How to care for a cowhide rug

A cowhide is one of the easiest rugs you can own. The hair is short and smooth, it does not trap dust the way a deep pile does, and a few minutes now and then keep it looking its best for years. Here is the whole routine.

Every week or two: a quick vacuum

Vacuum your cowhide with the beater bar or rotating brush switched off, always in the direction the hair lies. That lifts dust and loose hairs without roughing up the coat. A good shake outdoors now and then helps too.

Spills: blot, don’t rub

Blot a spill straight away with a clean cloth, then dab the spot with a barely damp cloth and let it dry away from heat. Brush the hair back in its direction once it is dry. We don’t recommend washing, soaking or steam cleaning a cowhide: water and heat can make the leather stiff.

A dent from a table or chair leg

Place a sealed bag of ice on the spot and let the ice melt, then comb or brush the hair in the direction it lies. The dent lifts again. Moving your furniture a little now and then keeps dents from forming at all.

Light and heat

Strong, direct sunlight can lighten natural colours over time, so turn your hide every few months and keep it out of the strongest sun. Underfloor heating is no problem for a cowhide: it is thin and stays comfortable at a gentle floor temperature.

Pets and busy homes

Cowhide is lovely with pets. The short hair does not hold on to pet hair, and a vacuum keeps it fresh. Keeping claws trimmed keeps the hide looking its best.

How long will it last?

With this little bit of care, a very long time. Leather has been with us for thousands of years: the oldest leather shoe ever found, discovered in the Areni-1 cave in Armenia, is about 5,500 years old and made from a single piece of cowhide. That makes it around a thousand years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza, and it still holds its shape.

Ready to choose yours? Every hide in our cowhide collection comes from Brazil and is photographed on its own, so the one you see is the one you receive.