Do you wash your horse blankets in your own washing machine? If so, what kind of washing machine do you use, and what do you use to wash the blankets to protect the water proofing?
I live in horse country so the local laundromat has a dedicated “pet” washer and dryer. Use a front loader (not one with the spinner in the middle. I get a special blanket washing soap from the tack store and I re-waterproof afterwards.
We have a Bosch front loader but previously a Whirlpool top loader (old)
I do sheets and blankets (up to about size 78)
My current horse wears an 84 and I find that is too big for my front loader\ washer
so I still send them out to the blanket cleaner
for $12 I get a beautifully clean and not smelly blanket back
she also does a lot of the BNT barns in the area
we once sent out to a different cleaner and it was SOOOO Febreezed that we had to send it out to clean again just to get rid of the smell that we could not even stand to have sit on a shelf in the barn ! ! ! ! ! !
We have a Bosch front loader but previously a Whirlpool top loader (old)
I do sheets and blankets (up to about size 78)
My current horse wears an 84 and I find that is too big for my front loader\ washer
so I still send them out to the blanket cleaner
for $12 I get a beautifully clean and not smelly blanket back
she also does a lot of the BNT barns in the area
we once sent out to a different cleaner and it was SOOOO Febreezed that we had to send it out to clean again just to get rid of the smell that we could not even stand to have sit on a shelf in the barn ! ! ! ! ! !
I also have a Bosch Front loader. I do my blankets in it, but my horse wears a 70. Have done the rescue mare’s 72 and a few larger ones of the not so fluffy kind, agree with Drive NJ, no bigger than 78. I use Eqyss blanket wash, rewaterproof as necessary with the Alsko (?) waterproofing from Walmart.
We have a pressure washer. My husband hangs the blankets spread open from the top of the horse trailer then blasts them. Turns them. Then finishes cleaning the trailer too.
I have a large capacity LG front load that I wash all my blankets in. This includes an 87" Rambo medium weight. I run the regular large/bulky cycle plus an extra rinse.
I was taught that using warm/hot water is what ruins the waterproofing, so I always wash on cold. I’ve never used special soap. I use All free & clear so that’s what the blankets get. Then I hang outside to dry.
I’ve never rewaterproofed my blankets (all Rambos) and haven’t had an issue (knocking on wood).
I used to wash in top loader and hated the cleanup afterward. But it took one of the metal Ts on belly strap to catch in my washer and a pricey washing machine repair to convince me to find another way.
Now I either lay flat on driveway and hose, use a push broom/ detergent, then hang to dry (nice weather of course) or take them to car wash, hang on mat clips and spray the heck out of them.
My horse is part pig I might add 
I have a 12yo Sears heavy duty toploader.
I wash both the horse’s 82 & pony’s 57 in one load.
Sometimes the spin cycle doesn’ t get them as dry as regular laundry, but the dryer takes care of that.
If blankets were especially dirty I’ all do a load of barn towels after to pick up any hay, hair or dirt left behind.
I do my own laundry in the same machine.
I’ve always been curious about this - does anyone have a way to cover up the metal Ts when washing? I always send my blankets out for washing, but I do have some sheets that need to be washed and I don’t want to damage the washing machine. I was thinking I might be able to fasten old socks around them or something, but thought it couldn’t hurt to see if anyone else has a better method.
I have a Whirlpool Duet front load that is probably 10 yrs old by now. I wash all turnouts from light to heavy weight (size 78) in it.
For really heavyweight and lightweights I usually do a soak, then a rinse and spin, followed by another soak, rinse and spin and then wash with Rambo Blanket Wash. All in cold water and then I line dry. I do that much because the heavywts are large and the lightwts are usually very, very, very dirty (even after a thorough hosing hanging on the fence.
If a turnout is 5 yrs old, I then spray with Camp Dry to make sure it’s still waterproof. While the waterproofing may still be good after 5 yrs I don’t want to find out come the dead of winter that it isn’t and then have re-wash and try to re-waterproof.
I’ve had more than one Rambo still be in great shape after 14+ yrs. 
PS. After doing a turnout, I always do a rinse and spin just to be on the safe side for the next load of MY clothes.
I always wash and scrub in a tub, and THEN wash in the Frigidaire front loader. Unfortunately, my daughter skipped the pre-wash and killed the pump on the machine. We bought a Maytag high-capacity, top loader, without an agitator that could take the blankets, but, in the interests of staying married, we will go to the laundromat from here on in. I use Rambo wash, or Nik-Wax rug wash. I have Rambos that are over 15 years old and waterproof. Always cold water wash. We kept the old machine with the plan of replacing the pump and using it for horse stuff, but we have yet to do it.
[QUOTE=rhinestone_cowgirl;8057444]
I live in horse country so the local laundromat has a dedicated “pet” washer and dryer. Use a front loader (not one with the spinner in the middle. I get a special blanket washing soap from the tack store and I re-waterproof afterwards.[/QUOTE]
This. I use the Leather Therapy blanket/pad wash. I also spray them with 3M waterproofing spray afterward. For $10 per every 3 blankets, I figure it is a minimal investment to make sure the horses will stay nice and dry. I usually only wash the blankets once in the spring before storing them and the sheets twice per year.
[QUOTE=see u at x;8057686]
I’ve always been curious about this - does anyone have a way to cover up the metal Ts when washing? I always send my blankets out for washing, but I do have some sheets that need to be washed and I don’t want to damage the washing machine. I was thinking I might be able to fasten old socks around them or something, but thought it couldn’t hurt to see if anyone else has a better method.[/QUOTE]
This is exactly what I do. I use rubber bands to fasten the socks around all of the blanket’s hardware. I only wash my lightweight cotton type sheets at home because my washer can’t accommodate the bigger blankets.
I have a large capacity Electrolux front load and wash blankets up to size 84; however, I find the water saving feature doesn’t allow for enough water to fill the washer and do an effective job of washing. Blankets come out dirty in places where the blanket is folding when tumbling, areas will even be somewhat dry because there isn’t enough water in the basket. I have as good of luck putting them on the fence and spraying them with one of those horse wash/sprayers that mix shampoo and water. I use a little liquid laundry detergent and spray both sides then rinse well.
[QUOTE=see u at x;8057686]
I’ve always been curious about this - does anyone have a way to cover up the metal Ts when washing? I always send my blankets out for washing, but I do have some sheets that need to be washed and I don’t want to damage the washing machine. I was thinking I might be able to fasten old socks around them or something, but thought it couldn’t hurt to see if anyone else has a better method.[/QUOTE]
Cover the Ts with old socks fastened with hair elastics. I wash stable blankets and coolers in my washer, send blankets out.
[QUOTE=Skip’s Rider;8057732]
This is exactly what I do. I use rubber bands to fasten the socks around all of the blanket’s hardware. I only wash my lightweight cotton type sheets at home because my washer can’t accommodate the bigger blankets.[/QUOTE]
I do the same, but use coated hair elastics.
We have an excellent laundry that does the blankets and has a repair service,
too. Beautiful fresh job. I’d save my own washer’s innards, they can only take so much abuse.
I do wash my blankets in my home machine, which is an LG front loader. However, I do a pre-wash in the barn – either with the wash rack hose or a pressure washer – to remove the worst of the gunk so I don’t end up with that tracked through my house, in the washer, or in the septic.
Cold water, Rambo Blanket Wash (my preferred product – there are others but I’ve been happiest with the Rambo version and can buy it in gallon size pretty economically), line dry. Sometimes I will have to rearrange it and run through the rinse cycle more than once. I don’t have anything heavier than a medium weight, so all fit in my machine fine. If I had to do a heavy, I’d probably send it out or take to a laundromat. If I have to use my foot to shove it in to the washer, it is probably too big.
[QUOTE=Skip’s Rider;8057732]
This is exactly what I do. I use rubber bands to fasten the socks around all of the blanket’s hardware. I only wash my lightweight cotton type sheets at home because my washer can’t accommodate the bigger blankets.[/QUOTE]
Wonderful…thank you both!
