Professional Tips On How To Clean And Maintain Wool Carpets And Rugs
One of the carpet cleaning questions professional carpet cleaners gets asked the most concerns wool carpets and rugs. Given that we are told that woollen items such as clothes should be washed in a certain way, it is likewise the case that wool rugs and carpets must be cleaned differently from most other rugs and carpets made from alternative materials.
The reasons people buy wool carpets and rugs are that they tend to be durable, they help to keep a room warm, they feel great underfoot, and they also look fantastic, but only if they are cared for properly, including proper cleaning. However, if you clean them using the wrong carpet cleaner solutions, then disaster can strike in the form of damage and, in the worst cases, ruined carpets or rugs meaning a replacement is required.
Hopefully, you never get that point, and to help that cause, below we have outlined for you some wool carpet cleaning tips and gold nuggets of advice from professional carpet cleaners on how to keep wool rugs and carpets clean, in great condition, and how to keep them that way for many years to come.
Place Them Wisely
One of the first tips a professional carpet cleaner will give is nothing to do with cleaning wool rugs and carpets but concerns with where to place them. The first point is that woollen items are not ideal in rooms and positions where there is likely to be a lot of moisture, such as humidity, or somewhere where water is likely to be spilt, such as a bathroom.
Another point to consider is where you have a room with a window that lets in lots of direct sunshine. Whilst that can be positive, it is not conducive to wool carpets and rugs as exposure to the sunlight can cause the colours within their fibres to fade.
One final point about positioning is if you have a wool rug or carpet at the entrance to your home. This is where most mud and outside moisture are likely to occur as people walk in, so that you could have a different type of carpet or rug here. Alternatively, place a doormat there so that people can wipe their feet on it. Best of all, insist everyone removes their footwear as they enter.
Regular Vacuuming Is Essential
Even if everyone is removing their shoes as they enter, your wool rugs and carpets will still have tiny particles of dirt and debris within their fibres. Not only can this make them look dirty, but they can accelerate the wear within the fibres. This is why you should get into the habit of vacuuming every day or, at the very least, two or three times per week.
Use A Firm Brush To Remove Pet Fur
One of the most common carpet cleaning issues homeowners face is pet hair if they have a dog or cat. Whilst vacuuming can get rid of some of it from wool rugs and carpets, there is sure to be some still entangled in the fibres. Given that pet fur can attract pests, plus it may start to create an odour, you want to remove them all. A proven way to do so is by brushing your wool rugs and carpets using a brush with stiff, firm bristles.
Dealing With Spills
Probably the trickiest issue people have to deal with concerning their wool rugs and carpets is spillage. The reason these cause so much consternation is first that a permanent stain may be created, and secondly, most people are unsure what carpet cleaner they should use to remove that stain, be that a manufactured liquid solution, a powder, or one of the many homemade suggestions you will see online such as vinegar.
Our recommendation if you are unsure what to do is not to guess but instead, seek the advice of a professional carpet cleaning company. Better still, hire them to remove the stain using their experience and expertise.
