Bonus points if you tell me they’re machine washable and mean it 
But really - any great advice on washing fly masks and getting cruddy dirt and fly spray grease off of the fabric?
I fill a bucket with warm water and either dishwashing detergent or, more likely, the citronella equine shampoo I use. Let masks soak for a half day, take them out and use a stiff brush (I lay them down on the rubber mat in the wash rack), repeat as needed. https://www.google.com/search?q=citronella+equine+shampoo&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS697US697&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwip1NqX25niAhUSQK0KHSjuAy0Q_AUIDigB&biw=1094&bih=616#spd=3525190451128538619
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I’ve thrown my Cashel ones in my washing machine for years and they seem to survive I make sure all the velcro is attached before I wash and add an extra rinse cycle.
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Yup, in the washer they go! By themselves, cold water tide, hang to dry. Always come out clean and nice!
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So glad you asked this question @starhorse . Now I know I can just pop the fly mask I accidentally left out all winter and is just covered in cobwebs and dust and just general grossness, right into the washing machine. Problem solved.
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I do the same thing. I never can get them really clean when I do them by hand.
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I never imagined they were not machine washable.
Do up the velcro and in they go. Cold water. Hang to dry.
But then, I also toss my fleece girth right into the clothes washer too.
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I’m about to try my fly sheet in the washing machine, so this was a timely thread.
I spray them down periodically in the wash rack or toss them in the washer with velcros closed. Nothing I do will compare to the destruction my horse causes, so I don’t worry too much.
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Machine wash and line dry. I keep several and rotate them all summer
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I have extra fly masks for each horse.
I have used Farnum fly masks for as long as I can remember. They are called “Farnum Super Masks” these days, I think. I do NOT buy masks with ears as I never owned a horse that would leave those ear covers alone. They do leave their masks alone as long as I don’t try to make them wear the masks with ear covers.
I have been washing fly masks in the washer EVERY FEW NIGHTS for at least 16 years. I wash them on slow cycle for 4-6 minutes. I put about a teaspoon of laundry soap in with them. I hang the ones I don’t need the next day on a hangar.
Chuck it in the washer and don’t look back. However, depending on the material, it may be unwise to put them in the dryer. They air dry very quickly anyway.
Jeez, I just throw it in a bucket of water with some soap or horse shampoo. Then rinse under running water or in another bucket. Hang dry.
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When I was grooming, we machine washed fly masks, saddle pads, polo wraps, standing wraps, boots (obviously not nice boots, but Eskadrons/DSBs/etc were all fair game) and probably more I can’t remember and would just line dry them. Everything always turned out totally fine!
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I toss them in the washer and hang to dry. I have masks that are a couple of years old and they have been fine. I do have to run a brush over the velcro sometimes to clean it but that is about it.
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