Care and maintenance

Thanks for choosing our rugs. As you probably know by now all our rugs are hand-woven in looms with pure hand-spun and hand-dyed wool. They are also community made from start to finish, since the sheep are raised and sheared in the Dry Forest. Every artisan involved in your rug has carefully worked on it so it looks gorgeous and truly special. Below you can find useful information and tips on how to keep your special rug looking at it´s best throughout the years.

1- STAINS AND SPILLS
2- VACUUMING
3- PROFESSINAL CLEANING
4- PREVENTING PESTS
5- LOOSE THREADS AND SHEDDING
6- RUG INSTALLATION & USE OF RUG PAD
7- DISCLAIMER

1- STAINS AND SPILLS

Sheep wool unlike other natural fibers is very stain resistant and it does not absorb liquids easily. Wool contains lanolin, which is a natural stain repellent. The first thing to do when liquids are spilled is to absorb them with a white tissue or cloth as soon as possible pressing gently (not rubbing it). Then, if there is a stain remaining, you can clean it by softly pressing a sponge with mild water, a soft detergent and white vinegar. Never rub the rug so the thread doesn´t come out. Make sure all the soap is then removed. If the stain can’t be removed using these methods, have your rug professionally dry cleaned for pure 100% wool (not any type of professionally cleaning). Never use a stain repellant or stain remover on your rug.

For solids, same thing as indicated above but first, gently scrape off the stain with a spoon.

2- VACUUMING

Vacuuming regularly is the best way to keep your rug looking vibrant and in good shape. It´s also fundamental to prevent moth or any other pest. We recommend vacuuming your rug once a week but it depends on the traffic of the house. The most important thing about vacuuming is that it has to be done without the use of the brush. It has to be done gently, without suctioning too powerfully. We recommend doing it cautiously, always in the same direction of the thread. It´s important that all the people involved with cleaning the rug are instructed properly. 

3- PROFESSIONAL CLEANING 

Always have your rug professionally DRY CLEANED by someone experienced with 100% WOOL flat weave rugs. Never wash your rug in the washing machine or by hand. Never use stain repellents or stain removers on the rug.

4- PREVENTING PESTS

The best way to protect your rug from pest, especially from moth, is to keep it ventilated in a clean, dry and aired space accessible for regular inspections. Moth mostly appear in dark and inaccessible spaces so don´t store the rug in dark spaces for long periods and never inside plastic bags. Vacuuming regularly also helps keeping moth away. When vacuuming, pay special attention to those areas below the sofa and table.  In case that you do have a problem with moths, treatments should only be applied by an experienced professional.

5- LOOSE THREADS AND PILLING

Loose threads are considered normal with hand-loomed rugs and they are easily fixable. Just push the yarn back into the weaving by using a big crochet needle. If the thread is long, repeat the pushing process a couple of times until the thread is secured back into the weaving. Do not cut the yarn.

A time goes by, pilling is also normal with natural fiber rugs. A rug specialist could solve this issue or you can “shave” the rug by using a hair or beard trimmer in a very careful manner so as to avoid damage.

6- RUG INSTALLATION & USE OF RUG PAD

We recommend using a rug pad since it helps protecting the rug throughout the years and preventing possible slips. A rug pad provides extra cushioning which also helps protect the wool fibers. Never place an underlay or rug on an uncured floor surface if it has recently been sealed, laid, treated, etc.

Do not expose the rug to direct sunlight to prevent discoloration. 

7- DISCLAIMER

AWANAY accepts no responsibility for damages caused by persons following the cleaning and care procedures listed in these instructions. This is simply advice and you should always contact an experienced rug cleaning professional if you are ever in doubt regarding the care of your rug.