few in a bucket to wash another day. I guess the leather got super saturated because they *really* came apart in the wash, so I now wash them immediately after use.



Since these episodes I've prolly done them in the wash about 30 times w/ no probs. I wash using the light delicate cycle w/ cold water and no detergent; extra spin cycle and line dry in the garage.
 
I wash mine in the washer with a small amount of Tide on medium load setting with 2 warm rinses. Mitts, MF, WW etc all go in there... tumble dry LOW HEAT for a bit, then hang to dry.



Sounds like a lot of work but it really isn't.
 
Never wash your sheepskin mitt in the washer, the detergents are too harsh and degrade the sheepskin rather quickly. Rinse in warm clean water with some MF detergent is best.



The other important thing is the drying process, the use of a wire coat hanger bent into a shape that opens the mitt from the inside and allows air to circulate. The mitt will dry fairly quickly and evenly and will not make it go crusty.
 
I find that letting my mitt dry does more harm than good. I want to experiment. Like a leather chamois, instructions are to keep leather moist. Has anyone tried this???
 
musicdjs said:
I find that letting my mitt dry does more harm than good. I want to experiment. Like a leather chamois, instructions are to keep leather moist. Has anyone tried this???
Click to expand...



If it's cleaned without harsh chemical and air dried properly it will not harm the sheepskin. Unlike a chamois if it is kept moist it will rot, unless of course the mitt is in constant use.



This one was kept moist in a bag.











This one is now 2 years old and still looks like this, it's always air dried with the coat hanger inside the mitt hung on a line.



 
XR5Turbo said:
Never wash your sheepskin mitt in the washer, the detergents are too harsh and degrade the sheepskin rather quickly. Rinse in warm clean water with some MF detergent is best.



The other important thing is the drying process, the use of a wire coat hanger bent into a shape that opens the mitt from the inside and allows air to circulate. The mitt will dry fairly quickly and evenly and will not make it go crusty.
Click to expand...

I haven't experienced this at all with washing my mitts in the washer. After 2 warm rinses and a quick low heat tumble, I air dry it... still feels the same as the day I bought it.
 
In the washer with Tide and whatever else needs washing, then in the dryer until dry. Warm water for washing and regular settings for both.



They last plenty long with this treatment, and in any case, it's more important to get the mitt clean.
 
I usually just rinse the mitts out and let them dry over the edge of the buckets, but when I do wash them they go into the washing machine on "delicate" cycle with some Woolite and some extra rinses.



But I wash the sheepskin mitts by themselves. I've had wool fibers contaminate other textiles (e.g., MFs) to the point where I was afraid to use them on painted surfaces.



XR5Turbo- I should probably make one of those coathanger frames for my mitts...I made something similar to hang up my BHBs but I quit doing that when I moved to my current shop.
 
I have been using sheepskin mitts for decades now. I have tried all types of methods to maintain them. One thing I can say for sure is letting them air dry has always caused them to fall apart in a short period of time. I dry them in the dryer on low inside out to to get the leather dried as soon as possible. If I don't do this the gloves rot and they come apart in clumps. My current mitt is over a year old and gets used a minimum of once a week and is in great shape. It gets rinsed by hand most times but will get washed in the machine if it's really dirty and than dried in the drier on low and inside out.
 
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