You probably took some time in finding just the right wool area rugs, then you paid a pretty good amount of money for them, so now you have to consider how you will care for your rugs in order to make them last a long time. Regular care is the best thing you can do to preserve your stylish rugs.
Rules for keeping your wool area rugs in good shape are simple : a good go over with a vacuum cleaner, one or twice a week without scrubbing, and a deeper cleaning once or twice a year.
Light weekly vacuuming
At least once a week you want to vacuum your rugs. This will collect the dust that has settled on them. The ideal is to use the vacuum cleaner in the brush mode to redress the fibers and facilitate vacuuming. Be careful not to damage the rugs (do not use a hard brush) this would break some of the fibers.
There are two exceptions to this rule
You just bought your wool rug and it fluffs. You should not be worried about it as it is normal, all new wool rugs fluff for about 2 months when first bought. It is excess wool that will disappear naturally in a short time. In that case you should not use a brush as it might force you to spend more time in areas where fluffing is more evident, and that would disrupt the normal natural process that new rugs (and rug owners) must endure.
If you have an antique wool area rug or an oriental rug, avoid the brush as it is too harsh.
Deep yearly or bi-annual cleaning
Vacuuming does remove all the dust from wool rugs. This is even more so if your rug is in a busy area, where constant foot traffic tends to push dust deeper into the pile. Once or twice a year, use a steam rug cleaning machine or a rug shampooer (you can rent one in most places). This will help you to clean the fibers deeply to return your rug to its original good look.
If your rug is antique, or if it is an oriental rug, my advice is to get it professionally cleaned.
Removing spots
You should never rub a spot on a rug, as it can damage the fibers and discolor the area. You can blot the area with a clean towel, this will work every bit as well.
There are sprays and foams that you can buy that will treat any type of spots. (see below for suggestions.) You should choose products that are specifically designed for wool. It is always a good idea to test for color fastness in an inconspicuous area of the rug.
The cheapest and most ecological way to clean a spot on your rug is to wash it with a damp clean soapy sponge. Rinse with water or with water to which you added a little vinegar. Do not rub hard and do not use too much water as you should not get the rug wet.
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What do you think?