Product Care

We are including some tips here that the rug industry has shared with us. Although we stand behind our products 100% and will always return defective merchandise, there are common issues inherent in rugs that are good for customers to know. The issues below are not considered defective, nor reasons for the product to be returned:

SHEDDING – All wool rugs will shed. Hand knotted rugs will shed less than tufted rugs. Shedding will decrease over time, and with vacuuming, but can take many months to taper off. This is normal for wool rugs.

“SPROUTS” – Loose fibers are common in hand made rugs. Clip these with scissors.

CREASES – These should disappear in a week or two. Try reverse rolling.

FADING – Rugs in direct sunlight will fade over time. Rotate your rug to help it fade evenly.

WEAR – Rotate rugs every 3-6 months due to traffic.

ODOR – Rugs recently removed from a bag may have odor. This should dissipate in a week or two.

To lengthen the life of your area rugs, we have listed some tips to help you take care of them properly:

VACUUMING

  • The most damaging effect on area rugs is vacuuming. Extra care must be taken when vacuuming your rug. High powered vacuums will pull threads out of the back of rugs and cause “sprouts”. Examples of these may include the bagless Dyson and Oreck vacuum cleaners. If a vacuum can pick up a bowling ball, imagine what it can do to a rug!
  • Solution: Use the handheld attachment to vacuum your rug.
  • The beater bar of your vacuum cleaner can pull fibers from the face of the rug and can also cause the face of your rug to fuzz.
  • Solution: Turn the beater bar off on your vacuum, or if it cannot be turned off, place it on the lowest setting.
  • The serging on the edges of rugs is very sensitive to vacuuming. Running the vacuum over the edges will cause the serging to deteriorate and fibers will come loose around the edges.
  • Solution: Carefully place your vacuum on the edge of the rug to vacuum it, with the beater bar turned off.
  • The fringes on the ends of rugs can be ruined by all vacuums.
  • Solution: Use the handheld attachment to clean fringes.
  • Tip: Brooms and non-electric sweepers are a great, gentle way to clean your rug.
  • Tip: Canister vacuums without beater bars are the most effective.

SPOT CLEANING
If you spill on a rug, clean it immediately. Once the stain is set in it becomes more difficult to clean. Never rub a spill as it forces the spill deeper into the rug. Blot with a clean white cloth. On wool rugs, use lukewarm water or a wool cleaning liquid to remove any residual stain. On synthetic rugs, use a stain remover. Fantastic or 409 can be used to remove grease and stubborn stains. On natural fiber grass rugs, use lukewarm water to remove any residual stain. Always use clean water to remove any residual cleaner and dry towels to absorb any remaining moisture.

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING
Always use a professional area rug cleaning expert. Some carpet cleaning companies also clean area rugs, which is typically done at an off-site location, not at the home. Cleaning a handmade rug is a different than cleaning wall to wall carpet. Inspect the rug with the cleaner before it is cleaned. Get a signed receipt and guarantee of work before the work is done.

EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR RUG
We recommend a rug pad underneath every area rug. A rug pad extends the life of your rug as it absorbs wear and tear from the friction between the floor and the rug. They also help avoid accidents from slipping on moving rugs and tripping on turned up edges. In addition, they provide extra cushion on hard surfaces for your feet.

SPECIFIC CLEANING GUIDELINES

Synthetic Fibers – Olefin / Polypropylene / Nylon

  1. With a dry cotton towel or white paper towel, blot out stain as much as possible.
  2. Scrape off any food or debris with a dull instrument.
  3. Mix a very small amount of dish soap with a cup of cold water.
  4. Blot area with dry towel.
  5. Fantastic and 409 can be used to remove grease and stubborn stains.

Wool Rugs

  1. With a dry cotton towel or white paper towel, blot out stain as much as possible.
  2. Scrape off any food or debris with a dull instrument.
  3. Mix a very small amount of dish soap with a cup of cold water.
  4. With clean sponge and soap mix, gently remove remainder of stain. Avoid using excessive water.
  5. Blot area with dry towel.
  6. Avoid excessive heat or agitation. We recommend using a professional rug cleaner on an annual basis. Wool rugs are more prone to bleeding and staining than their synthetic counterparts, thus requiring extra-prompt and careful cleaning.

Indoor/Outdoor Rugs

  1. With a dry cotton towel or white paper towel, blot out stain as much as possible.
  2. Scrape off any food or debris with a dull instrument.
  3. Mix a very small amount of dish soap with a cup of cold water.
  4. With clean sponge and soap mix, remove remainder of stain.
  5. Allow area to dry.
  6. For all-over cleaning, spray with mixture of soap and water and rinse with a garden hose.

Natural Fiber Rugs – Jute/Hemp/Coir/Sisal

  1. Natural fiber rugs have an inherent quality of having loose fibers and knots. Regularly vacuum the rug on a low-power setting. Vacuum the rug from different angles.
  2. If you see any loose threads on the face, they should be trimmed with household scissors. Do not pull the threads on the face to avoid unraveling or damage to the rug.
  3. Spills should be blotted with a clean, undyed cloth to absorb as much of the spill as possible. Work from the outer edges of the spill towards the center. Gently blot small amounts and rotate cloth to avoid saturation. 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. Strong cleaning chemicals may damage or fade the rug.

Shag Rugs

  1. Spray extraction vacuums, with the use of wool approved products, can be used.
  2. Shedding is a normal feature in a wool product and decreases over a period of time. Do not pull the yarn out as this may result in damage to the rug. Trim any loose threads with household scissors.
  3. Canister vacuums without a beater bar are most effective in cleaning shag rugs. Vacuums with beater bars and brushes, or those that are set too low, may abrade the face of the rug.