seeking info re: wool area rugs, how to clean safely and naturally

[rachanna]

Hi waccos,

5 months ago, I bought two beautiful wool rugs from a yard sale. I love them, and immediately found great places for them in my house. The woman who sold them to me mentioned that I should 'have them cleaned'. I vacuumed them well, and was content with that, thinking I would eventually do something more significant. Last week I had a guest at my house for several weeks whose relative (who is highly chemically sensitive) came over and mentioned that the rugs were musty, had an odor, and were not healthy. Her feeling is that they cannot be repaired, as adding water and/steam would only encourage and spread the dust mites. To make my guest feel comfortable, and because during warm weather I don't feel as much of a need for carpets, I rolled up the rugs and put them in the back of the house and the shed.

This summer I would like to find a way to clean them. Does anyone know if there is a healthful way to clean old wool rugs that doesn't involve unhealthful soaps, and won't contribute to the proliferation of dust mites or mold.
I've heard of something called steam vac, then heard it's not good for wool. I've considered renting a water extraction machine, but have been told that that would likely lead to mold.
what would you do? or what have you done?

thanks so much!

julie

[rossmen]

i cleaned a very large wool carpet with buckets of warm soapy water, a scrub brush and a shop vac. after cleaning i propped it up off the floor and moved air around and underneath it with fans. it came out way cleaner than when i had pros do it.


Hi waccos,

5 months ago, I bought two beautiful wool rugs from a yard sale. I love them, and immediately found great places for them in my house. The woman who sold them to me mentioned that I should 'have them cleaned'. I vacuumed them well, and was content with that, thinking I would eventually do something more significant. Last week I had a guest at my house for several weeks whose relative (who is highly chemically sensitive) came over and mentioned that the rugs were musty, had an odor, and were not healthy. Her feeling is that they cannot be repaired, as adding water and/steam would only encourage and spread the dust mites. To make my guest feel comfortable, and because during warm weather I don't feel as much of a need for carpets, I rolled up the rugs and put them in the back of the house and the shed.

This summer I would like to find a way to clean them. Does anyone know if there is a healthful way to clean old wool rugs that doesn't involve unhealthful soaps, and won't contribute to the proliferation of dust mites or mold.
I've heard of something called steam vac, then heard it's not good for wool. I've considered renting a water extraction machine, but have been told that that would likely lead to mold.
what would you do? or what have you done?

thanks so much!

julie

[ubaru]

I put my 5x7' wool Flokati rug in the bathtub each summer and hop in with bare feet and agitate it until the water isn't brown. Then I hang it on a line during low humidity in a shady place because the sun will discolor a Flokati rug. But for other wool rugs, I'd let them dry in the sun and turn the side in the shadow to the sun soon. I'm imagining this would prevent mold and also kill it.


Hi waccos,

5 months ago, I bought two beautiful wool rugs from a yard sale. I love them, and immediately found great places for them in my house. The woman who sold them to me mentioned that I should 'have them cleaned'. I vacuumed them well, and was content with that, thinking I would eventually do something more significant. Last week I had a guest at my house for several weeks whose relative (who is highly chemically sensitive) came over and mentioned that the rugs were musty, had an odor, and were not healthy. Her feeling is that they cannot be repaired, as adding water and/steam would only encourage and spread the dust mites. To make my guest feel comfortable, and because during warm weather I don't feel as much of a need for carpets, I rolled up the rugs and put them in the back of the house and the shed.

This summer I would like to find a way to clean them. Does anyone know if there is a healthful way to clean old wool rugs that doesn't involve unhealthful soaps, and won't contribute to the proliferation of dust mites or mold.
I've heard of something called steam vac, then heard it's not good for wool. I've considered renting a water extraction machine, but have been told that that would likely lead to mold.
what would you do? or what have you done?

thanks so much!

julie