Nature s CARPET 80498 Wool Carpet User Guide
- June 4, 2024
- Nature s CARPET
Table of Contents
80498 Wool Carpet
User Guide
Wool Carpet Care & Maintenance Guide
Why Choose Wool?
Wool is a Natural Fiber – Soft and Warm
There is no denying that consumer preference for stylish, quality natural
products can be seen in all areas of interior design. Wool sets the bar for
all other carpets and has advantages that synthetics cannot match.
Nothing compares to the luxury of a soft wool carpet under your feet. Also,
the natural crimp of wool creates millions of tiny pockets that trap air and
act as an ideal insulator.
Wool is Naturally Stain Resistant
The surface of a wool fiber is covered by a thin protective membrane that
prevents water from readily penetrating into your carpet. This same membrane
which is so waterproof still allows the fiber to absorb moisture in vapor form
and as a result, makes it resistant to static electricity.
Wool is Easy to Clean
Wool is a natural soil and stain-resistant fiber. Its fundamental structure is
that of overlapping scales which keep dust and dirt near the surface of the
pile, where it can easily be released by vacuuming.
Wool is Durable & Naturally Resilient
The natural crimp of wool allows it to spring back quickly after compression
and retain its original shape. This crucial characteristic ensures woolen
carpets look good for longer, even in high-traffic areas.
Wool is Environmentally Friendly
Wool is sustainable, biodegradable and a rapidly renewable resource that has
the least environmental impact of all carpet fibers. It is the only carpet
fiber made without petroleum.
Wool is Naturally Flame Retardant
The high moisture content of the fiber will not support combustion making it
difficult to ignite and self-extinguishable. Charring can easily be brushed
away. In addition to being extremely safe, wool carpets retain their
appearance even after minor burn damage.
Wool is Anti-Allergenic
Allergies are on the rise universally. Wool fibers are too long and too coarse
to be inhaled and, being a natural fiber, won’t give off harmful emissions.
Wool has a breathable fiber structure that does not promote the growth of
bacteria or dust mites.
Understanding Your Wool Carpet
Fluffing, or balls of fluff, is completely natural on a new carpet. These
are loose bits of fiber left over from the manufacturing process. The fluff
will likely fill your vacuum bag the first few times but it is not harmful in
any way.
Sprouting refers to a single tuft rising up from the pile surface. DO NOT
pull the tuft. These can be safely trimmed with scissors without affecting the
appearance. If you have a Loop Pile, however, do not cut it, professional
repair is advised.
Tracking vs. Permanent Shading. “Tracking” is the imprint left by
footprints on your carpet which is more common on the plusher cut pile
surfaces and disappears with vacuuming. The carpet is most prone to tracking
in high-traffic areas and should be given extra attention during routine
vacuum cleaning.
All cut pile carpets will develop lighter or darker patches over time known as
“shading” or “watermarking.” It is caused by the permanent bending of the
carpet pile fibers which then reflect the light differently, much like velvet.
The extent to which shading occurs cannot be accurately predicted or prevented
and is most often related to the location of use rather than the type of
carpet construction. Shading does not affect the wear or durability of the
carpet and is not recognized as a manufacturing flaw or defect.
Fading. Technical advances in UV-resistant window panes have greatly
reduced fading, however; like all-natural textiles, your wool carpet will fade
or change color over time in areas consistently exposed to sunlight.
Crush marks refer to noticeable light and dark areas, often in strips.
This is more likely to occur with the plusher pile carpets and is caused by
the weight of the carpet in a large roll pressing down on the layers
underneath and bending the fibers. It can also happen when two rolls that have
been rolled at different tightness are laid next to each other. Over time and
with regular vacuuming and general foot traffic, this effect will diminish,
though it can take 3-6 months or so for the marks to disappear entirely. This
is not considered a manufacturing defect.
Indentations from heavy furniture. Place furniture cups under the legs of
heavy furniture and regularly shift the furniture a few inches one way or
another to give the pile a chance to recover. To revive the flattened pile,
you can use a warm steam iron over a towel laid on top of the carpet. Hold the
steam iron gently to the towel and use the steam button to inject steam – do
not press the iron down on the towel as this could leave gloss marks on the
carpet underneath.
Insect Damage occurs where food, animal, or plant substances are present
near a wool carpet. Preventive measures include regular and thorough
vacuuming, especially in areas around and under furniture that is not moved
frequently, and along baseboards. The Medium Green and Light Green Nature’s
Carpet products are treated to deter insect damage and we offer a five-year
insect-resist warranty for those products. The Dark Green Nature’s Carpet
products are not treated for insect resistance, and therefore the insect-
resist warranty does not apply to the Dark Green line of Nature’s Carpet.
How To Clean & Maintain Wool Carpets
Regardless of fiber type, regular cleaning and maintenance are needed to keep
your carpet looking great year after year.
A regular maintenance program will achieve four key things:
- Remove soil and dirt from the surface of the carpet for both appearance and hygiene reasons;
- Preserve the original texture of the carpet;
- Help prevent the infestation from insects and moths; and,
- Increase the lifespan of the carpet.
Dry vacuum approximately once a week. This will prevent soil from
becoming embedded in the pile, causing accelerated wear. Over-vacuuming can
cause fuzzing, while under-vacuuming can cause matting. It is important to
find a balance in-between.
A “beater-bar” type vacuum (with a roller brush) is effective for lifting the
pile, pulling away dirt particles, and removing shedding fibers. It is
important to adjust the height setting of the beater bar for positive results
according to the pile height of your particular carpet.
It is also extremely important to note that many models of vacuums on the
market have overly stiff roller brushes and too-powerful suction that can
shred wool and other soft fiber carpets, which will void the warranty on your
carpet. As of 2018, we have researched and found that Soniclean Soft Carpet
Series vacuums are specially designed to be safe and very effective on wool
and other soft-fiber carpets.
Promptly attend to spills and stains. If left unattended, the spill will
chemically bond with the pigment of the carpet fiber making removal extremely
difficult without causing damage to the carpet pile. When necessary, have a
reputable operator professionally steam clean your carpet.
Never rub, brush or massage a wool carpet when it is damp or wet. This
will only damage the carpet pile and spread the stain further.
In the event of a spill…
- Immediately blot up liquids using a wad of paper towels or a clean dish cloth/towel.
- Scoop up solids using a spoon, trying not to push the substance further into the carpet pile.
- Using a clean damp towel, wring out a little lukewarm water (not hot) over the stain, dilute it then re-blot thoroughly using a clean dry towel – DO NOT rub the stain.
- You can continue to gently apply water and re-blot. The wool pile will not be damaged by water as long as you don’t overwet the carpet. Overwatering can cause watermarks on the surface and may damage the backing.
- Most oily or greasy stains can be removed, even after a period of time however, certain stains may have a chemical reaction with the fiber and can cause irreversible damage.
STAIN GUIDE
Prior to using any of the stain removal methods listed below, ensure you have blotted up any excess liquid spills as noted above. This is a critical step – the more colour or moisture you remove out of a stain with paper towels, the easier it will be to remove any remaining residue. And remember – NEVER rub the wet carpet.
Simply cross-reference the type of treatment with the specific stain in the table on the next page:
- Lukewarm water OR a wool carpet wet stain remover approved and recommended by your Nature’s Carpet dealer;
- Mix 1 teaspoon of clear dishwashing liquid, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar & 1 liter of warm water;
- Clear household disinfectant (containing no bleaches or strong alkali);
- A wool carpet dry stain remover, if available. Use only on dry stains;
- Chill with ice cubes in a plastic bag. Pick or scrape off solids;
- Mix 1/3 cup of white vinegar with 2/3 cup of water;
- Warm water;
- Nail polish remover (lanolin-free);
- Rubbing alcohol;
- Place a paper towel over the wax and apply a hot iron to the paper. Wax will melt and be absorbed by paper;
- Vacuum clean;
- Mineral turpentine;
- Seek assistance from a professional carpet cleaner.
Note: If using lukewarm water, ensure you have blotted up as much excess moisture from the stain as possible with a paper towel before gently squeezing any water onto a stain and then blotting it up with a paper towel.
Stain Type | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 |
---|---|---|---|
Bleach | 1 | 13 | – |
Blood | 1 | 2 | – |
Butter | 4 | 2 | – |
Candle Wax | 10 | 4 | – |
Chewing Gum | 5 | 4 | – |
Chocolate | 4 | 2 | – |
Coffee | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Cola & Soft Drinks | 1 | 2 | – |
Cooking Oil | 4 | 2 | – |
Cream | 2 | 4 | – |
Egg | 2 | 13 | – |
Feces | 2 | 3 | 13 |
Floor Wax | 4 | 2 | – |
Fruit Juice | 1 | 2 | – |
Furniture polish | 4 | 2 | – |
Gravy & sauces | 7 | 2 | – |
Ink – ballpoint | 9 | 2 | – |
Ink-felt tip | 4 | 2 | – |
Lipstick | 4 | 2 | – |
Milk | 2 | 4 | – |
Mustard | 2 | – | – |
Nail polish | 8 | 4 | – |
Oil & Grease | 4 | 2 | – |
Paint (oil based) | 4 | – | – |
Paint (acrylic) | 1 | 2 | – |
Rust | 6 | 13 | – |
Salad dressing | 2 | 4 | – |
Shoe Polish | 4 | 2 | – |
Soot | 11 | 4 | – |
Tar | 12 | 4 | – |
Tea | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Tomato Sauce | 1 | 2 | – |
Urine (fresh) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Urine (old stain) | 13 | – | – |
Vomit | 2 | 3 | 6 |
Wine | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Wine, beer, spirits | 1 | 2 | – |
General Limitation:
The Nature’s Carpet Care & Maintenance Guide and Stain Guide are offered as a guideline ONLY. Professional cleaning service is almost always preferred. Nature’s Carpet (a division of Colin Campbell & Sons Ltd.) will not bear responsibility or be held liable with respect to damage, stains, cleaning, and/or maintenance methods employed by the consumer.