Top tips when it comes to looking after your wool rug

If you have ever purchased rugs for your home, chances are at least one of them has been wool (and if it hasn’t been then what are you doing?!). Wool rugs are definitely an investment and are extremely practical in just about every home. The fibres are natural, they are naturally hypoallergenic and deter dust-mites and bacteria. They are also naturally flame retardant (so they make the perfect rug in front of your fireplace if you’re lucky enough to have one!) and very hard wearing. 

All these great things about wool rugs, however, there are some things you need to know when it comes to cleaning your floor rug if you want it to last.

1. Rotate it

Rotating your wool rug every few weeks or so stops excess wear in only one area of the rug. What you want with your rug is an even wear pattern and to avoid any areas of your rug fading from excessive sunlight. This is especially the case if the rug is under your bed and you are stepping on the same areas of the rug all the time. If you do have a few rugs around the house, we’d recommend swapping the locations of the rugs as this is the best way to get an even wear pattern on each rug.

2. Vacuum it (but not too regularly)

Low-impact vacuuming is key! High power vacuuming is damaging for the natural fibres of the rug and pulls at them unnecessarily, resulting in excess shedding. Motor-heads on vacuums are a big no-no and so is vacuuming in an up-down motion. You want a low impact vacuum going only in one direction once a week at most.

3. Spot clean stains… IMMEDIATELY

While wool rugs are relatively naturally stain resistant, you do have to be extra careful with them when it comes to cleaning. Different kinds of spills must be treated differently, and we do not recommend using any harsh cleaners or chemicals on your natural rug.

Never pour any cleaning products directly on the wool rug, always put them on your damp cloth first and be gentle when you clean the rug to prevent damage.

For day to day spills, we recommend some Castille soap and warm water. The key is to dab at the spill rather than rubbing it, as this will push it further into the fibres of your rug and cause damage. 

After using any liquid to clean your rug, you will need to make sure that you allow the rug to dry properly. If you can hang it, we’d recommend doing this to improve air circulation.

Pro-tip: When it comes to mud, let the mud dry first and scrape it off. Trying to clean off wet mud may cause it to spread out over the rug and make the stain bigger.

4. Full cleaning requires a professional

For any unspeakable situations when it comes to your new rug, we always recommend calling a professional. Professionals can take your rug and give it the TLC it needs in a controlled environment, that we usually cannot replicate at home.