The Beauty of
Wool Area Rugs
is Maintenance

Maintain the beauty of your wool area rugs by leaving your shoes at the door.

Bare or sock feet are gentler on the carpet (especially high heels) and you won't be tracking in dirt from the outdoors.

Rotate your rug once a year and use a quality rug pad to insure even wear and prevent slippage.

Clean your rugs but only when it is needed. A dirty rug wears prematurely, but how do you know?

The best way to way to judge whether your rug is due to be cleaned is to pick the corner of the rug up and kick the backside. If you get smacked with a puff of dust coming out of the pile chances are, cleaning is necessary. Bear in mind there will be certain amount of fibers and dust that are normal.

Another test is to rub your hand back and forth in an arc across the pile several times. Is your hand dirty? Or fold the rug at the corner with the pile facing up and look down at the row of knots and see what lies there. If there is dirt the vacuum won't be able to pick up, it should be cleaned professionally.

In areas where your unique area rug gets a lot of use (kitchen or family room) you will need to have your rug cleaned once a year. Otherwise it can last years with proper care before it needs a professional cleaning.

Like most carpet it is good for your oriental and wool area rugs to be vacuumed on a regular basis. This removes the dust and restores life to the fibers of the rug before dust and dirt has a chance to become embedded and cause increased wear.

It is best to use the nozzle of your vacuum on oriental rugs. The powered brushes of your vacuum can be too strenuous. Be sure not to vacuum the fringe. The rotating mechanism can chew up the fringe damaging it.

Did something spill?

Act immediately. Most spills can be removed from your wool area rugs or carpet if treated before it has a chance to dry.

• Take a clean white cloth or white paper towel and blot as much of the liquid spill as possible. For solid spills, spoon off most of the material first. Don't use a colored cloth because the dyes could bleed into the rug.
• Working quickly, blot from the edge of the spill toward the center so you don't risk spreading it or causing a ring. Avoid rubbing as this can cause damage to the rug.
• Place absorbent towels under the rug to prevent the pad and floor from becoming wet.
• Rinse out as much of the spill as possible using a solution of vinegar and water. (About a cup of vinegar to a gallon of water) but don't get it soaking wet. Vinegar helps to prevent the colors from running and also neutralizes any odors.
• After the rug has been rinsed, blot the area dryly and apply the recommended solution for any number of common spills from the area rug information chart, or a mixture of the vinegar, rug shampoo with tepid water.
• Sponge the area in the direction of the nap with cool clean water to finish and allow to dry. When the nap feels dry check the backing to be sure the area is completely dry. To thoroughly dry a larger rug, prop the rug in a way to allow the air to circulate under it.
• When the rug is dry, carefully brush the fibers back in place.

If you choose to use a commercial cleaner always test it in a inconspicuous place as sometimes they can remove color from wool area rugs.

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