Spring has sprung. Summer is nearly upon us. The cool days and nights of winter are just a memory. The horses are shedding with a vengeance and your daily ritual of taking blankets on and off is over for the season. So what do you do with those smelly, stiff, dirty blankets? Now is the time to get them cleaned, repaired and ready for next year. The first step is to wash them. If you don’t have access to an industrial washing machine, this could pose a bit of a problem. Of course you could always send them to a service that will clean them for a fee. That can be an expensive option, especially if you have a large collection of blankets. A good, inexpensive alternative is to simply wash them at home. It’s not that difficult. Here’s how-
Find a large enough area of cement or asphalt to spread out your blanket. The area will need to have access to both an electrical outlet and water, preferably hot water. An area of driveway, barn aisle or wash stall works well. Gather all the necessary materials.
- Your dirty blanket
- A broom
- An industrial or shop-type vacuum cleaner
- Bucket
- Metal polish and small clean towel
- Scrub brush
- Horse shampoo or equine clothes washing soap/detergent
- Hose with a sprayer attachment and lots of water, preferably hot.
- A place to hang the wet blanket to dry, such as a fence rail tall and strong enough to keep a heavy, wet blanket off the ground.
Once you have gathered all your material, make sure the floor is clean before you spread out your blanket. Take the blanket outside and give it a good shake to scare off the spiders. Next, lay it out as flat as you can, out-side up. Open all buckles and remove any straps that you can, such as chest and leg straps. If you can’t remove them, make sure they are unbuckled. Check all the straps and buckles to be sure they are in good shape and the buckles still work. If the straps are chewed, rotted or the stitching is torn, you will need to replace them. Make sure the blanket is worth saving before you put too much work into it. If it will cost more to repair than to purchase a new blanket, it’s best to just discard it.
With the blanket lying on the ground, use the broom to sweep off any remaining cob-webs, dust, horse hair or debris. Now go over the blanket with the vacuum to remove as much hair, dirt and mud as you can. You can switch to a short table or rail for this step. Make sure to clean well over stitching and around the grommets that the straps run through. Once you have finished with the top of the blanket, flip it over and do the other side. Use the broom or scrub brush to help loosen anything that is stuck to the blanket. Be diligent here and it will save you time later.
Hang the blanket over your fence rail and sweep or vacuum as much debris away from the cleaning area as possible. You don’t want it finding its way back on the blanket. When you once again have a clean work space, it’s time to wash. Lay the blanket back down, inside up. Fill your bucket with warm water and whatever cleaner you are using. Don’t put soap directly on the blanket as it will be very difficult to remove later. Using the hose with a sprayer attachment, completely wet down the blanket. Now dip the scrub brush into the soapy water and begin scrubbing the blanket just like you would a floor. Start at the front and work your way toward the back. Take extra care over stitching, grommets, etc. Once you have completely scrubbed the underside, use the hose and sprayer to rinse off all the soap, hair and other debris. Now flip the blanket over and repeat on the other side. Now is also the time to clean the straps. Be sure to move the adjustments and buckles around so you can clean all parts of the straps completely. Use your small towel and a bit of metal polish on the buckles, being careful not to get any on the straps.
Once the blanket has been completely scrubbed, rinse until the water runs clear and all soap bubbles are gone. Make sure you don’t leave any soap in the blanket or straps as this can cause skin irritations when the blanket is on your horse. After the blanket is thoroughly rinsed, hang it up to dry. Hanging it in the sun will help it dry faster, but may cause fading so choose your drying spot accordingly. Depending on the weather, it will take several hours to a few days to completely dry. You may want to flip it over a few times so it will dry evenly.
After it is completely dry, reattach all the straps you removed, fold it carefully and put it away for next year. Make sure to store it where it will stay clean, dry and vermin can’t use it for nesting material. Large, plastic storage boxes with lids work well and you can store several blankets per box. Label each blanket with its size and the outside of the box with the size/color/type of blankets stored in each box. When the weather turns cool again, you’ll be ready for it!