How to Clean Sheepskin Seat Covers

Sheepskin seat covers are sensitive to heat. Furthermore, they can trap sweat, dust, and debris, becoming breeding grounds for disease. But luckily, there are some cleaning methods available to clean them at home safely. There is no more necessity to turn to professionals for the purpose. 

How to Clean Sheepskin Seat Covers

Due to the wooly and textured nature of the fabric, sheepskin covers are prone to getting dirty. Over time they can smell weird and hamper your drive quality. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to clean sheepskin seat covers.

Method #1: Spot Cleaning With Mild Dish Detergent

If only specific areas if your seat covers are dirty then this method is the best and can be done with everyday kitchen stuff.

Step #1: Gather Required Material

The first step should always be about preparing for the spot cleaning treatment. So, you should:

• Arrange for mild dish detergents such as Dawn, Ivory, or Palmolive liquid. 
• Get a brush, clean cloth, extra rags, paper towels, clean water, and other essentials. 
• Get a damp sponge for rinsing after the cleaning process.

Step #2: Begin Spot Cleaning

The spot cleaning process can now begin, as you are ready with the essentials. The sub-steps are:

1. Prepare a mixture of mild dish detergent and water.
2. Use a cloth with the solution for damping it over the dirty spots. 
3. Target the areas and rub them gently with the cloth to eliminate the stain. 
4. Now, use a damp sponge and rinse the area with cool water. 

Warning

Never use a laundry detergent for cleaning sheepskin covers. Laundry detergent is a lot stronger than dish detergent and will damage your sheepskin cover.

Step #3: Dry the Covers

To dry the covers:

1. Roll out the seat covers in towels and squeeze out all excess water from them. 
2. Keep the fleece-side face down, and place it under a shady area indoors.
3. Use ceiling or table fans for circulating more air to these covers for faster drying. 
4. Stretch the sheepskin seat covers gently while they are drying. It will ensure that they do not shrink.

Warning

Do not use heat sources such as blow dryers for drying sheepskin. It will shrink and damage the sheepskin seat covers. The sheepskin seat covers should also not be dried in direct sunlight.

Step #4: Fluff up the Covers

It is easy to carry out:

• After the seat covers are dry, put them into the dryer. Add some tennis balls with it as well. 
• Set the dryer into ‘Air Dry’ mode. (NO HEAT). 
• Run the dryer for around 15 minutes.
• Now, clean the lint filter in the dryer, and run it for another 15 minutes. 
• Remove the covers from the dryer and clean the lint filter again. 

The static electricity within the dryer will fluff up the fibers. The tennis balls will prevent the seat covers from wadding as they tumble around. They also help beat out any residual dirt from the covers.

Method #2: Cleaning With Soap or Shampoo

Sheepskin covers lather up with all kinds of soap and surfactants. Therefore, you can clean them using shampoos too!

Step #1: Prepare the Covers for Cleaning

Preparing the seat cover is important before you can implement the major cleaning process. Here’s how you do it:

1. If the covers have a lot of dirt on them, vacuum the covers.
2. Soak a clean sponge or washing cloth into a bowl of warm water. 
3. Now, wipe down the seat cover, focusing the most on the dirty areas.
4. Do at least three wipe-downs.

Ensure that you do not use extremely hot water for the prepping since heat will damage the covers.

Step #2: Apply Shampoo or Soap

Here’s how you do it the right way:

1. Put few drops of shampoo or soap solution onto the cleaning cloth. 
2. Spread out the soap solution over the cloth by rubbing it around.
3. Wipe the seat covers using that cleaning cloth.
4. Start from the top and wipe all the way down.
5. Give a firm wipe over the dirty areas. 
6. Keep repeating this process until you get to see satisfactory results.
7. Remember to wring out the cloth and then reapply the cleaning solution every time it gets dirty while wiping. 

Step #3: Wash Out the Shampoo or Soap

After proper application of the shampoo or soap solution, now is time to get it off:

1. Use a damp sponge or a clean cloth. 
2. Use a bowl of warm water.
3. Dip the sponge or cloth in warm water. Keep it damp and not dripping wet. 
4. Wipe the seat cover from top to bottom.
5. Continue this wiping until all the soap or shampoo residue is out. 

Remember to wring out the sponge or cloth after every wipe. It is because you want to remove the soap residues and not spread them more.

Step #4: Brush the Sheepskin Seat Cover

Brushing the covers before drying them will help them look new.

1. Grab a bristle brush (the one used for brushing dog fur).
2. Gently brush the seat covers from top to bottom. 
3. Remove any left-over tangles of soap or shampoo. 

Step #5: Dry the Seat Cover

As the thorough cleaning is over, the final step is to dry the sheepskin seat cover. Hang the covers up indoors, ensuring they are away from sunlight, so they don’t shrink. You need to let the seat cover dry for around 3 to 4 hours indoors or in the shade. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Wash Sheepskin Seat Covers in the Washing Machine?

Yes, you can wash sheepskin seat covers in the washing machine just like cleaning your wool dryer balls. However, you must only wash only one seat cover at a time, and that too in a gentle cycle. The water should be lukewarm, around 40 °C. Furthermore, you must use a gentle cleaning agent and not a regular laundry detergent.

When Can I Refit the Seat Covers to My Vehicle?

When the sheepskin seat covers are 90% dry, consider reinstalling them to your vehicles. Doing this will help prevent it from shrinking after completely drying out. 

Can I Interchange the Front Seat Cover With the Rear One?

You should change your front seat cover with the rear one after cleaning is done. It is only possible if both of your seats are of the same size.

Conclusion

Sheepskin covers need utmost care if you want them to look good for a long time. You can use either method to clean your sheepskin seat covers, depending on how much time you have and how dirty the covers have gotten.