Wool area rugs are beautiful, but need special care to maintain their beauty. Use the tips below to ensure that your wool rug lasts a lifetime.

Basic care and cleaning:

• Use a soft bristled broom to remove surface dirt once a week. Sweeping your rug using long, gentle strokes will help minimize the risk of damage; 
• If size and space permit, flogging your wool rug bi-monthly can also minimize wear and tear and remove the build-up of any dust and dirt from the pile; 
• Using a suction-only vacuum attachment, vacuum your rug once a week.  Avoid the use of beater bar attachments, as they could potentially damage the foundation of the rug or pile; 
• Once a year, vacuum wool rugs using a beater bar vacuum attachment. Vacuum the back of the rug first. This will encourage any dust or dirt build-up to fall out. After the back of the rug has been cleaned, turn over and continue; 
• Rotating your rug and replacing any worn or damaged rug padding at least once a year can also help your rug wear more evenly;
• Never attempt to clean Oriental rugs yourself. Due to their delicate nature, Oriental rugs should be cleaned once a year by a professional rug cleaning service.

Spills and stains:

• Blot out spills and stains immediately using a clean, soft cloth and soda water;
• If your wool rug is resting on top of carpeting when a spill occurs, quickly absorb the stain with a clean cloth. Insert a clean plastic cutting board under the spill to avoid transferring the stain onto your carpet.

Stubborn common stains:

• Saturating stains, such as urine, can be a bit trickier to remove but not impossible;
• Clean the area 3-5 times with soda water. Blot away any excess soda water with a dry, clean cloth and then apply a mixture of baby shampoo and white vinegar;
• Wipe excess shampoo/vinegar with a damp cloth and allow newly cleaned area to air-dry. If stain or odor persists, contact a professional rug cleaning service;
•  Ink: Spray ink-stain with hairspray and allow to air dry. Blot away remaining stain with mixture of white vinegar and water. Allow newly cleaned area to air dry;
• Gum: Press an ice cube against gum spot until it become brittle and can be broken away. Never attempt to remove untreated gum from your wool rug, as it may cause spot to worsen. Remove remaining gum by gently applying a mixture of white vinegar and alcohol.

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