If you have a wool area rug in your home, you know that it gets dirty and needs to be cleaned. But if your rug requires dry cleaning, what do you do?
It goes without saying that frequent vacuuming will keep dirt from building up on your rug and help it to stay cleaner. But even with vacuuming, your rug will eventually get dirty to the point where vacuuming will not be enough to do the job. If you have children and pets, dirt will be tracked into your home, and that rug is going to get dirty.
There are various ways you can clean your wool rug without having it dry cleaned. One way is to steam clean it. You can call in a professional, which is the most effective way to get your rug cleaned. But you can also rent a steam cleaning machine and do the job yourself. You should test the machine on a small part of the rug first to be certain that there is no problem.
You can also use a mild detergent, such as Woolite, on your wool rug. If the rug is not too large, it can be transferred to your backyard. Lay it out on a clean, dry area of pavement. Then hose down the rug. About one or two capfuls of Woolite to a bucket of cold water will be effective for cleaning. Sponge the detergent over the rug and then rinse the rug thoroughly again with your hose. Blot away excess moisture with paper towels. Allow your rug to air dry (but not in sunlight) and then return to your home.
If a spill occurs on your rug, absorb as much of the liquid as possible immediately, before it has a chance to soak in. Blot with a paper towel or absorbent cloth. Rubbing or scrubbing at the area will cause the wool to “pill”, so you do not want to do that. Spot cleaners that are appropriate for wool rugs will help if there is still a noticeable stain.
Do not use any of the oxygen cleaners that are on the market for your wool area rug. They are not appropriate for this type of rug.
If you vacuum your wool rug often and use one of the methods listed above when it needs a more thorough cleaning, you should have a beautiful rug to enjoy for years.
