The Joy of a Sheepskin Rug – It has been a long, cold winter and I for one have been looking at ways to help keep the home a little warmer with inspirational accessories.
My latest addition to the office is a sheepskin rug from my friends at Jacobs & Dalton who are based in the beautiful Yorkshire Countryside. They carry a unique selection of hand-picked sheepskin collections from natural, sustainable sources, and my choice of the rug paired with a pair of cosy slippers has taken me one step further to sheer, cosy comfort, in my home office environment.
Carpets are not an option as we have natural floorboards, therefore a rug was a good compromise. In older buildings, there is a natural airflow of fresh air coming through the floorboard, ideal in the summer, but it has its disadvantages in the winter, therefore, to temporarily keep the chill out the sumptuously soft sheepskin rug has made a considerable difference and has worked wonders. Not only looking great, but it is also now the talking point of the office and a haven for the cats!
Throughout history hides and sheepskins have been used to make clothing, keep us warm and decorate our homes. Whether you wear them, throw them over your favourite chair to keep warm or use them as rugs owning them will always be a pleasure. Sheepskin is a natural product and can therefore be worn in winter and summer. In winter you will be kept warm in temperatures as low as -30°C and in summer you will keep cool in temperatures as high as 25°C.
As wool is a natural fibre, it needs surprisingly little care – a regular shake and even a brush can keep sheepskin rugs looking like new.
But there are a few things you can do to keep your sheepskin rug in tip-top condition:
- If the whole sheepskin requires cleaning, you can comfortably fit a single or double sheepskin rug into a larger British washing machine and wash on the coolest woollen setting with a dessertspoon of mild, non-bio, non-bleach washing detergent.
- Specialist sheepskin detergents are available online, or you can use a “wool-approved” detergent from a supermarket. Normal washing powder CAN make the skin brittle or might discolour the wool.
- The washing machine wool cycle will provide a gentle spin which is all the rug needs.
- Always remove it from the machine promptly after the program has finished.
- The rug should be allowed to dry naturally, away from direct heat and sunlight. Sunlight can cause damage and discolouration to the wool fibres.
- Flexing the sheepskin as it dries will help to maintain suppleness.
- Give it a brush and it should look as good as new.
- In the case of unfortunate stains or spills on your rug, act quickly: shake off any dirt or dust outside or use a handheld vacuum cleaner or attachment to pick up any loose bits of debris, and use a paper towel to soak up any excess liquid spills.
- If need be, use a sponge or cloth dipped in a mixture of sheepskin detergent mixed with warm water to lightly dab at soiled areas then leave to dry.
- It’s important not to scrub at the wool fibres while wet as these can easily be stretched or broken when wet.
Jacobs & Dalton aim to offer the best range of products which are selected from the finest materials from around the world and are delivered directly to your door.
Their luxury rugs are very versatile; not only are they perfect for adding a touch of comfort to your hardwood or carpeted floors, but they also make an excellent decoration thrown over the back of the sofa or across the bottom of the bed for that added touch of luxury.
They offer a fantastic selection of colour choices in their genuine sheep skin rugs, from gorgeous browns, shades of taupe and natural wolf tips, to on-trend blushing pinks and soft creams.
Poppy Watt