Mattes – Wash and care instructions
Mattes – Wash, and care instructions.
Wash and care instructions Mattes equestrian products are made of sheepskin. *We do not accept liability for defects resulting from failure to follow our wash and care instructions.
The sheepskin products from Mattes should be washed regularly; better too often than too little. Good washing and care are very important and will help you enjoy your Mattes product for longer, because it will remain good/beautiful for longer.
The following wash and maintenance advice only applies to Mattes sheepskin products.
Before washing
Fasten the Velcro closures together. Remove the poly-flex inserts and saddle-fix bands.
When you are washing
You can wash the sheepskin products in a washing machine. Set the machine to the heavy program at 30 ℃. Add 3-4 liters of water, about 10 minutes after starting the program (this can often be done via the detergent drawer). Do not overload the machine and centrifuge normally. We recommend washing in a washing machine because it is more effective than hand washing.
Mattes sheepskin products should be washed with skin soap, not wool soap. Commercial detergents do not replace lipids and may contain components that can damage the sheepskin. The leather can become hard and break or become brittle and tangle.
Mattes special detergent, MELP, is specially developed for sheepskin products. It contains the same ingredients and components that Mattes uses in the production of their sheepskins. The special ether and skin detergents are lipid-replacing, keeping the leather supple and the wool elastic and resistant. MELP is made by Mattes itself. Important: Recommended dosage of MELP detergent for 1 product with light to normal dirt: Singlet/saddle cover or English saddle pads, 50ml.
wash at 30ºC add extra water
After washing.
Never leave Mattes products in the machine after washing. Remove them immediately so they can dry. Use the dryer at 30℃ or on a cold cycle. This will open and fluff up the wool and keep the leather soft. Never dry Mattes products in the sun or any other heat or light source. Mattes products can also be air-dried in the shade. Continue shaping the product while it dries.
Particularities for:
Singlets: Remove plastic inserts from sheepskin singlets. Always put them back after drying. For removable sheepskin, the inserts stay in the basic singlet during washing. Wash the basic singlet in a wash bag. We recommend the sturdy Mattes wash bag.
Saddle covers: Wash saddle covers without saddle pads. If saddle pads are attached, the saddle covers will not be washed properly.
English saddle pads: Wash English saddle pads alone
Why wash?:
Because lamb’s wool can absorb a lot of moisture and dry slowly, if it is not washed enough, sweat can build up in the leather and damage your product. The chemical composition of sweat can vary from horse to horse. The ammonia in sweat can attack the leather and have a strong effect on the wool if the leather is permanently wet. This is a relatively slow process and only becomes apparent when the wool starts to fall out and/or cracks appear in the leather, particularly in the seams, causing the leather to completely disintegrate. This is especially the case when it is washed only after long-term use.
The wool must never stick together because most of its properties, particularly pressure distribution, can be lost. As long as the lamb’s wool is moist, it must not be brushed. Carefully remove small dirt from the wool in a dry state with a horse brush (soft brush). Please wash instead of brush, as this can cause the wool to break.
We recommend washing your Mattes product once a week (if used daily) during the warmer weather when the horse will also sweat more. If it’s colder and your horse doesn’t sweat much, you can do this once a month. The girths need enough time to dry; keep this in mind.
If you ride infrequently or need to take a break, the lamb leather product must be washed and absolutely dry and stored in a dry place. This keeps the product well preserved.
