Follow These Four Tips to Keep Your Wool Rug Clean Without Causing Damage
Wool rugs are prized for their longevity, softness, and ability to bounce back after pressure is exerted on their fibres. However, compared to a synthetic alternative, there are a few extra things that owners need to take into account during cleaning. Make sure you follow these four steps to see that yours is kept clean without any damage being caused in the process.
1. Vacuum the Right Way
You should definitely vacuum your rug—it ensures that your whole living space is kept clean. However, you'll need to make sure that you don't use a vacuum with a beater bar—the rotating brush on the bottom of the vacuum that is used to dig into fibres to better remove hair, dirt, and debris. Beater bars are great for synthetic rugs since their fibres tend to be denser, but they will cause excessive shredding and abrasions to your wool rug. Use handheld attachments if you cannot remove the bar itself.
2. Vacuum Frequently
Now you know how to vacuum your wool rug, make sure you do so frequently. One of the best things about wool is that it can hide a huge amount of dirt before any signs show themselves. However, this can cause odours and reduce the overall life of your rug. Make sure you vacuum at least once a week, more often if the rug is in a high-traffic area. Run the vacuum over in both directions to make sure that no matting occurs.
3. Avoid Certain Chemicals
Certain agents used for cleaning should be prevented from coming into contact with your wool rug. High alkaline agents, for example, can cause discoloration and degradation of the fibres, and bleach and actually dissolve wool when it comes in contact, so don't try to remove a tough stain by using it. Luckily, there are a number of chemical cleaners created precisely to clean wool without causing any damage. Just make sure you check a cleaner is right for wool before you buy it.
4. Use a Steam Cleaning Service
Finally, consider using a steam cleaning service every year or so. These are more commonly used on fixed carpets, but they can be just as useful for rugs. Steam cleaning is particularly good at removing soil, which can damage your wool rug's fibres if present for too long. One thing to keep in mind is that wool rugs will tend to smell a little funky right after steam cleaning. This is natural—they will smell better than ever once completely dry.
Wool rugs are both beautiful and expensive, so it only makes sense to ensure that you keep yours in prime condition while avoiding any potential damage. Following the steps listed above will help you do just that.
