There are three common factors that make up the wear and tear your rug may encounter. The first is the general activity around the rug and the foot traffic it receives. The second factor is the materials the rug is made from. The third factor is perhaps the most important: does your rug get vacuumed enough and does it get vacuumed correctly?

Wool is the most sustainable and long-lasting fiber for rugs. Why do rugs make from wool last so long? When you look at wool fibers on a microscopic level, you’ll notice they’re made up of tiny, overlapping scales. This shingled appearance locks out dust, dander, moisture, and other items that would damage the wool. Wool fibers also have a natural crimp that absorbs pressure without snapping. The average wool fiber can be bent 20,000 times before it breaks. All of this adds up to create a rug that won’t easily fray, fade, or warp.

How to Maintain a Clean Rug

Regular vacuuming can extend the lifetime of your rug greatly, but for some rugs, the dirt may have set in deeper than a vacuum can reach. In these cases, immersion washing is the best solution for removing the deeply embedded dirt inside the rug fibers. Some people may think carpet cleaners will be as effective, but like vacuuming, this will only be effective for surface-level cleaning. Instead, a thorough washing combined with regular dusting or vacuuming will help you avoid the two most common mistakes that others make regarding their rugs.