Carpet Care Tips

This document provides information about how to take care of your carpet flooring.

Carpet Care Tips

A simple maintenance program including regular, interim and periodic cleanings will keep your wool carpet looking as good as the day it was installed!

For regular spot cleaning, the best Wool Safe products on the market are the WoolClean Products approved by Wools of New Zealand. These products were developed in cooperation with the professional carpet cleaning industry and are specifically designed for wool carpets & rugs, however they perform equally as well on floor coverings of other fibers.

Regular Maintenance

The simplest and most frequent maintenance involves vacuuming and spot removal, as well as preventive measures.

Vacuuming

Regular and thorough vacuuming once a week (more often in heavy traffic areas) is an economical and effective way to remove soil and dirt particles before they become embedded into the pile of the carpet. For best results, empty your vacuum bag when half full.
  • An upright vacuum with a beater bar/brush is best for cut pile carpet.
  • A suction-only vacuum is recommended for loop pile Berber carpet to prevent excessive fuzzing.

Spot & Stain Removal

With spot and stain removal, speed is of the essence.
  • Blot up liquids with paper towel or absorbent cloth. Scoop up solids with the end of a knife or spoon.
  • Apply spot removal agent to clean towel or cloth, not directly to the spot. Use small quantities. Always work inwards from edge to prevent spreading. Do not rub, as this may cause the spot to spread or distort the pile. Do not over-wet the carpet pile.
  • Afterwards, blot as dry as possible with clean towel.

Preventive Measures

  • Place absorbent mats at entrances to your home; change or launder when these mats become dirty.
  • Regularly change filters in your heating and air conditioning systems.
  • Clean traffic lanes and in front of frequently used chairs periodically with an absorbent powder such as Host®, Capture® or Dri-Matic®.
  • Do not apply stain repellent treatments that contain any silicone, because they tend to accelerate carpet soiling. Note: some carpet manufacturers do not accept responsibility for complaints where such treatments have been used.

Interim Maintenance

Occasionally, more comprehensive cleaning is needed to restore colour and appearance. Impregnated absorbent compound - inert powders impregnated with a mixture of cleansing agents and solvents - can be brushed into the carpet pile on an interim basis to absorb dirt from the carpet fiber.

Periodic Maintenance

Thorough cleaning is required periodically to remove the deepest soil. There are many deep cleaning methods you can use to ensure the beauty and life of a wool carpet or rug. When having your wool carpet professional cleaned, use a reputable company and check references.

Find a Certified Wool Care Specialist  1-800-272-7012