Sometimes, we forget to take a look at the materials our rugs are made of. After a while, we start thinking that an easy toss into the washer and dryer will keep it clean and long-lasting. But then a month passes and we realize how worn out our rug has become, or even worse, we might have to buy a new one. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy for people to end up being too busy to keep track of every single thing. But at the end of the day, taking care of a rug isn’t as hard as it may seem.
Let’s use wool rugs as an example. Wool is probably the sturdiest natural fibre that rugs are made out of these days. With characteristics like these, no wonder it is:
- Liquid resistant
- Stain & dirt resistant
- Fire resistant (low heat, burns slower)
- Bouncy, yet soft
Looking at these traits, you’d assume that wool was invincible. As much as we’d like to hope, it isn’t. But its hardy resistance to everyday wear and tear makes it a lot better than other materials out there.
That being said, wool is unique, just like any other rug material, and it has unique requirements when it comes to proper maintenance. Using cleaning methods outside of what’s recommended may even damage your rug and thus lessen its life span. No one wants that to happen, right? So just take a few minutes or so out of your day and look up the proper ways for cleaning wool rugs. Once you’ve dealt with that, plan to take a couple hours out of your weekend or when you’re free to finally utilize what you’ve learned.
For starters in cleaning your wool rug, try to keep these easy Do’s and Don’ts in mind.
Here are just a few tips for you to follow when cleaning your wool rug:
- Sometimes a good shake is all the rug needs to get rid of dirt. Take it outside and shake it around, or use a stick to beat the dirt from it.
- Vacuum! Just use the hose tool and vacuum away. Even better, you could use the vacuum as a follow-up to shaking or beating the dirt out of the rug.
- Use a steam cleaner.
- When using a wool-safe detergent, massage the detergent into the rug.
Try not to:
- Be aggressive or scrub the wool fibres. This can cause matting and fuzzing, which will take away from the overall appearance of the rug.
- Let a stain sit for too long. Blot up as much as you can with paper towel and work on the stain with a gentle wool-sensitive soap.
- Toss it in the washer and dryer. Regular laundry detergent and high temperatures are too harsh for wool fibre rugs.
The most important tip that you can follow is simple: be consistent. If you maintain your wool rug care on a constant basis, you’ll save yourself the time and money of doing all the work in one sitting. In the end, you’ll have more time with your wool rug.