[gothedistance]

How do you get your coat REALLY clean and looking crisp again for the next hunt (which is usually only two/three days away) without dropping a wad of dough at the cleaners? Any special secrets out there?

[Equibrit]

Stiff clothes brush.

[gkittredge]

Let it dry and grab a grooming brush. Yup, a good stiff one.

[SimpsoMatt]

I read somewhere that the proper care of a hunt coat is to brush it off with a stiff brush as needed during the season, as recommended by others here. Then, at the end of each season, dunk it in a water trough and hang it up to dry.

[JSwan]

Then, at the end of each season, dunk it in a water trough and hang it up to dry.

Do I have to kick the pig out first?







I use a gentleman's clothes brush.

[SimpsoMatt]

The pig might help by providing some agitation.

[gkittredge]

Did anyone ever tell you that you are one classy lady!

[Scaredacoops]

I use a stiff clothes brush for the mud, etc. I have been using the DRYEL home dry cleaning kit to freshen my coats up. It works well on getting the dust out. I usually only have my coats professionally cleaned at the end of the hunt season. I used to always take the buttons off for dry cleaning but my cleaners told me last time that if I'd crunch aluminum foil around the buttons, removing them wasn't necessary.

[wateryglen]

1. Let coat dry for a few days- laugh & have a beer
2. stiff brush off mud- laugh, have a beer, don't breathe the dust
3. dab off green slime/slobbers w/wet cloth- laugh, have beer
4. let coat dry for a few days- drink beer while waiting, wear other coat
5. vacuum it well (actually I like doing the damp towel wipe down also; you know....(like you'd damp towel a horse in winter, I mean, wool is actually an animal hair right!?) whilst drinking a beer.
6. hang it up; resolve to never hunt again in the rain/mud; laugh & have a beer
7. my particular method is to do all above on the morning of the next time you're hunting; I mean, why be prepared!? By the end of the season; your coat will be brown! Wear it with pride!!

oh oh......she's baaaaack!!! Computer hard drive replaced! You poor people!! And just WHAT were you people doing whilst I was away with my favorite bulletin board for cryin' out loud!!!??

[gkittredge]

And just WHAT were you people doing whilst I was away with my favorite bulletin board for cryin' out loud!!!??

Apparently it went to the hogs…

Still laughing about that photo!

[JSwan]

You mean you don't know about the stray Duroc piglet that is now a 400lb hog?

This is Kevin (Kevin Bacon) in his wild and misspent youth:

He follows me around when I ride - and knocks the jumps down. He prefers dressage. Sissy.

I have to go to great lengths to stay clean before hunting; as I have to do a lot of my chores in the am - which includes convincing Kevin that my britches do not need pig nose prints on them.

[rivenoak]

I like Wateryglen's method!

I think in the 6 or so years I've had the current coat, it's never seen the dry cleaners. Or the water trough. Maybe not even the Dryel. It's respectable looking, though.

JSwan, have you tried wearing something like soccer shorts over your breeches while you do chores? Not too hot, easy to shed...just remember to do so before mounting at the meet!

[JSwan]

I've got a whole system to keep clean in the am.

I generally do pretty well - but if I'm going to get dirt on me - it comes off of Kevin.

[Beverley]

Ah, well, why didn't you SAY so!

I de-spot first with a damp wash cloth, and let it dry. Then, into the dryer on 'air only' with a sheet of fabric softener for ten minutes or so. Warning, this can be hard on bone buttons, so if need be, cover the buttons for protection.

[JSwan]

Well I'd hope not or their wool would shrink.


For fabric coats - you can't beat those Dryel sheets. I've used them on show coats and street clothes to clean them in between dry cleanings. You just brush the major dirt off and then toss the coat in the dryer with that dry cleaning sheet thingy.

Works very well.

[Petalstorm]

I use a my vacuum cleaner with the upholstery attachment, works great!