Steps For Cleaning Your Wool Rug
A wool rug can make a beautiful addition to your home. However, wool rugs will need to be cleaned in a certain manner in order to preserve them well. You may want to try to avoid stains by applying protective coating to it. However, if that doesn't work and stains or dirty areas do occur, you can clean the rug by following the advice provided in this article.
Clean the rug immediately - As soon as you spot a stain or dirty area on your wool rug, you will want to clean it. The longer the stain is allowed to stay in the rug, the harder it will be to clean and the more risk you will have of not being able to get it clean all the way.
Remove all dust and dirt - Take the rug outside and shake it well. You can also hang it from a clothing line and hit it with a broom to get as much dirt and dust out of it as possible. After this, lay it flat on a clean surface and vacuum it thoroughly. Keep in mind that a wool rug can be turned upside down and vacuumed from the bottom side as well.
Try dry foam cleaner - Using dry foam cleaner is the easiest way to clean wool rugs since they don't require as much water. If you have access to this type of cleaner, apply it to the rug and lightly scrub the area. Quickly dry the rug and vacuum it again once it has dried completely. If the dry cleaner has worked, then you are done. If the stain remains, try the method detailed below.
Note: Make sure you read the dry foam cleaner first and verify it is safe to use on wool.
Wash the rug outdoors - Hang the rug again and use your hose with a high-powered nozzle to wet it. Mix a bit of liquid laundry detergent in some warm water and use a sponge to clean the rug. Make sure you don't scrub too hard or you can cause the fabric in the rug to look worn. Continue dipping the sponge into the solution to add more soap to the rug. Once you have washed the rug, use the high powered nozzle again to get out all traces of the soap.
Dry the rug - One thing you need to realize about washing a wool rug is they do need to be dried quickly. You cannot put them in a drier. Try to wring out as much as you can by hand. Shake the rug if it is small enough. If not, you may have to count on the sun to dry it out, so wash it during the daytime on a bright day. You may also want to hit it again with a broom stick to get more of the water out.
If you're not able to get stains out yourself, reach out to a local rug cleaning company for further help.