20 replies, you didn’t disappoint! Love that others hyper focus on the mundane.
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But it’s the perfect type of mundane that all of us can relate to! I’ve wanted to ask the same question but never did…
I was banned from using my home washing machine, but was delighted to learn that my “blanket washing lady” also washes pads for $5 per pad and will turn them around in a couple days. At first I thought this was an unimaginable luxury, but when DH estimated the cost of her washing my pads for a year against replacing the washer, it made a lot of sense.
In winter I can use the same pad for as long as two weeks. When blankets are off, my boy grinds his lower back into the dust bath every single day so it’s a new pad every other day. Which makes the journey to blanket lady inconvenient.
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I wash after 2-5 rides… I think most people at the barn wash their pads about once every 7 years (ok, that’s an exaggeration!) and often comment on my bringing the pads to and from the barn to wash.
For those of you who use a wash bag… don’t you find it interferes with the ability to get the pad CLEAN clean? I have a lemieux wash bag and am always disappointed with it so I resort to putting the pads naked into the washer (2 at a time, bottom/horse side out) and I wipe it down and run a “clean washer” cycle after I’m done with the last pads for that wash session.
I try to maximize the wash day of gross stuff and do saddle pads, dog beds, extra gross farm clothes, etc all on the same day, then run the clean washer cycle before DH needs to run his work clothes and undies through… ask me how this became my process 
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It depends… in the winter I can get away with a week or so.
Summer… 2-3 rides but I hose them off after I ride and then use the rubber tool above or a brush to get any hair off once dry.
I rarely put my pads in the machine, the white one I have I soak in oxi-clean, spot scrub, and then rinse.
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Pretty much this. They get pretty sweaty and salt-encrusted in the summer.
My white jumping pads, I use some OxiClean pods and the pre-soak cycle. The rest I just to “Light” wash with an unscented detergent and then air dry them.
Not the ones I use (linked above). I also have (not lemeiux because these are actually quite cheap if not sold to you by a horse related vendor) cactus balls in the washer, sometimes I’ll toss a few of those in each bag, but lately I haven’t because most of them have mysteriously disappeared into the sock void. Seems to do about the same job.
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This is my schedule too.
I figure my horse does not want a gross caked up pad on its back.
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I used the cactus balls in the wash bag and just loose in the washer and they don’t seem to collect horse hair for me. Clearly I’m doing it wrong!
I will check out those other wash bags!
I use this, at the barn, spray it on, scrub a little w/ the rubber brush people have mentioned above, rinse w/ hot water from hose, and hang to dry. https://www.amazon.com/Star-Equine-Horse-Saddle-Cleaner/dp/B07RGRW3F5/ref=asc_df_B07RGRW3F5/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=692875362841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17194075314582136456&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007768&hvtargid=pla-2281435180778&psc=1&mcid=2bc9e24e3e9b3fecb77b19209f4ec9cd&hvocijid=17194075314582136456-B07RGRW3F5-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1
Nah, probably not… They aren’t that effective, but they are cheap on Amazon so I figure every little bit helps!
I’ve found that the stains from the billets/boots and any piping stains don’t come out in the wash. They need to be pressure washed off first. That’s just my experience!
I hose mine after each ride and hang to dry. It doesn’t get stains out but it gets rid of the sweat which is my biggest concern. Every now and then I bring a couple home and wash them with detergent. I also rotate between just 2-3 pads and use them until the wear out then throw them away versus having a ton of pads that are sort of used…
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I mostly use Roma pads, get 3-4 rides. NO WHITE ONEs. Horse is boarded, and I gave up on their machine(s) over the years. My horse seems to shed 24/7/365 so the bulk of my problem is hair. White hair. everywhere. I take them to our wash rack, hang over the 1/2 wall and put the hose on “Jet” while using an old curry or other brush at same time. No soap, air dry. I dont get stains on mine, other than a couple light ones that show saddle marks.
I bought one of these…GAME CHANGER.
I only wash my pads when they’re quite dirty, or if they’ve been sweat through at least 2 or 3 times. This both saves me time and saves the pads wear and tear. But I also use this brush on the regular. I need to have thick pads for one of my delicate flowers, and they get the cleanest when I wash them just 2 at a time. However, I have a pretty big stack of saddle pads, and only do horse laundry about once a month, even with 2 horses being ridden 5 days a week.
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I take mine to the self-service car wash and use the power-washing wand on them. Dump them in a rubbermaid tote to take home, and then hang dry on my patio’s railing. Works an absolute treat and cost me about $14 for the 7 I washed on Sunday.
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What is a cactus ball? It doesn’t come up on Amazon. TIA
Here you go, lemieux call them cactus balls, but that doesn’t work on Amazon. I stumbled onto them somehow and saved them on my list
Blulu 18 Pieces Pet Hair Remover for Laundry Dryer Balls Reusable Washing Machine Hair Catcher Pet Dog Cat Hair Catcher Lint Remover (Light Blue,Blue,Grey,Black,Purple,Rose Red) https://a.co/d/e8czJPs
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Thank you! 2 cats and 2 horses, plus my own hair. It’s too much!
Those are interesting.
What is confusing is that the description in the photos says they can not be used in the dryer, but then the description on how to use them talks about using them in the dryer.
This screen shot is from the photos associated with the item.
This is from the long description of the item.
The title of the item says dryer ball too.
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I have 2 bot pads, one old and came with my used saddle purchase, the other new and white so I feel like a real rider, lol.
I’m liking the ideas here. Power washing and vacuuming would never have occurred to me! Plus I’ll just stay here and out of the disappointment of the cdj thread.
