Tips For Cleaning Your Wool Rug

There are many benefits associated with wool rugs, such as its ability to naturally resist dirt and its reputation for durability. However, that doesn't mean that removing stains or getting dirt out of your wool rug fibers isn't still a real chore. Here are some tips to help you keep your rug as clean as it can be over the long-term.  

Steam Cleaning

Wool is a beautiful but costly rug material, which means you want to do everything possible to maintain the life of your rug. For standard cleaning jobs, treating wool with a steam cleaner is often the treatment of choice. Steam cleaning helps penetrate deep into fibers, removing light stains and dirt relatively quickly.

The problem with steam cleaning, especially at high temperatures, is that much like a wool sweater thrown in the wash, the heat can end up shrinking the fibers of wool on your rug, leading to a smaller rug over time.

If you don't have your own steam cleaner, hiring a professional, like those at Oriental Rugs Of Scottsdale, is a good choice as they have the equipment and experience necessary to get out tough stains. They can also work on the right settings to help best preserve the overall size of your rug fibers while still getting out dirt and stains.

Rug Shampoos and Tough Stains

If you don't want to wash your wool rug with steam, you can use rug shampoos that have woolsafe written on the bottle. Simply apply the shampoo, rub it into the rug, and let it set over time before vacuuming up any shampoo residue.

Often, you'll come across certain stains that require a specialized treatment for wool. Regardless of what you spill on your rug, it's important to remove the stain as quickly as possible. That means blotting up any wine or scooping up excess chocolate before the stain can completely set.

For chocolate, oils, or grease, think about applying some mineral turpentine to a rag or cloth, and blotting at the stain until it's broken up. For drinks such as beer, wine or coffee, think about using rug shampoo followed by a dose of vinegar to get out any remaining stain residue.

Unfortunately, many stains such as ink or paints are extremely difficult to get out.  Repairing a wool rug can be costly, especially if fibers need to be replaced. However, a rug repair specialist can work with your budget to fix and restore your rug. They also have specific chemicals and methods for wool rugs to fix almost any damage or staining.

Ultimately, careful cleaning of your rug and prompt treatment of stains should help extend the life of your wool rug. If you're ever in a situation where you think your rug has an unmanageable stain, getting your rug repaired or cleaned by a specialist is usually your best bet.

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