Spot Cleaners for Wool Area Rugs in Bellingham & Mount Vernon Area

One of the most frequently asked questions is “What should I use to spot clean my wool rug?”. My first response is “Don’t use carpet spotters purchased in your local grocery store”. Carpet spotters are made for synthetic fibers which 99% of all carpeting is manufactured with.

The safest bet is to purchase a product that has been certified safe by a company called Woolsafe. Manufactures pay Woolsafe to undergo tests for spotters and cleaners developed to clean and wash wool products. Once the products have been deemed safe, the wool-safe logo can be attached to the product label.

OK, now that you have purchased a wool-safe product, you need to complete a colorfast check before using the spotter on your rug. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but you still need to test the product on your rug before using it. Many hand knotted area rugs are not colorfast and it would be a very unpleasant surprise for you to see your treasured area rug bleed before your eyes.

Apply the spotter to a clean white cotton cloth in an inconspicuous area of the rug, not necessarily the spot you intend on removing. With some pressure, but no movement, allow the product to make contact for a minute or so. Make sure contact is made to all the colors you will be applying the spotter to. Remember, just because one color is fast does not mean other colors are. If you get any color transfer from the rug to the cotton cloth, STOP and call a certified rug cleaning expert. The following procedures can be followed if your rug is colorfast.

• Apply your rug spotter to a clean white cotton cloth, not the rug.
• Blot the spot toward the center of the stain and avoid scrubbing in a circular motion as this could cause permanent texture distortion and fuzzing.

If you’re not successful, call a rug cleaning expert.

Art Thomas
Owner/ Steam Sweepers LLC

How to Spot Clean Wool Rugs

You must be careful when you spot clean wool rugs. There are certain do’s and don’ts and if not done properly can ruin your rug.

Wool fibers react differently than synthetic fibers and the first thing to know about cleaning wool is what not to do. Do not use a carpet spotter purchased at the local grocery store. Carpet spotters are made to clean synthetic fibers because 99% of all carpeting is manufactured with synthetic fibers.

You should look for the Wool-Safe logo on a bottle cleaner before making the purchase. Manufacturers pay Wool-safe to undergo tests for spotters and cleaners developed to clean and wash wool products. Once the product has been deemed safe, the wool-safe logo is attached to the product label.

Even though you have bought a wool-safe product, you should do a spot check for color fastness. Many hand knotted area rugs are not colorfast and you don’t want to ruin the whole rug when you could have tested first.

To test for color fastness, apply the spotter to a clean white cotton cloth in an inconspicuous area of the rug, not necessarily the spot you intend to remove. Apply the moistened cloth with some firm pressure, but without movement for about a minute. If the cloth comes back white then you are okay to proceed. You will need to complete this test on all colors of the rug as it is possible that some colors are color fast while others are not. If you get any color transfer from the rug to the cotton cloth, you should STOP and call 360-762-3020 or click here to consult with a certified rug cleaning expert.