What am I supposed to do with this now?

[Jenn98]

I got a package in the mail for DD#2 from a family member and in it was various wonderful things, but the one I'm stumped on is the huge sheep skin rug. It's gorgeous, but huge (like 2 feet by 3 feet). We used it to lay DD on for her announcement pics and it was great, but now what do I do with it? It is obviously expensive (I know that just based on who it is from, and that it's amazingly beautiful!) so I feel bad laying it on the ground and setting baby on it - how would I clean spit-up out of that?! And the cats would go nuts over it, too. Any suggestions as to what I can do with this?

[staramama]

Sounds like a beautiful rug. We love our smaller sheepskin rugs from Ikea. We bring them out for wintertime. DS loves to lie on one when he watches TV. Did the rug come with any washing instructions? I wash ours on our machine's handwash cycle with woolite. It lays flat to dry and is soft as ever.
Not sure what to tell you about the cat issue, though!

[zuzu]

We got one as a gift for DD, too. I thought our cats would go crazy over it, but they really haven't. Perhaps ours have gotten lazy. :)

We've left it on the floor in DD's room. She used to enjoy lying or sitting on it and sometimes petting it when she was younger. Now, at three, she enjoys moving it around and playing or reading on it, or dragging it into her forts or tents for a bed. I remember having one in my room as a child so it didn't seem so strange to me to just keep it out in her in her room. DH thought it was a bit odd though.

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5/03)

[Jenn98]

No, it didn't come with any washing instructions, and my aunt did not reply to my email. Maybe I should call her. I had no idea it could possibly go in the wash - that makes it *much* more useable!!

[cstack]

we had one like that for ds (about the same size) that he slept on when he was little. he loved it and I desperately wanted one to sleep on too. He used it for quite a long time. I might even try to find it and wash it so he could sleep on it again. There are whole studies about sheepskins (lamby's they're called) and how well babies do when they sleep on them. Preemies especially do well.

[cstack]

If you do a search for lamby, or go to an attachment/natural parenting site and ask, you'll probably be able to get instructions. I think I washed my in the washing machine with Dr. Bronners something soap. I think I still have a bottle down there, I'll have to try to remember to look and see the actual name of it,

[denna]

Also Jen I maybe way off base w/ this one but I have Ugg boots that are also sheepskin and I bought a shampoo/conditioner from them. The instructions are to wet completely in cold water, apply shampoo, and then rinse w/ cold water allow to dry naturally. Maybe just get a bottle of this cleaner and use it?

HTH,