Why is it important to keep the horse saddle pad neat and clean

Most people probably never think about how dirty their horse saddle pads can be. Not only bothering your horse, but can also shorten the life of the pad itself. A clean pad protects the underside of your saddle and check it regularly, you can see signs of saddle-fit problems like stains sweat absorption and scattered hair accumulation.
After some hot, sweaty rides, saddle your horse pad can get very ugly. Perspiration and hair to be stuck with it and can be irritating to their skin and can even be a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. It can encourage skin and aching muscles, sponge and bald spots. Always check your saddle pad after a ride, and clean it if necessary.
Before you clean your pad, you need to know what kind of material it is made. So you must focus on removing the dried sweat and dirt, then glued to the hair comes from a whole lot easier. You can use a soft brush and the adhesive side of duct tape to remove hair from any pad, but especially the natural leather and wool. This only works if done often and when the pad is not too dirty.
You can use your home steam cleaner, if your pad is cotton, nylon, synthetic fur or fleece. (Use very thin fleece.) Always test a visible place first, to be sure. Use a mild solution such as Woolite and run another cycle with plain water to wash it very well, so the soap does not come in contact with your horse.
Another option is to use the Shop Vac. This will help to run a small stream of water on the horse the pad before you start vacuuming to get cake on her hair loosened up first. This is a good choice in all materials except Neoprene pads that are too smooth in vacuum.
If you have a pressure washer, you can clean nylons and neoprene. You can also bring your pad in the car wash in town and hang it on hangers floormat. Spray a 45 degree angle to do the best job. Just be prepared to take a heavy, soaking counter at home. You can throw on the back of the truck, or you can take a bath with you. When you get home, hang it on the fence to dry. Remember that it may take a day or two.
One thing to try is your gut smooth surface pads. You can also hose down nylon, felt synthetic leather, synthetic wool, and horsehair. You can use a foaming hose attachment with a mild detergent or disinfectant to actually do the work. After it is washed, so try to wring some of the water, then hang to dry. Do not use water on the open-cell foam, though. Destroying it.
Another way to clean your saddle pad is to put it in your bathtub. This is for materials to be soaked to get clean, like proper hand-dyed wool and wool. They can not have any leather or trim them, though. Let it soak for 10 minutes, then swish it around in the water. Rinse and hang to dry for a day or two. Then you have to vacuum it to get the rest of the hair out of it. You can also use a large bath with this method.
How about using your washing machine? You can clean synthetic fleece and wool to it. Use the gentle cycle, cold water and mild detergent. Hang to dry. This method is not structured for hard pads. Oh yeah! You might want to run an empty cycle to get all the hair out of the machine before someone washes a load of clothes in it.