Does your horse use a horse blanket during the cold season? Leaving the Colorado winter, your horse blankets are probably still caked in mud and hair. Now that summer is here, it may be time to get your horse blankets a good cleaning before the snowy season rolls back around. The following tips can help you clean your horse blankets properly and lengthen their lifespan. If you are looking for a horse property in Colorado, contact one of our premiere horse-person realtors today.
Horse Blanket Cleaning Tips
Most horse blankets are waterproof, so you’ll need to invest in a detergent specifically engineered to clean them. If you use a traditional laundry detergent, you risk stripping the blanket of its waterproof coating. Also, a traditional washing machine isn’t made to withstand the heavy dirt load contained in horse blankets, so your blankets as much as possible before loading them into your washer. Remove clumps of dirt and hair with a stiff brush, and hose them off first. We’ve talked about washing your horse blankets, but what about drying them?
First of all, avoid putting horse blankets into a dryer—this can impact their waterproofing, or even worse it can leading to tearing over time. Hang your horse blankets and let them air dry. Horse blankets are typically too heavy for a traditional clothesline, so drape them over a fence or stall door. If blankets are even a little damp when you pack them up, they can get moldy, so make sure to leave them out for a long time to dry completely. If you’re cleaning your blankets months before winter, try putting some fabric softener sheets in with them. This will keep them smelling fresh and may help to deter pests from turning them into nests.
