How to clean your wool rug

Soft yet strong, it’s no surprise that wool is a popular material to make luxury rugs from.

The feeling of its fibres underfoot offers comfort and warmth, while the robust nature of wool yarns allows rugs to endure and be passed on to future generations. Wool can be dyed any colour designers wish, and even work well combined with other materials to make high-quality rugs. As a result, wool can be found in many of the finest types of luxury rugs available, from Oriental and Persian to Turkish and Chinese Superwash rugs.

Even the strongest rugs require maintenance, however, to preserve their visual and tactile appeal and keep them in active use for years to come. Here, we’ll take an in-depth look at the best ways to clean your wool rugs to achieve these objectives.

Home care for wool rugs

Wool rugs might be hardy, but they need some help to stay in great shape.

How much cleaning rugs require will always depend on where they are positioned and how much footfall they experience. For example, if your wool rug is placed on the floor in a high traffic area, it will always need more care than if it is hung on the wall. When outdoor shoes are worn inside or pets bring elements from the outside in, wool rugs in your home are more likely to get dirty quicker.

As a result, how often your rug needs cleaning will vary depending on factors such as these.

Regular vacuum cleaning using an attachment designed for rugs can help remove the surface dirt, but over time, fine particles of dust will filter down into the pile and collect at the bottom. Home vacuum cleaners often fail to extract deep dust from rugs, and if left unchecked, this build-up can be a threat to rugs. Compacted dust and bacteria can bite into the yarns of rugs, creating bald patches over time and spoiling their appearance.

If food or fluid is spilled on a rug, immediate action is always required. Dry matter should be removed first, and then liquid can be absorbed with a clean paper towel. When cleaning a spill before a stain occurs, rug owners should dab at liquid and work from the outside of a stain towards the inside, always using a clean part of the cloth.

However, for best results, tackling the stain should be avoided, as improper cleaning methods can make matters worse. Instead, consult a professional cleaner with experience of wool rugs to fix the issue.

Wool rugs at risk of moisture and odours

Wool is a highly absorbent material, and when examined under a microscope, fibres have a feature that act like pockets.

When collecting air, these pockets insulate, allowing wool to be warm, but this also means that when air is foul from smoke or pet accidents, your rug retains unpleasant smells. Additionally, excessive moisture from dampness in rooms or inadequate drying after cleaning can leave rugs smelling musty, impacting the air quality in your home.

What’s involved in professional wool rug cleaning

Experts in wool rug cleaning test that the dye of rugs is stable before all dry matter is gently removed using mini vibrations. Then, rugs are soaked with a mild detergent (never strong chemicals), which is flushed out in a special pool using soft water to ensure that no soap remains. If rugs have been stained, these are resolved one-by-one, and then a special bacteria-killing treatment is applied that can effectively neutralise any noxious odours and ensure rugs won’t impact the health of your household.

With an understanding of the dangers of leaving wool rugs wet, a dependable drying method is used involving a special centrifuge and a dehumidification room.

Do you need expert help with wool rug cleaning in Essex?

Now that you understand what’s involved in cleaning wool rugs, and how professional care can ensure they stay perfectly presented and preserved, you might decide it’s time for your own rugs to undergo a service.

Our comprehensive method for cleaning wool rugs uses nine different steps, and relies on equipment that was specially designed with their needs in mind.

We have a purpose-built rug washing pool, which experts agree is the safest and most effective way to clean wool rugs. It is designed to imitate the traditional cleaning techniques used successfully for thousands of years to care for wool rugs, but updated in a modern setting for guaranteed results.

To extend how long your wool rug remains in optimum condition and to defend it against accidents, we also offer a special stain protection treatment. Once applied, this invisible layer can safeguard your rug against spilled drinks and pet accidents.

If your luxury wool rug needs our attention, our team are ready to help. Reach out to the Rug Cleaning Studio today to book a collection and deep clean.

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