Things You'll Need
- Fence
- Shedding blade
- Stiff brush
- Hose
- Detergent
Instructions
Decide if your washing machine can handle the blanket or not. If it is a lighter weight blanket, such as a show sheet, then you may be able to wash it like you would your regular laundry. Make sure that there is plenty of room for the blanket to spin around or all the dirt will not be removed. You may want to run the horse blanket through two rinse cycles to make sure all the soap has been washed out.
Hang heavier blankets over a fence. Use a shedding blade to remove as much horse hair as possible. Then use a stiff brush to brush the dirt and remaining hair off the horse blanket. Do not put heavier, thicker, or larger blankets into your washing machine. When in doubt, wash by hand.
Hose the blanket down with clean, cold water. Cold water should be used when washing horse blankets because it reduces the chance that the blanket will shrink, and it doesn't break down the fabric as quickly.
Scrub the horse blanket with detergent that is fragance-free or for sensitive skin, if possible. Rinse the blanket with cold water until the water running off the blanket is clean with no soap suds or dirt.
Allow the blanket to dry completely before folding it up for storage.