How To Wash A Wool Rug In The Washing Machine

The best first step for getting your rugs truly clean is as old school as they come.

How to wash a wool rug in the washing machine.

A great way to do this is to grab one end of the rug and beat it against something like the side of the fence or back of the shed. Wool garments should be washed on the wool setting usually gentle action at 40 c. You don t want all that dirt and pet hair to wind up in your washing machine. Take your rug outside and give it a good shake to get as much dirt and hair off as possible.

Treat spots or stains. This also means you can easily change up your style with different rug covers on a whim especially since you can buy the rug pads and covers separately. If your washing machine does not have a wool cycle use the cold water wash or wash cycle for delicates. Use a neutral mild detergent that is preferably woolmark recommended look for the woolmark symbol on the packet.

The problems with using a machine. Never apply chlorine bleach ammonia or even oxygen bleach to a wool rug. Always use a stain remover recommended for wool rugs like esr emergency stain rescue a gentle cleaner like woolite or simple dishwashing liquid and lukewarm water. The more stuff you can get out of the rug the better.

You can either wash two rugs of the same size or add two towels in the machine with one rug for the best results. Most throw rugs are perfectly fine in the washer. The rug needs plenty of room to move freely in the wash. Add a bit of white distilled vinegar to help neutralize pet odors.

If your area rug is 100 percent cotton or polyester and relatively inexpensive perhaps you use it as a shower or bath mat machine washing is probably fine. To start cleaning your wool rug take it outside and shake the dirt out before going over it with a vacuum cleaner. If you are using a top load washing machine on the other hand you should ensure the load is even on all sides. But if your area rug is made of wool silk or other delicate fabric machine washing can cause problems.

Wool fibers have overlaps and grooves that can trap a lot of dirt pounds of it in fact. When it s time to wash your rug all you have to do is separate the rug cover from the rug pad and throw the cover in the washer and dryer. Once you ve removed all the dirt wash your rug with a sponge and a mild liquid soap.