Rug care

Living with a wool rug

Wool is forgiving, but it rewards a routine. Everything here is standard practice for wool floor coverings and applies to any rug with a wool pile.

Every week

Vacuum with suction only — switch off or lift any rotating beater bar, which pulls at the pile.
Work in the direction of the pile rather than against it.
Vacuum the floor underneath every so often; grit that works its way through is what actually wears a rug out.

Every few months

Rotate the rug 180° so foot traffic and daylight fall evenly across it.
Check the edges and fringes for anything starting to come loose — caught early it is a small repair.
Air it outdoors on a dry, shaded day if you can. Not in direct sun.

When something spills

Act immediately — wool resists staining well, but only while the spill is still sitting on the surface.
Blot with a clean, dry white cloth. Press straight down; do not rub, which drives it into the pile and can felt the fibres.
Work from the outside of the spill inwards so it doesn't spread.
For anything left after blotting, use cool water sparingly, then blot dry and let it air-dry fully.
Never use bleach, ammonia or a strong alkaline cleaner on wool — they strip the fibre and the dye.

Troubleshooting

Common worries

It's shedding loose fibres

Normal for a new wool pile, and it settles. Vacuum gently and regularly — usually a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on the rug.

It arrived with creases from the roll

Lay it flat, pile up, and give it a few days. Weighting the corners with books helps. Reverse-rolling it for a day or two also works. Don't iron it.

The colour looks uneven in bands

That's abrash — different dye batches of yarn used as the weaving progressed. It is a characteristic of hand-woven rugs, not a fault, and it usually reads as depth rather than error.

A tuft is sticking up higher than the rest

Trim it level with scissors. Never pull it — you'll draw a whole length of knot out of the weave.

It's slipping on a hard floor

Use a rug pad. It stops the movement, cushions the pile, protects the floor and lets air circulate underneath.

There's an old stain, or it needs a deep clean

Take it to a professional rug cleaner who works with wool. Machine washing, steam cleaning and most home carpet machines can shrink or felt a wool pile.

Things that damage wool

Bleach, ammonia and strongly alkaline cleaners — they strip fibre and dye.
Hot water and steam — heat plus agitation felts wool permanently.
Machine washing, at any temperature.
Rotating beater-bar vacuums, which tear at the pile.
Prolonged direct sunlight, which fades dyes unevenly.
Storing a rug damp, or sealed in plastic — both invite mould and moths.

The short version

Vacuum regularly without a rotating beater bar, which can pull at the pile; use suction alone.
Rotate the rug every few months so light and foot traffic wear it evenly.
Blot spills immediately with a clean, dry white cloth — press, do not rub, and work from the outside in.
Keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight, which fades dyes over time.
Use a rug pad underneath: it stops slipping, cushions the pile and lets air circulate.
For deep cleaning or an old stain, use a professional rug cleaner who handles wool.

Unsure about something on your rug? Send us a photograph at contact@tyigo.com and we'll tell you what we'd do.