Rug Cleaning + Care

The following is a guide to assist you in maintaining and caring for your rugs.

Click to expand each section:

General Rug Care

Our rugs are infused with a rich history of ancient craftsmanship. To preserve their beauty and prolong their life, follow these suggestions for rug care.

Every six months, rotate rugs from end to end or place them in different parts of the house to share the wear.

Direct sunlight and heat sources, such as gas heaters and fireplaces, can cause the natural fibres to dry out and fade. Position your rug away from both.

Reduce bacteria build-up with sunlight. Every few months, turn your rug over and place it in the sun for an hour. Vacuum the back of your rug before repositioning.

Keep rugs dry and out of dark places, such as tucked tightly under lounge suites or furniture.

Clean hard floors regularly with microfibre mops and water only (no detergents), or use a steam mop if appropriate. Detergent and soap residues can become sticky and collect other dirt, which is then walked onto your rug. By keeping your hard floors clean, your rug will stay cleaner for longer.

Move rugs a few centimetres every month to soften any fading on carpet or timber floors underneath. When the rugs are eventually moved from the room, the fading on the floor will be graduated and less noticeable.

Vacuuming

To ensure the longevity of your rug, please vacuum your rug regularly. Shedding of loose fibres will occur with a new rug. We do not recommend using rotating or brush head vacuum cleaners on our rugs if possible.

Even with regular vacuuming and careful use, you may find dirt and debris will build up on your rug. It is possible to refresh your rug with gentle treatment or professional rug cleaning. You can contact us for recommended carpet cleaning professionals in your area.

Use caution if you use a robotic vacuum in your home. Longer length pile and tassels can become entangled in the vacuum and may cause damage to your rug or device. We recommend keeping this in mind when programming your device.

Spills

Carefully scrape up as much of the spill as possible with a spoon or dustpan, and blot any liquid residue with damp chamois or other colourfast absorbent material. Do not rub.

Take a clean piece of the absorbent material and fold it into a thick wad. Cover the spill with this and add a weight (such as a heavy book) on top to help draw the liquid upward. Leave it for ten minutes.

If the spill has left a stain, decide if it is water-based or oil-based and treat it as below.

Water-based spills include beer, wine, soft drink, cordial, fruit juice, tea, coffee and urine. They are treated with lukewarm water. Oil-based spills contain some type of oil, fat or greasy substance and include ice cream, gravy, mayonnaise, cream, makeup and lotions. They are treated with detergent in lukewarm water. We recommend Armadillo's Barefoot rug cleaner, which is safe for natural fibres.

For both types of spills, the process is the same: Blot – Dilute – Blot…

Water-based spills: Blot the spill as described previously. If some stain remains, dilute it with water. Blot this using absorbent material. Repeat this step until no more stain can be removed.
Oil-based spills: Blot the spill as described previously. If some stain remains, dilute it with the detergent solution. Blot this using absorbent material. Now dilute the stain with clean water and blot again. Repeat these steps until no more stain can be removed.

For stubborn stains, contact a WoolSafe Approved Service Rug Cleaner.

Spills on Silk

Soak a clean white cloth in warm water and rub in one direction only, following the pile. Where possible, attend to any spillages before they dry. Once dry, stains can be difficult to remove.

Place several sheets of paper towel underneath the stained area and then carefully pour a small amount of warm water on top to dilute the stain until it has disappeared. Replace the paper towel underneath the rug and then place a few sheets of paper towel on the top side of the rug and gently step to dry the stained area. Make sure to properly dry with a hairdryer or if possible in the sun.

We recommend that no detergent be used as it can be very hard to completely remove detergent from the rug.

High-Coloured Spills

Highly-coloured products, such as paint, nail polish, shoe polish, lipstick and glue, will not respond to these simple treatments. We advise you not to treat these spills yourself, as doing so may create a larger or permanent stain. These types of spills are best treated by a professional WoolSafe Approved Rug Cleaner.

Red cordial and other coloured drinks contain food colouring. Food colouring is an acid dye that is also used to dye wool and nylon fibres. Putting detergent on this will simply carry it into the fibres of your rug faster and set the stain. If after treating with water the dye stains persist, contact a professional WoolSafe Approved Rug Cleaner.

Dry Soiling

Sand, grit, dust, clothing fibres and hair are examples of dry particle soils. Most of these will be removed with regular vacuuming. For those that remain deep within the fibres, a thorough vacuuming should remove them and restore the original beauty of your rug.

Vacuum the front of the rug, then turn it over and vacuum the reverse side. You may find some dirt loosens from the weave as the rug bends. Turn the rug over and vacuum the front again. To ensure even wear and minimise the natural fading that occurs from sunlight, rotate your rug end-to-end when repositioning.

Oil-Based Soiling

A build-up of oily soils can result in your rug looking dull and grey, despite regular vacuuming. Pollution, cooking fumes and road grime are examples of this soiling, which is resistant to cleaning with water alone.

To clean this type of build-up, use a gentle treatment such as Armadillo's Barefoot rug cleaner or contact a WoolSafe Approved Service Rug Cleaner.

Dye Stains

Some spills that are left untreated over time can affect the natural fibres of your rug. These include those that contain natural and synthetic dyes (like cordial and other coloured drinks) and those that change the chemistry in the fibre (fruit juice, urine, bi-carb soda, bleach and other cleaning products). This chemistry-changing group can adversely affect the natural proteins in wool and the cellulose in natural fibres such as cotton, jute and other plant-based fibres.

For this reason, any treatment needs to be extremely gentle. Wet the stain with lukewarm water. Then treat for water-based spills, stopping at the final blotting stage.

It is important not to use any other treatments, as these may cause physical damage or carry the stain deeper into the fibre.

Rug Protection Treatment

Rugs made from natural fibres can be specially treated to help increase their life span and provide protection against stains, mould, mildew and sun fading. This treatment is applied after delivery by a third-party. Some professionals are able to apply the treatment at your premises, whether a residential or commercial setting, whilst others may require the removal of the rug for treatment. Contact us for a recommendation of an authorised professional.

Professional Cleaning

Professional cleaning is recommended on occasion to ensure the long life of your rug. Please contact us for recommended carpet cleaning professionals in your area.

Pop-ups

'Pop-ups' are a very natural part of the settling period of a hand-knotted rug, more common in the first 2 months. Due to the hand-crafted nature of our products, sometimes tightly spun yarn is hiding beneath the surface of the pile. With vacuuming, foot traction and general use, these strands of yarn can begin to unfurl and lengthen themselves, causing them to ‘pop-up’ above the usual pile height. These pop ups can be carefully trimmed to be level with the rest of the pile, or pushed back through without affecting the integrity of the rug.

Shedding

Our handmade rugs are made from all-natural fibres. Natural fibre rugs will initially shed loose fibres; this is a normal process and will subside within a few months of use. The removal of any loose fibres will be hastened by regular vacuuming using a good quality upright vacuum cleaner.

Rug Glossary

Flatweave: A rug making style without piles or knots. Flatweave rugs are crafted on a loom where the weft is tightly intertwined with the warp.

Flattening: When areas of a rug are flattened due to heavy traffic or from being under furniture.

Hand binding: Hand-stitched overlocking that gives a neat, straight finish to some or all of a rug's edges. This can be used instead of a ‘turnover’ at the short ends of the rug to create the same finish on all four sides.

Handmade: All our rugs are handwoven or hand-knotted on looms with manual gears. No mechanical assistance is used during our manufacturing process.

Jute: A long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that is spun into strong yarn with an even count (consistent thickness). It forms a robust warp and edging for a selection of our jute rugs.

Loom: An apparatus for weaving that holds the warp strands tight so the weft can be passed under and over. It can be vertical, horizontal, mobile or fixed, depending on the weave.

Loom Binding: Hand-stitched overlocking that gives a neat, straight finish to a rug’s long side edges.

Pop-up: The end of a strand of fibre that has come unlocked from the weave. This can be carefully trimmed without affecting the integrity of the weave.

Soumak: A flatweave style where knots are used to create a ‘knitted’ appearance.

Shedding: A slight loss of rug fibres, which is very normal for natural materials. The amount depends on the usage of the rug. Expect an initial ‘settling in’ period which can be helped along by regular vacuuming.

Side Binding: Hand-stitched overlocking that gives a neat, straight finish to a rug’s long side edges.

Tassels: Warp threads extend beyond the ends of a rug.

Turnover:A neat finish to the shorter ends of a rug is created by turning over the woven warp threads which are then hand sewn into place.

Underlay/Pad: Non-slip rubber is placed under a rug to provide added safety, softness, noise reduction and protection from wear and tear.

Warp: The vertical strands of yarn run the entire length of the rug forming the frame onto which the weft is woven. Different arrangements of warp threads create various patterns.

Weave: The particular way the warp and weft interlace. Different warp and weft arrangements along with the use of gearings create different weave patterns.

Weft: The yarn that runs the width of the rug. Strands of weft are woven over and under the warp to create the body of the rug.

The following is a guide to retaining the beauty of your rug.
All woollen rugs shed and have a “settling down” period which will be hastened by regular vacuuming
To ensure the longevity of your rug, please vacuum your rug regularly. Shedding of loose fibres will occur with a new rug. We do not recommend using rotating or brush head vacuum cleaners on our rugs if possible.
Use caution if you use a robotic vacuum in your home. Longer length pile and tassels can become entangled in the vacuum and may cause damage to your rug or device. We recommend keeping this in mind when programming your device.
Vacuuming regularly and thoroughly with a good quality vacuum cleaner will go a long way to retaining the appearance of your rug. Vacuum at least once a week to remove soil and dirt before it becomes embedded in the base of the carpet.
Even with regular vacuuming and careful use, you may find dirt and debris will build up on your rug. It is possible to refresh your rug with gentle treatment or professional rug cleaning. You can contact us for a list of recommended carpet cleaning professionals if you would like more information about a service.
Reduce bacteria build-up with sunlight. Every few months, turn your rug over and place it in the sun for an hour. Vacuum the back of your rug before repositioning.
Keep rugs dry and out of dark places, such as tucked tightly under lounge suites or furniture.
Clean hard floors regularly with microfibre mops and water only (no detergents), or use a steam mop if appropriate. Detergent and soap residues can become sticky and collect other dirt, which is then walked onto your rug. By keeping your hard floors clean, your rug will stay cleaner for longer.
Move rugs a few centimetres every month to soften any fading on carpet or timber floors underneath. When the rugs are eventually moved from the room, the fading on the floor will be graduated and less noticeable.
Stains are best prevented by acting quickly when spills occur. Blot liquids with paper towel or absorbent cloth. For water-based stains that require more than diluting the spill with minimal water and blotting, use a weak solution of mild detergent (eg wool-care) or carpet shampoo. Be sure to “rinse” out the detergent with water – blotting up all excess liquid once the stain has been removed. Do not rub or saturate the rug.
For oily or greasy stains use a dry-cleaning solvent, methylated spirits and/or aerosol carpet stain remover for greasy stains.</p>
For unusual stains and spills we recommend contacting a professional cleaner.
Highly-coloured products, such as paint, nail polish, shoe polish, lipstick and glue, will not respond to these simple treatments. We advise you not to treat these spills yourself, as doing so may create a larger or permanent stain. These types of spills are best treated by a professional WoolSafe Approved Rug Cleaner. Red cordial and other coloured drinks contain food colouring. Food colouring is an acid dye that is also used to dye wool and nylon fibres. Putting detergent on this will simply carry it into the fibres of your rug faster and set the stain. If after treating with water the dye stains persist, contact us for a professional WoolSafe Approved Rug Cleaner.
Carpets and rugs are very forgiving floor coverings and can be significantly soiled long before any soiling is visibly apparent.&nbsp; Regular and thorough vacuuming combined with periodic professional cleaning (every one to two years) will extend your rug's life.
When you can see that your rug needs cleaning, you have waited too long.
Washing rugs (every four or five years) brightens colours and fringes while the dusting prevents permanent pile damage and ensures the attractive long life of your investment.</p>
We carry a range of cleaning products instore. Please contact us and we'd be more than happy to assist you with further advice for cleaning and care of your carpet or rugs.