Cleaning Wool Rugs

Wool rugs require special care and our section on Cleaning wool carpet addresses many of the issues with wool fiber. The pH of wool should be cleaned on the neutral or acid side of the pH scale to limit browning. Wool holds up to 10 times its weight in water and is subject to shrinking, so use caution with wet cleaning.

There are 4 basic recommendations Made by the Wools of New Zealand for chemistry selection:

1. low alkalinity (pH of 7 or less)
2. Select a solution that leaves no sticky residue following drying
3. Select a product with good cleaning efficacy
4. Do not use cleaning products with added bleaches or dyes

One of the most important recommendations (not mentioned by Wools of New Zealand) is to select a product that DOES NOT CONTAIN OPTICAL BRIGHTENERS. Optical Brighteners actually dye the fiber and make them appear brighter. However, these dyes degrade and can remove rug color, yellow, and cause fibers to take on a dingy hue over time. At one-time Woolite® contained these optical brighteners. Check label information carefully. Even if the cleaning product carries the Wools of New Zealand seal, check the label to confirm that these products are not contained. For an image that shows this optical brightener damage, visit or Unusual carpet stains page.