Are you wondering how to wash Sherpa blankets to avoid ruining them?
How you wash your Sherpa blanket can go a long way to guarantee you or your baby a more peaceful sleep.
A well-made bed, clean sheets, and blankets positively affect your sleep and dreams.
This may seem exaggerated, but fabrics play a huge role in our lives. Either our moods become brighter or deemed, or our skin glows better.
All these depend on the type of fabrics we use and how we maintain them.
Follow these steps to understand how to wash a Sherpa blanket to get better sleep.
- Wash independently
- Gentle wash in cold water
- Use mild detergent. Avoid bleach
- Wash at normal temperature. Avoid high heat
- Spot clean and air dry. Do not dry clean.
What Are Sherpa Blankets?
Sherpa Blankets are blankets made from Sherpa fabrics closely imitating natural wool from sheepskin.
Even though Sherpa itself is 100% synthetic, it looks and feels like the original wool gotten from sheepskin, giving it the name faux sheepskin.
The fabric got its name from the Sherpa people of Nepal. Although it is made from polyester or acrylic fiber, it is very soft, affordable, and warmer than other fleece fabric blankets.
A Sherpa blanket has two sides of different textures; one has a woolly texture, and the other has a smooth suede feel. During winter, it makes a good companion for people who appreciate the warmth.
Natural sheepskin can be costly and scarce due to some animal welfare laws, which made many companies turn to faux sheepskin.
Using materials like the Sherpa fabrics, it is hard to miss out on the warmth and softness natural sheepskin provides since it gives the same feel.
Not to mention that it is lighter, cheaper, and easier to maintain than natural wool.
How to Wash Sherpa Blankets
You can only enjoy a good blanket with a good maintenance routine. If not, you either ruin the blanket or your sleep.
Even though Sherpa blankets are relatively easier to maintain, they still require good maintenance tactics to prolong their usage.
Here are some steps on how to wash Sherpa’s blankets:
Step 1: Wash Independently
Whether you’re hand washing or machine washing a Sherpa blanket, ensure you don’t load it alongside other fabrics because you may end up ruining your blanket.
In the washer, the fabrics roughly spin against each other, which shreds the delicate fibers of the fabrics.
In the end, you’ll have different tiny fibers stuck in the fibers of your blanket. This can affect its breathability and change its soft feeling.
Even when hand washing, if you wash it with dyed clothes, the blanket can suck up the dye from the other fabrics and look less attractive.
Step 2: Gentle Wash
You want to avoid forcefully pulling out the fibers of your blanket by washing it like a rug.
Select the gentle wash option on your washer and use normal or cold water to wash the blanket.
Take your time to wash it gradually instead of rushing up with it. You may overwash it in the process.
Step 3: Use mild Detergents
Avoid using bleach, fabric softener, or strong detergents that can weaken the fibers of the blankets.
Also, avoid using detergents with strong perfumes that take time to wear off fabrics as it may affect your breathing.
You can replace the fabric softener with white vinegar by pouring about one-half cup of vinegar into the wash cycle.
Step 4: Temperature Regulation
Does not use high heat on a Sherpa blanket for any reason, be it washing, drying, or ironing.
It’s interesting to note that the fibers used in making Sherpa blankets are made from recycled plastic and are susceptible to stretching or melting under high heat.
Use normal temperature during washing and air dry. You don’t need a dryer since the blanket is highly porous.
Step 5: Avoid Over Washing
Agreeably, a Sherpa blanket needs proper maintenance, but you don’t need to wash it always if you want to remove a mild stain.
You can spot clean with a sponge and air dry. Overwashing the blanket can lead to early matting and tearing.
Every good fabric requires special attention to prolong its use. A Sherpa blanket is valuable; therefore, you should pay extra attention to how you wash it, or else you may ruin it.
Keeping these washing and drying tips in mind will prolong the shelf life of your Sherpa. Also, be cautious about the laundry products you use on your fuzzy blankets.
How To Get Oily Stains Out Of Sherpa Blankets
Do you want to know how to get stains off your Sherpa blanket? Here is how to get those off your sherpa blanket.
The best way to remove greasy or oily stains is to apply dishwashing liquid like dawn or baby powder – rub it vigorously and allow it to settle overnight.
As a result of the cornstarch in the powder, any residue will be absorbed to get rid of unwanted marks and leave it smelling great.
Because of their durable, water-resistant coating (DWR), they are great at eradicating moisture independently, which means spot treatments are fine for stubborn stains.
Just rub some gentle detergent on the affected area (chemical, dye, and fragrance-free), leave it for a minute or two, then wash it by hand in warm water, cool water, or cold water.
How To Keep Sherpa Blanket Soft and Matt-Free
Are you frustrated with your matted Sherpa blanket? Here’s how to keep your Sherpa blanket soft and matt-free.
The best tool would be a boar bristle brush or a pet slicker brush. Plastic hairbrushes should be gentle enough to use on your dog’s coat, nothing sharp or harsh enough to snap the fibers!
During your free time, gently brush out any matting or fuzzing on the blanket. This will pull out any pilling or loose threads that make the blanket look frazzled rather than fluffy.
To snip off those annoying loose threads, use baby nail scissors (or a pair as small and safe) but take care not to cut a hole in your blanket!
You could also spray it with fabric sprays like Febreeze and a small amount of hair conditioner. A half teaspoon or less is fine!
Using your favorite scent will make your Sherpa softer and smell sweeter – if you don’t have Febreeze, use a spray bottle filled with 2 cups of water.
After you’ve washed and dried it, fluff it up with your hands until it looks almost as soft and cozy as when you first got it.
How Often Should You Wash a Sherpa Throw?
Once a month is enough to keep a sherpa throw clean and fresh-smelling.
However, if your dog vomits on it or you accidentally squish a slice of pizza into its fluffy fibers, you’ll need to wash it immediately!
In most cases, you should only wash it occasionally. Washing anything creates friction that causes wear over time.
You can hang your fleece throw outside in the sunshine during nice weather. The fresh air will carry away any unpleasant odors.
If you use fleece throws in your bed, wash them more often. Give them a sniff test if you need to wash them more often than once a month.
Read: How many swaddling blankets do I need?
Benefits of Sherpa Blankets
Since it is considerably better than other fleece blankets, you may wonder what benefits Sherpa blankets have over other fabrics and even blankets made from original wool, of which Sherpa is only an imitation.
Not to burst your bubble, but there are several reasons why the Sherpa people of Nepal Revere this fabric so much and have been using it since the 1980s when it first became popular.
Some of these benefits include:
1. Easy to Maintain
Sherpa blankets may have a close semblance with natural wool, but the difference is in their weights.
While the original sheepskin is thicker and heavier, a Sherpa blanket is lighter and softer, making it easy to wash, dry, and iron. Even though it is lighter than sheepskin, it is thicker than other fleece blankets.
The lightweight Sherpa blanket makes it dry quickly under normal conditions, and in many cases, you don’t need to iron it after drying, thereby cutting down the power bill.
2. Warmth
Manufacturers of Sherpa blankets pay special attention when producing a warm cover. The blankets’ double sides trap enough heat to keep you warm without choking you.
The fluffy side of the blanket is the one closest to your skin; therefore, you don’t feel any strain or discomfort on your skin.
3. Weight
Since the blanket has double sides with different textures, it should weigh a ton.
This is the second-best thing about a Sherpa blanket. It is weightless.
You can lift a big-sized Sherpa blanket with one arm and not remember. Its lightweight makes it suitable for children of all ages to use.
You can best appreciate this feature by comparing it with cotton or blankets made from natural wool.
4. Animal Friendly
Intentionally harming animals can be pretty upsetting to people in animal welfare organizations.
Vegetarians, vegans, and other animal rights activists ensure to prevent every form of animal endangerment in every way possible.
And you can only get wool from sheepskin which means, if there’s no shearing, there won’t be any clothes made from wool.
This should have been the reality if Sherpa blankets didn’t exist. Fortunately, they do and are considered the best alternative to original wool.
With Sherpa blankets, you can enjoy a warm and cozy night curled up on your couch without contributing to endangering any animal or upsetting anyone.
5. Cost Effective
As beneficial as a Sherpa blanket is, it is affordable if you compare it with other fabrics of the same purpose, especially wool.
One would think that getting a soft, comfortable, lightweight, and easy-to-maintain blanket should cause you to break the bank, but the opposite is the case.
Sherpa blankets are budget-friendly and long-lasting. If you’ve purchased anything made from wool, you’d be able to tell the difference.
FAQ’s
Why Are Sherpa Blankets So Warm?
The Sherpa fabric is warm because it is made from polyester but looks like wool. This helps them retain warmth, resist water, and make you feel cozy and soft during nighttime.
This one right here is becoming one of my favorites.
What Are The Best Sherpa Blankets To Buy?
Some of the best sherpa blankets to buy are the Genteel Sherpa Throw Blanket, Bedsure Sherpa Fleece Blanket, and the premium Barefoot Dreams CozyChic in The Wild Throw. These blankets are all available on Amazon. You can check them out here.
How Do You Fix Matted Sherpa?
If your sherpa throw looks matted down, you’ll need to do
some brushing using a stiff brush or a stiff-bristled pet brush.
- Spread the blanket over a flat surface, then vacuum the blanket.
- Snip away any loose threads or clumps sticking out of the throw, then brush the fleecy side of the throw to fluff it up.
- If this doesn’t work, try misting the fleece with cool water and brushing it.
Conclusion
As common as a Sherpa blanket is, few people know how to wash it.
Some mistakenly throw it in the washer with other clothes of different colors, breaking the first rule of washing; wash like colors together.
But washing a Sherpa blanket has other rules explained in the article “How to wash sherpa blankets,” which, if you follow, you will enjoy your blanket for a longer time.