How to Wash a Wool Rug at Home
Most people are surprised to learn that an Oriental wool rug or wool area rug can be washed at home. These rugs usually are washable - in water - but follow the manufacturer's instructions for best results. These instructions are for small to medium-sized rugs, not large ones.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Stain Remover
- Vacuum
- several dry towels
- sponge or sponge mop
- mild detergent for wool
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1
Vacuum the rug thoroughly. Do both sides of the rug.
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2
Spot clean stains with a stain remover appropriate for wool carpets. Be sure to test on a less visible area for color-fastness.
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3
Take the rug outside and put it on a clean, paved area.
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4
Wet the rug down with a garden hose.
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5
Add two capfuls of a mild cleaner such as Woolite to a bucket of cold water. Using a beater or whisk, whip up suds in the bucket.
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6
Use a clean sponge or sponge mop to apply the suds to rug, gently wiping as you go.
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7
Rinse rug thoroughly once you have finished applying the suds.
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8
Roll up the rug in dry towels to remove remaining water. The wet rug will be heavy.
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9
Lay the rug flat to dry. Avoid prolonged periods in direct sunlight which can cause fading or shrinkage.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Eucalan Woolwash is another popular product used for cleaning wool rugs. It is low-suds and does not require rinsing.
Always use a mild detergent with a neutral pH (5.0-8.0).
A wool rug needs a thorough cleaning approximately every 12 to 18 months.
If you don't want to take on washing the rug yourself, a carpet cleaning company will do the job for you.
*Do not have a wool rug steam-cleaned, as the heat from the steam will likely cause shrinkage.
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Comments
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Wet wool rugs smell like sheep (duh) until they dry.
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You can get away with this type of cleaning when you have a nylon rug, but I wouldn't try it with wool, and definitely not with silk.
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Yes!
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WebDiva
Jun 08, 2009
I did this with a couple nylon area rugs that are too old to pay to have cleaned but too good to toss. Worked like a champ. I added two steps: before washing I turned them face down on the grass and used the rug vacuum with beater bar to knock most of the granular soil out. Put a piece of white paper under the rug to see how much stuff drops out! Quit once the paper has only a dusting. Then, after soaping and rinsing, I used a wet/dry shop vac to suck out most of the water. Came out very muddy the first rinse. I was ready to buy new rugs rather than pay to have them cleaned -- now they're nearly as good as new!
