Cleaning a sheepskin mitt

**My5ABaby** · 10-06-2007, 08:44 PM

How do you wash/clean a sheepskin mitt after you wash the car with it?

I ran water over it and massaged it with my hands and it looked clean, but I just want to be sure so I don`t scratch the paint with dirt I didn`t get out. I was also afraid to put it in the washer because it seemed like it might get beat up in there.

**kaval** · 10-06-2007, 08:48 PM

Sheepskin cleans pretty easily...after all, its exposed to soap almost all the time. One of the reasons we use them is because it releases dirt very well. If you leave a sheepskin mitt in a bucket of water, look at how the mitt sort of exfoliates itself. Without using any chemicals, the best way would be to rinse it out very well.

**DCT** · 10-06-2007, 09:05 PM

Every once in a while, you can hand wash it with Woolite.

For the most part, just stick the nozzle inside the mitt to drive any remaining dirt to the outside. Then, hold the mitt vertically, and use a strong stream of water on an angle to push everything down the mitt.

**My5ABaby** · 10-06-2007, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by White_F150

Every once in a while, you can hand wash it with Woolite.

For the most part, just stick the nozzle inside the mitt to drive any remaining dirt to the outside. Then, hold the mitt vertically, and use a strong stream of water on an angle to push everything down the mitt.

Ok, I pretty much did that too. Good to hear.

**BigAl3** · 10-06-2007, 09:27 PM

after i`m done washing... i take the hose and put it in the sheepskin mitt around the cuff, squeeze tightly and fill/flood the inside of the mitt, and water will start flushing through. then i start to massage as much of the left over soap, dirt , etc., out as much as possible. finally... i`ll clean the grit guard and bucket out, and then re-fill with clean water and lay it inside until i`m done drying/QD`ing the car, and then wring/swing out as much water out, and hang it up on a pant hanger to dry...

**BlueLibby04** · 10-06-2007, 09:34 PM

just putting it in a bucket of clean water should be fine. If youve sprayed it out then it should be ok, but letting the fibers open up takes it to the next level.

**Black240SX** · 10-07-2007, 02:32 AM

I clean mine in the washing machine, then turn them inside-out and put them in the dryer.

They last long enough.

**Accumulator** · 10-07-2007, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Black240SX

I clean mine in the washing machine, then turn them inside-out and put them in the dryer.

They last long enough.

Same here. I usually just do the by-hand thing using shampoo solution (don`t even rinse them), but now and then I machine wash them too. I figured they`d wear out quickly but much to my surprise they`re still just fine after several years.

I don`t bother machine-drying them though, I just lay them over the edge of the wash bucket and let them air-dry.

**Logan2224** · 10-07-2007, 11:06 AM

I wash mine in the washing machine with my microfiber towels, and nothing else. I wash it on low, and let it air dry. Seems to work pretty good.

**Accumulator** · 10-07-2007, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Logan2224

I wash mine in the washing machine with my microfiber towels,...

This might be excessively paranoid, but I`d worry that some wool fibers might get caught in the nap of the MFs. Wool is mighty abrasive when it`s dry and I`d sure hate to have a strand of washmitt wool stuck to a MF that I used for a final buff.

I`m pretty careful where cross-contamination is a possibility...

**Milestones** · 10-07-2007, 04:14 PM

After a traditional two bucket wash I just rinse the mitt out really well.

After an ONR wash (which leaves the mitt pretty brown/stained) I hand wash in a sink of hot water with Woolite and then rinse really well with hot water.

Both methods leave the mitt in great shape for the next wash.