how to wash a Vintage Rug

I spent a sunny afternoon washing a vintage rug in my backyard and I am excited to share the process with you. I’ve had so many clients ask me- Can I wash my vintage rug at home? And, I’m here to tell you the answer is- Yes, absolutely!

Your real wool vintage rugs are working hard for you in your home, especially if you have pets, kids or live in wet climate and find yourself tracking in debris from outside. Your rug is naturally collecting dust, dander and pet hair and is actually a passive air filter in your home too! This is all part of their beauty, and functionality, let me tell you. From wild fire smoke to air pollution, your wool rug is actually helping to keep your indoor air quality fresh too. Wool contains keratin, a protein that binds permanently with volatile chemical pollutants and combustion by-products through chemisorption, locking them away without re-emitting them. And not only that, wool is naturally flame resistant, just another reason I love wool and why it is the safest choice for a floor covering in your home.

All of these real life things can add up, and it is good to know how to wash your own rugs at home. I think it’s kinda fun too, it got me outside and I had fun playing with the hose and my tools and got to feel a little bit like a kid in the yard on this sunny day…

So, first things first, gather together your tools, find a good spot near a hose and make sure to pick a warm and sunny day to work outside so you can allow your rug a proper amount of time to dry.

Today, I’m using Eucalan brand wool wash. It is enriched with lanolin to condition your wool, plus it doesn’t need to be thoroughly rinsed out! If you don’t have this brand that’s fine, but whatever you use make sure it’s extremely gentle and meant for wool. Brand names like Resolve are meant for synthetic fibers and can cause some real damage to your natural fiber rug.

Next up, fill your bucket with water and rug wash as directed and find yourself a good spot to wash your rug. I find that pavement with a slightly sloped surface (like a driveway) works really well, a deck or the landscaping gravel I’m using today. Hose your rug down and then pour your soapy water all over your rug. Time to get scrubbing with that push broom, or scrub more stubborn spots by hand with your bristle brush.

Once you have scrubbed one side, flip your rug over and scrub the back- and be ready to say bye bye to all of the dirt. Rug washing can not only be very satisfying but also a great work out! Once you are done scrubbing you need to rinse the rug until the water runs clear…and don’t be surprised if that takes a long while…

And lastly, hang your rug up somewhere to drip dry and admire your work! You don’t want your rug to dry too quickly or it can shrink. Think about a wool sweater in a hot dryer. An area that is partially shaded on a super hot day can work, or a mostly sunny spot on a modestly warm day can be ok too.

This Moroccan rug was quite heavy once it was saturated with water, so I actually draped it over some of my patio chairs to drip dry until it was light enough to hang over my backyard fence to complete its drying.

For really large rugs, letting them dry in place on the ground is going to be easier, it just takes longer. Make sure you have some help for the heavy lifting, or for a first round of cleaning rugs on your own start with something small and see how it feels. Larger rugs might be best left to the experts really. A professional washing of your vintage rug only needs to be done once every few years. A sun bath or spot cleaning will do just fine in the in-between (more of those tips saved to our Instagram hi-lights and this journal post).

You know, there are a lot of big brands out there making cheap, polyester “washable rugs” with their entire sales strategy dedicated to convincing you that theirs are the only washable rugs out there- but boy are they wrong! Not only are ALL vintage rugs washable, (I hope if anything I’ve just proved that) but they are the only ones strong enough to withstand the test of time, real life and lots of washing for years to come. These polyester “washable rugs” can be washed sure, but you will find that they really don’t stand up to long term use or washing. When I polled you all on Instagram, you let me know the average lifespan you’ve gotten out of one of these modern rugs is a few years at best. After that these rugs ultimately end up in a landfill. And they will stay there longer than you or I will be alive. I know that sounds grim but it’s true, polyester doesn’t really decompose, it’s plastic.

A real wool vintage rug cannot only be washed but it can be washed by YOU!

That’s all for today- I hope that you find this information helpful and get excited about trying your hand at washing one of your rugs at home.

Good Luck!

xo,

Anna

***A short disclaimer before I go***

#1 this is just MY personal process of washing rugs

#2 make sure to do spot test first, checking for any color bleed, especially on darker rugs with deep reds and blues

#3 a reminder that wet rugs get VERY heavy, so if its a large rug, or even a medium sized rug with a thick or long pile make sure you have help, or plan to stick with a professional cleaning service.

When in doubt, don’t throw your back out! ;)

And lastly, I’ll give you bonus points for vacuuming your rug front and back to remove dirt and excess debris, and to set yourself up for added success before you even get going washing your rug outside!