Wool carpets FAQs

All carpets need vacuuming regularly. You should vacuum a wool carpet at least once a week to keep it clean—more in rooms with a lot of footfall (e.g. hallways). This will get rid of top-level dirt and grit before it can work its way down into the fibres and become difficult to remove.

Clean up spillages straight away, especially hot liquids and sugary drinks. If you leave them to cool and dry, you’ll find the stain much harder to remove.

How do I get stains out of a wool carpet?

1. Use white paper towels or tissues to blot the liquid stain. If the stain is from something solid, use a spoon or blunt knife to scoop up as much of the material as possible. Don’t rub the carpet, as doing so can cause it to become ‘fuzzy’.
2. For most liquids, take a teaspoon of mild laundry detergent (one that’s safe for wool), mix it with one teaspoon of white vinegar in one litre of warm water. With some stains, you’ll need to apply cold water first; with others (like chewing gum) you’ll need to freeze them before you clean. See the table below for guidance.
3. Test the mixture on a small patch of rarely-seen carpet (under the sofa, for instance) to ensure it won’t damage the carpet or change its colour.
4. Apply the mixture by gently dabbing the stain with a cloth. Make sure you soak up excess liquid between dabs.
5. Place several layers of kitchen towel on top of the area, then weigh it down with something flat and heavy, like a book.
6. You can either leave the area to dry or use a hairdryer on a low setting to speed up the process.
   Caution: overheating can cause damage, so take care when using a hairdryer to dry treated stains.
7. Don’t walk on the area until it’s dry.

Different types of stain require different mixtures and treatments. Use the table below for guidance:

Mixtures

1. Cold water
2. One teaspoon of mild laundry detergent (approved for use on wool), one teaspoon of white vinegar, one litre of warm water
3. Chill with aerosol freezing agent or ice cubes in a plastic bag. Pick or scrape off chewing gum carefully.
4. Clear nail polish remover without lanolin
5. Rust remover
6. Clear household disinfectant
7. Vacuum
8. Warm water

Stain	Order of treatment
	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
Blood	a	b	h
Chewing gum	c	b	h
Coffee/tea or hot liquid	b	h
Animal faeces	b	f	h
Nail polish	d
Paint (latex)	a	b
Rust	e
Soot	g
Urine (fresh)	a	b	h
Urine (old)	b	h
Vomit	b	f	h
White wine	b	h

Source: Godfrey Hirst Cleaning Guide for Wool Carpets

How do I get rid of moths in a wool carpet?

1. Thoroughly vacuum the infested area.
2. Immediately spray the contents of the vacuum bag with insecticide before throwing it away. DO NOT leave the bag in your vacuum. This prevents further contamination.
3. Treat the infested area with a carpet pest or insect spray. Make sure you spray six inches around the area.
4. Regularly vacuum this area over the following few days.
5. If you can’t clear the infestation using this method, you may have to contact a professional.

Infestations can usually be prevented by regular vacuuming, but make sure you vacuum hard-to-reach areas such as along skirting boards and under furniture.

How do I get tea stains out of a wool carpet?

1. Blot excess liquid using a paper towel. Don’t rub the carpet.
2. Make up a mixture of one litre warm water, one teaspoon of mild laundry detergent (suitable for wool) and one teaspoon of white vinegar.
3. Apply the mixture and gently dab the area. Remove excess liquid with each dab.
4. Apply warm water.
5. Dab up excess liquid using a paper towel.
6. Put a few layers of paper towel over the area and put a flat weight on it.
7. Leave to dry. Don’t walk on the carpet while it’s still wet.

How much does wool carpet cost per square foot?

Wool carpet comes in a range of different prices, from approximately £19.99 per square metre through to £47.82 per square metre.

Below are some prices for our wool carpets in square metre (m²) and square foot (ft²). Please note that these prices could change at any time:

• Orient Berber loop carpet (100% wool) — £6.06 ft², £19.99 m²
• Lakeside twist 40 twist pile striped carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £6.06 ft², £19.99 m²
• Lakeside twist 40 twist pile carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £6.06 ft², £19.99m²
• Rustic wool Berber loop carpet (100% wool) — £4.54 ft², £14.99 m²
• Canterbury twist pile carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £8.48 ft², £27.99 m²
• Lakeside twist 50 twist pile carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £6.97ft², £22.99 m²
• Lakeside twist 60 twist pile carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £7.57 ft², £24.99 m²
• Kingston twist 40 twist pile carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £8.48 ft², £27.99 m²
• Kingston twist stripe twist pile carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £10.00 ft², £32.99 m²
• Kingston twist 60 twist pile carpet (80% wool, 20% polypropylene) — £11.21 ft², £36.99 m²

How do I remove dog urine from wool carpet?

If the urine is fresh:

1. Put on disposable gloves or gloves that you’re willing to throw away afterwards.
2. Blot the area with a good amount of kitchen towel to remove the surface liquid. Don’t rub the carpet.
3. Apply cold water to the area.
4. Blot the water to remove excess liquid.
5. Create a mixture of warm water, laundry detergent and white vinegar (see the “Mixture” section above for details).
6. Apply this mixture by dabbing the area.
7. Soak up excess liquid with kitchen towel.
8. Soak the area with warm water and mop up excess liquid with kitchen towel again.
9. Cover the area with a few layers of kitchen towel and put a flat weight on top. Make sure the weight isn’t too heavy as you don’t want to crush the carpet.
10. Leave to dry.
11. Throw out the gloves!

If the urine is old:

1. Put on gloves that you don’t mind throwing away.
2. Blot the area with a good amount of kitchen towel to remove the surface liquid. Don’t rub the carpet.
3. Create a mixture of warm water, laundry detergent and white vinegar (see the “Mixture” section above for details).
4. Apply this mixture by dabbing the area with a cloth.
5. Soak up excess liquid with kitchen towel.
6. Soak the area with warm water and absorb excess liquid with kitchen towel again.
7. Cover the area with a few layers of kitchen towel and put a flat weight on top. Make sure not to crush the carpet.
8. Leave to dry.
9. Throw out the gloves!

How do I get blood out of a wool carpet?

1. Blot the area with a good amount of kitchen towel to remove the surface liquid. Don’t rub the carpet.
2. Apply cold water to the area.
3. Blot the water to remove excess liquid.
4. Create a mixture of warm water, laundry detergent and white vinegar (see the “Mixture” section above for details).
5. Apply this mixture by dabbing the area.
6. Soak up excess liquid with kitchen towel.
7. Soak the area with warm water and absorb up excess liquid with kitchen towel again.
8. Cover the area with a few layers of kitchen towel and place a flat weight on top. Make sure the weight is not so heavy that it will crush the carpet.
9. Leave to dry.

How do I remove scorch marks from a wool carpet?

If your carpet is scorched, it’s likely that it’s damaged beyond repair. You can take steps to improve how the carpet looks, but the damage done cannot be remedied. Removing the marks may also cause further damage. Follow this often-recommended method:

1. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide with 10 parts water.
2. Dab the scorch marks with the mixture repeatedly.
3. Rinse with clean water once application is completed.
4. Soak up excess liquid with kitchen towel.
5. Leave to dry.

Is wool carpet worth the money?

Wool carpet does have unique properties which justify the extra cost. Wool is the kind of material that’s perfectly suited to carpets: it’s naturally water-repellent, fire-retardant, springy, durable, environmentally friendly and easy to clean. It offers great insulating properties and won’t retain bad smells.

Find out more about wool here.

Are wool carpets better than polypropylene ones?

It depends on your needs. Wool carpets hold their original shape longer but tend to be more expensive. Wool comes in a large range of colours as it’s easier to dye than polypropylene. However, modern dying techniques mean that there’s now a very wide range of colours available for polypropylene carpets too.

In fact, you can get many of the same benefits from polypropylene as you can from wool.

Both are hard-wearing and can withstand high traffic. Both are easy to clean: wool is slightly better at repelling spills as it’s naturally non-absorbent, but polypropylene can be cleaned using bleached-based products, making it more convenient for large, active families.

Wool		Polypropylene
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons
Doesn’t crush	Can fade in sunlight	Bleach-cleanable, and so easier to clean	Hot liquids can stain
Difficult to burn	Vulnerable to carpet moths	More affordable	Fibres can melt
Repels moisture	Harmed by bleach	Doesn’t fade
Resistant to staining	Expensive
Has a ‘cosy’ feel

Polypropylene is generally considered a great and inexpensive all-rounder for a family home. Wool is also a good all-rounder, but will cost you more.

Can I use wool carpet on underfloor heating?

As long as the tog value of the carpet and underlay is 2.5 or under, you can use any type of carpet, though underfloor heating is best suited to hard flooring.

Thicker wool carpets may not be suitable as these have very good insulating properties, preventing the heat from coming through. It’s best to talk to the supplier of your underfloor heating about this issue. Click here for further information.

Does wool carpet fade in the sun?

All carpets will eventually fade if they’re exposed to the sun for long periods, and wool is particularly prone to this. However, the relatively low amount of sunlight in the UK means this is unlikely to be a concern.

Are wool carpets cleaner than alternatives?

Wool carpets are naturally water-repellent so are less susceptible to staining. They are easy to clean, though no more so than other materials such as polypropylene.

Are wool carpets hard-wearing?

Very. You can expect a wool carpet to last for 20–25 years. They are one of the hardest-wearing types of carpet available.

Is a wool carpet good for the stairs?

Yes, wool carpet is very suitable for stairs as it can withstand a lot of football without wearing.

Is Rug Doctor safe for wool carpets?

Yes, but you should only go over the carpet once with the machine. For more information, visit rugdoctor.co.uk.

What’s the difference between a polypropylene carpet and a wool carpet?

For a full breakdown of the differences between polypropylene and wool, take a look at our guide to choosing the right material for your carpet.

Why do some wool carpets contain polyester?

Wool blends—such as wool-polyester or wool-polypropylene—are common when it comes to carpet, mainly because they reduce the overall cost. Since polyester is somewhat less durable than wool, the carpet may wear slightly quicker than a 100% wool carpet would.

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