Wool floor coverings are a great addition to one’s living space. They add a bit of cosiness and luxury to your home interior. One of the positive aspects of wool rugs is that they are made from a natural material. For some reason, that makes them all the more soft and pleasant to feel underfoot. If looked after properly, they can also have a very long life span. That is why it is crucial to know how to care for wool carpets and rugs to get the maximum potential out of them.
How to Care for Wool Carpets and Rugs
First of all, you will need to make sure you are equipped properly for the job. Here is a list of things that will be handy to have around for cleaning wool floor coverings:
- Vacuum;
- Gentle laundry detergent or a homemade solution if you prefer eco products;
- Bucket;
- Sponge;
- White towels or clean cloths.
Now that you are equipped appropriately for the job, let us get to the work. Here is our guide on how to care for wool carpets and rugs:
- First off, take your floor covering outside, if possible, and give it a good shaking to get rid of any loose dirt in the fibres. If not, try hanging it over a railing or something and giving it a good whack with a flat head sweeping brush.
- Now, give the carpet a once over with a vacuum to get rid of dust buried into the fibres.
- Next up, get your bucket and fill it with cool water. Then add a capful of your gentle laundry detergent and mix it into the water.
- Time to sponge. Get your sponge and dip it into the water. There is no need to go overboard with the moisture, so use enough, but do not soak the rug. Start working it from the corners inwards with your sponge and soapy water.
- Now, rinse out your bucket and fill it with clean water. Use this to rinse out the soapy water from your carpet.
- Finally, get your dry towels to soak up as much of the moisture as possible. Then leave your carpet in a spot to dry. Preferably not under direct sunlight, as it may fade the colours.
Professional Pointers on General Wool Carpet and Rug Care
Now, not everything is in the cleaning process. There are a few things that every proud wool floor covering owner should now about how to care for wool carpets and rugs. That is why our team of professional cleaners has put this list of pointers together.
- New wool rugs and carpets shed a lot. Regular hoovering for the first month or so will help. We recommend no more than twice a week until the shedding slows. After that, 2-4 times a month is sufficient.
- Do not use an overly powerful hoover on your wool carpet as it may cause too much shedding. Placing a sock over the end of the vacuum pipe helps deafen the suction power slightly.
- Never use too much water when cleaning your wool floor coverings. It can be damaging to the fibres. Use as much as is needed and never more.
- Pet hair stuck inbetween the wool fibresa cn be removed using a hard brush. Always brush in the direction of the nap of the carpet.
- Spots and stains on your rug? Do not wash the whole thing. Rather, only tackle the soiled area. Over-washing is not good for wool rugs. If it does not seem to be going well, it may be a good idea to call in professional carpet cleaners to help deal with the situation.
- Hoover the underside once every one or two months.
- Using snow to clean your wool is an ancient technique that many people still like to apply. It is supposed to freeze and kill bacteria in the process.