Wool carpets have outstanding easycare properties. Flame resistance, stain resistance and resiliency are characteristics inherent of wool and are not achievable by chemical treatments. The high moisture content of wool fibers, along with its protein constituents, provide wool carpets with excellent natural flame resistance. Wool fibers do not support combustion- it is difficult to ignite and is self-extinguishable. The surface of a wool fiber is covered by a thin protective membrane which allows wool the ability to shed water. This membrane prevents water from readily penetrating the individual wool fibers.
Burlap is woven jute cloth. Most jute is grown and harvested in the moist heat of Bangladesh, India and China. Processing involves wetting the long jute plants and then stripping the fibers from the stalks. Once separated into fibers, jute can be spun into yarn, woven or made into rope.
Weaving a hand knotted rug is an art form that has not changed since ancient times. A skilled artisan individually ties every single knot to create intricate patterns and designs. A typical hand knotted 8×11 rug can take 6 months to a year or more for an artisan to make. Starting on a loom, strands of thread are stretched from the top to the bottom of the loom. These threads are the foundation to the rug. The weaver then ties each knot of the rug to these threads with the appropriate color of wool to create the pattern that will ultimately adorn your floor for many years to come. Hand knotted wool rugs are durable, textural and beautiful.
Natural fiber rugs inherently have loose fibers and knots. Regularly vacuum rug on low power setting, making sure to vacuum from different angles.
Loose threads on the face of the rug should be trimmed with household scissors. To avoid unraveling or damaging the rug, threads on the rug’s face should never be pulled.
Spills should be gently blotted with a clean, undyed cloth to absorb as much of the spill as possible and prevent spreading. Work from the outer edges of the spill towards the center. If applying cleaning solvents, test on a small area first. For stubborn stains, use a professional cleaning service that specializes in wool rugs. Do not dry clean, as strong cleaning chemicals may damage or fade the rug.
1. Use the handheld attachment to vacuum your rug. High powered vacuums can pull threads out of the back of tugs and cause sprouts.
2. Turn the beater bar off on your vacuum, or if it can not be turned off have it on the highest setting. Beater bar can pull fibers from the face of the rug or they can cause the face of your rug to fuzz
3. Carefully place your vacuum on the edge of the rug. The serging on the edges of rugs are very sensitive. Running the vacuum over the edges can cause the serging to deteriorate and fibers can come loose around the edges.
4. Use the handheld attachment to clean edges.
5. Brooms and sweepers are a great, gentle way to clean your rug. Canister vacuums without beater bars are the most effective.
Special notes:
Color
No two rugs are the same. Slight color variations are common for handmade rugs, as dye lots may change over a period of time.
Shedding
All wool rugs will shed. Shedding will subside over time, depending on traffic and wear. It typically takes 20-25 vacuums, at a minimum, to curtail shedding. Some will shed for the lifetime of the rug.
Creases
If your rug has been rolled or folded for shipping, it may include creases. Creases should disappear within a week or two when the rug is laid out flat. Reverse rolling the rug overnight will help.
Sprouts
Loose fibers, or sprouts, are a normal part of the break-in process of handmade rugs. To remove sprouts, use a small pair of scissors to snip them off even with the pile. Do not pull the fiber out, as this can cause a deterioration of the backing.
Fading
If exposed to direct sunlight, rug colors typically fade over time, even if they are fade resistant.
Wear
As a general rule, rugs of all materials and constructions should be rotated every 3-6 months to balance color and evenly distribute wear.