Contemporary wool area rugs are a great choice for sprucing up any room of a house or condo. They especially make fantastic additions to a downtown condo, loft or apartment that tend to have a simplistic modern feel. They are used nicely to warm up hard wood floors, tile, travertine tiles, concrete and marble.

Contemporary wool area rugs come in a variety of styles and sizes. You can typically find the perfect rug for whatever space you have. They come in all kinds of sizes, for example 4′ x 6′, 6′ x 9′, 5′ x 8′, runners as well as round wool area rugs.  They match up well with hallways, bedrooms, utility rooms, living rooms, family rooms and dining rooms. Colors are plentiful as well as the intricate designs. If you search long enough and don’t find anything suitable you are probably too picky.

Take a look at the modern looking wool area rug below. Do you see how it tastefully dresses  up the room and ties the furniture and coffee table together nicely.

Some of the benefits of wool over other fibers include:

• Durability
• Beauty
• Liquid Resistant
• Fire Resistant
• Thick fibers to soften sound for loud rooms

Contemporary wool area rugs are fairly low upkeep and need only basic vacuuming to preserve their appearance. Shedding can happen on nearly all new rugs but that will generally fade over time. It may just require vacuuming more frequently. Rotating your rug frequently will help produce even wear patterns. This is especially important in high traffic locations.

Regular cleaning of your rug is important for longevity. Stain removal of wool rugs are similar to other fibers. The good thing is that wool is liquid resistant so if you catch any spills early then stains are unlikely. Blot up as much of the liquid as possible before using a spot remover. You should spot test your stain remover in a small, discrete area to check for color fastness.

Are you wondering how a hand tufted rug is made? They are made much like hand hooked rugs, except the loops are sheared to create a flat surface. A hooked rug is one where the rug is made by pushing loops of yarn through a canvas backing. Hooked rugs are less expensive alternative to knotted rugs because it is much faster process to create them. Demand for hand tufted wool area rugs can be handled due to the ease of creating them. They can be produced quickly an inexpensively. Hand knotted rugs are more difficult to produce and the processing time is much longer. Designs for hand tufted rugs can conceptualized, produced, shopped and arrive in rug retailer around the world rather quickly and at a fraction of the time of other rug designs.

Throw away your hand tufted wool area rugs?

Many people inside the rug industry consider hand tufted rugs as “disposable rugs” for a number of reasons. First of all, they are relatively inexpensive rugs. For example, here is a hand tufted round wool area rug that won’t break the bank. Sometimes, it is just easier to start over and get a new one. Compare the cost of having your rug professionally washed to just buying a new one. The difference might be worth the investment.

Cleaning a hand tufted wool area rug can be difficult. Because of the way it was produced shampoo it just won’t get out stains. After washing it often times they will not dry properly or uniformly. You could up with a wrinkled, disheveled mess on your floor that was once a pretty rug. Another potential problem with a water and shampoo washing is color running. This can happen with cheap wool.

Another common problem is the odor. It is not uncommon to never get a bad odor out of a hand tufted wool area rug.

Tips to Owning a Hand Tufted Wool Area Rug

1. Just know ahead of time that this may be a short term investment. You may only get a few years out of this rug. It is easier to swallow that at the time of purchase. Fortunately, these rugs are not that expensive so buying a new one won’t usually cause you to miss a mortgage payment.

2. Clean your hand tufted rug often. If you vacuum weekly and perhaps put it in a low traffic area you can make it last for many more years.

3. If it gets too bad find another location for your hand tufted rug. Perhaps the garage, utility room or back porch?

Take a look at this video of some rugs being made.

Wool is most often associated with sweater, scarfs and mittens. However a wool area rug is a great addition to your home or office. They can warm up a hard floor like wood, tile, travertine tiles, concrete or other carpet. These rugs are durable and long lasting.

Wool comes from lambs and goats and is then processed into strands. In the old days wool were spun together by hand on a spinning wheel until there was a long enough piece to knit or weave with it.

Why you should buy wool rugs:

• They can last a long time
• very durable
• fire and water resistant
• warms up a cold or stale environment
• beautiful
• softens noises

Reasons not to buy a wool area rug

• More costly than synthetic fibers
• You may not like their look
• They are fire resistant. If you want to burn your home down and make it look like an accident these rugs won’t work.

Wool is a very versatile material. That is why you see it used in clothing, coats and rugs. If properly maintained and clean a wool area rug can last for decades. Rugs woven by a machine have been know to last 30 years while hand tufted wool area rugs can last fifty years or longer. When property maintained these rugs can look just as beautiful after 10 years compared to when they were originally made.

Wool fibers have natural lanolin which makes it resistant to liquids. If you spill orange juice or any other kind of liquid on a wool area it will be awhile before it gets absorbed because of the lanolin. If you catch a spill early all you have to do is blot it and there is a good chance of no staining. For regular maintenance it is best to vacuum it frequently.  Prevention is the best way to keep these rugs in tip top shape.

Although, probably not a major concern but a wool area rug is also fire resistant. It might catch fire but the fire won’t spread. If you need a rug in front of a fire place then wool is your choice. Occasionally, a hot piece of wood or bark from the fireplace shoots out from the heat. If it lands on your wool are rug the rug wonlt go up in flames like a tinder box. If you notice firemen wear wool. That is because the wool won’t stay lit if the flame is suffocated.

You will often see wool rugs in rooms with loud acoustics. The natural fibers help dampen sound and are widely used in loud places. In a large living room with hard walls and say hardwood floors a wool rug will soften the noise and help prevent echoes.

There are many reasons to own wool area rugs. If you don’t own one yet and are considering a purchase I believe that you will be extremely pleased. Most people enjoy them for many years.

Does your home need some decoration love? How about adding a wool area rug to break things up and add some warmth to your home or office? These make great additions to those area as they are not only pretty to look at but they are very comfortable to relax on and can be very durable. They also make a popular choice for families with kids because they can enjoy the comfort of the wool area rug while they play their toys and are strong enough to withstand the roughness of young boys and their toys. Here are a few things to keep in mind when buying one.

Be Prepared - Measure out where you plan to put your wool area rug. Typically, you have a border of flooring running All of the way around the rug. It might look a bit foolish to have a rug butt right up against the wall or base board. Figure out what size would work best for your area before you going shopping. These rugs come in a variety of sizes including 4′ x 6′, 6′ x 9′ as well as 5′ x 8′.

Be careful placing your rug in the direct sunlight. Wool can fade so when you purchase a rug ask the flooring retailer for rugs that are not prone to fade.

Where you buy – This may be the most important part of your purchase. Obviously, it is best to buy from a reputable dealer. The big box retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Sears and Home Depot are trustworthy. They have a good return policy in case you make a mistake. Also, you can look online for a wool area rug. Amazon.com is a very reputable and trustworthy dealer. Check out some of their options here – wool area rugs for sale.

Is it 100% wool? – This is an important question to find out. Some rugs are a wool blend. The 100% rugs that are hand made and hand tufted. These will run a little bit more money but might be worth the investment as they tend to last longer. An example of such a rug would be this brown 6′ x 9′ handmade wool area rug. Inquire about how much wool is used in the rug that interests you.

Traffic? – Will you be placing your wool area rug in a high traffic area? A rug made of a flat-weave is better suited for areas with lots of traffic. Hallways, foyers, family rooms are good places for this type of design. On the other hand, a place with little traffic like a bedroom would be best off with a shag wool rug. Those are soft, cozy and visually appealing.

The good thing is that there are many fine wool area rugs available at an affordable price. If you happen to make a mistake on a purchase usually the store will take it back. If for some reason that does not work out you might be able to still use your rug in a different part of your home. Since these are pretty affordable you might be able to buy another one that is better suited for your original area.

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.

The versatility, durability and attractiveness of wool make this material the most popular in area rugs. There are many benefits of buying a wool area rug to brighten up a room. Wool rugs have always been a classic staple in any decorator’s portfolio. Rather you are using the rug to pull together a room or add warmth to ones home, wool is the perfect material for doing just that.

Wool area rugs are made to be used in any room in the home. They come in all sizes, shapes and colors. Adding a wool rug to a room with hardwood floors or tiling can really bring pizzazz and a level of warmness to that area of the home.
When choosing the rug that is right for you, there are multiple options available. There are rugs made of 100% wool or rugs made of a wool blend. The 100% wool area rugs are usually higher priced and of better quality. The wool blend area rugs are low priced and have a lower concentration of wool.

While often time’s wool rugs are associated with a classier more formal look, they are also made in quirky, fun and colorful designs. Due to wool being such a natural product, the material is able to drink coloring in better, resulting in a deeper more vibrant color than other synthetic materials.

There are different textures of wool area rugs which add another level of versatility to these design aspects. A flat-weave wool area rug is often times best suited for an area that sees lots of traffic. For example, a hallway or family room would be great places for these rugs. A shag wool rug would be better suited for a bedroom, due to the level of softness and whimsy that comes from the longer wool fibers. An example of a fun wool area rug would be one that has a design texture to it. You often see shapes and flower textures in these rugs.

Wool rugs are quite easy to maintain and require little attention. Depending on the size of the rug, shaking it outside will help to get rid of dust and grime. Vacuuming the rug also helps to remove these articles. Focus on vacuuming both sides of the rug for best results. While some wool area rugs are able to be washed, it is best to have them professionally cleaned when dealing with any significant spillage or dirt.