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How to Care for Your Reindeer Rug

Posted by The Cowhiderugs.co.uk Team on 29th Oct 2017

Reindeer rugs are sourced from traditional Sámi herdsmen and women from northern Sweden, Norway and Finland. Adapted to harsh arctic conditions, reindeer hides are a stylish, warm and luxurious addition to your interior décor.

Reindeer rugs are fast becoming one of our top-selling items; see what we have available online or come down to our Fulham showroom, call 0207 099 6616 to arrange an appointment.

Each of our unique reindeer rugs are tanned and treated with silicone; this means that they’re waterproof and robust enough to be used outside. Try snuggling up under the stars with a wonderfully warm reindeer hide; you’ll not notice the cold!

Reindeer rugs are slightly more fragile than our cowhide rugs, and require a little more care and attention as a result. This is because reindeers’ hair is hollow. This is good because hollow hairs trap more heat; that’s what makes reindeer rugs so warm and comfortable. However, it also means the hair is fragile and more likely to shed.

Luckily, there are some steps that you can follow to keep your reindeer rug looking and feeling great for years to come.

Keeping your reindeer rug in perfect condition

  • Reindeer hides can be gently vacuumed, using the lowest setting on your device. Try to run the vacuum with the grain of the hair; this will avoid damaging and loosening the relatively fragile hairs and prevent them from shedding.
  • A gentler way to get rid of dust is to lightly shake the rug outside. This will remove excess dust and shed hair without damaging the rug. It’s also a good idea to leave your reindeer rug outside for an hour or so each month, preferably in sunlight. This exposes the rug to fresh air and the sunlight acts as a natural disinfectant.
  • The reindeer rug’s silicone treatment keeps our rugs waterproof; this means that stains from liquids and coffee can be cleaned off with a damp cloth. Afterwards, you should wipe the area with a dry towel to remove any excess moisture.
  • Food stains or other solids spilt on your reindeer rug can be gently teased off with a soft brush; we find using dog or cat grooming brushes particularly effective.


Reindeer rugs shed their hair

You might notice that your new reindeer rug sheds some hair for the first few days after you bring it home. This is completely normal; the hide is adapting to the atmospheric conditions in your home. This shedding should start to decrease after a couple of weeks.

  • During this time, you might find it helpful to shake your rug outside every two to three days to get rid of any loose hairs. After a month, the reindeer rug should have settled and will shed much less hair.
  • Don’t put your reindeer rug in your entrance hall.
  • Even though reindeer hides make great, comfortable rugs, heavy use can cause damage and lead to excessive shedding. Lots of feet walking over your reindeer rug will soon leave it looking tired and worn.
  • Try and place your rug somewhere where people won’t walk over it in their shoes. The rugs are a great addition to a living room, study or bedroom; particularly in rooms where you often walk around in your bare feet. However, they will not last as long in an entrance hall or busy office.


Keep your reindeer rug away from sources of heat


Reindeer hides’ hollow hairs are great at retaining heat. However, if they’re placed too close to radiators or fires, or are covering a surface with underfloor heating, they can become damaged. This excessive heat can dry out these super-insulating rugs, causing them to shed their hair.

Animals love reindeer rugs

Unfortunately, household pets such as cats and dogs seem to love our reindeer rugs even more than their owners do! They love to lie on reindeer hides, to knead them and dig out the fragile hairs. Cats and dogs can quickly cause significant damage to reindeer rugs.

If you have a household dog or cat, you might want to consider keeping your reindeer rug in a room that they’re not allowed into.


By following the steps above, you’ll keep your luxurious reindeer hide soft and lustrous for years to come.