Can You Vacuum a 100% Wool Rug

An investment in a wool rug is costly but also lucrative and wise considering the high durability and extended longevity, not to mention the aesthetic appeal and versatility.

While maintaining these carpets can be relatively easy, keeping them in pristine condition come with experience. Professional rug cleaners are advantageous. Their years in the industry enable them to restore 100 percent wool rugs to their natural beauty.

You can also seek guidance when purchasing the carpet at Modern Bungalow. The qualified staff will provide essential guidance on care and upkeep to maintain the carpet’s integrity.

If you decide to take on the task of cleaning the carpet, it’s vital to use care to avoid ruining the material.

Frequency For Cleaning Wool Rugs

A wool rug’s thickness natural tends to collect more dust and grim in the fibers. Regular care and upkeep will help keep it looking good and extend its longevity.

For optimal care, the cleaning frequency is a crucial matrix with the general rule being high enough to prevent direct from building up into the fibers albeit low enough to prevent rug damage. Generally, it’s favorable to vacuum the carpet twice each month. There are variables with this, however.

–             Pets: It’s recommended for homes with no pets to clean an average of 1-2 a month. With pets, the cleanings increase to roughly between 4 and 7 times each month.

–             Footsteps: Understandably, the heavier the foot traffic, the more dirt will build up.

–             Rug location: In the same vein as foot traffic, certain rooms in the home will have heavier use than others and will require more frequent cleanings.

–             Vacuuming: Homeowners are advised to have professional help at least once each year as the ideal method for keeping the carpet in pristine condition.

How To Clean a Wool Rug Yourself

While professional wool rug cleaning is effective, it can be costly, and frequent service does have its downsides. Cleaning carpets at home; however, is budget-friendly and homeowners can control the effort. Visit – How to Clean a Wool Rug – for tips on cleaning a wool rug.

How can you clean your wool rug at home? There are a few do’s and some don’ts that you want to focus on when cleaning wool carpets at home.

Vacuum

The simplest and recommended method for cleaning woolen rugs is to vacuum in a “V” pattern to thoroughly clean the rug without introducing damage to the fibers by alternating the direction of the vacuum. The machine needs to have a high height to avoid agitating the fibers, which can lead to piling and shrinkage.

You want to vacuum roughly twice each month, particularly for shag carpets, which need additional effort. The fibers have tiny air pockets where the dirt and dust collect so the rug appears clean longer than synthetic alternatives.

Eventually, however, vacuuming is necessary to bring the rug back to pristine condition. You want to refrain from over-vacuuming because this will pull the natural fibers out of the carpet.

Vacuuming should be done on both sides of the rug periodically to ensure you capture all the dirt. Vacuuming the underside is recommended every two months. The critical thing when vacuuming is the type of machine you use.

Determining the type of pile you have

Wool pile rugs and flat weave kilims use slightly different suction settings and slightly different heights. Consider the following.

–             Handled brush: This add-on prevents vacuuming larger areas than necessary when spills occur and allows safe vacuuming of the fringe.

–             Adjustable suction: This allows pile height adjustment.

–             Beater bar: Make sure the vacuum’s beater bar is turned off if it has one; however, these agitate the dirt deep into the rug’s air pockets and will pull the fibers out destroying the carpet. Ideally, you want a vacuum without a beater bar.

Shake the rug out

If you can’t fathom the idea of vacuuming your wool carpet even twice per month shaking it outside will help eliminate the dirt without vacuuming. If it’s oversized, get a friend or family member to help shake it for roughly a minute on a clear day and then leave it outside for a few hours to freshen it.

Old fashioned beating

If you want to take things a step further, you can beat wool rugs. In the distant past this is how they loosened the dirt and cleaned the carpets. This was before vacuums came along. To this day, homemakers continue to use this method as they recognize beater bar vacuums destructive nature on the wool fibers.

When using the rug-beating method, you need a sturdy laundry line, a rug beater, and some physical strength. Many thrift shops or antique markets carry rug beaters or new ones can often be found on marketplace sites. Some people use a wooden spoon but that can be quite tedious.

Final Thought

Wool rugs are a one-of-a-kind work of art that you want to take special care of so generations after you can enjoy them.

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