Wool comes from the fleece of lambs or sheep. Wool is also one of the oldest fibers used by man. Even before 10,000 B.C. wool was being spun and woven by the tribes of Northern Europe. It is still one of the finest yarns available for both carpet and rugs. Wool is chemically made up of standard organic elements including sulfur, which accounts for the “wool smell” when it is damp.Wool absorbs 90% of water compared to synthetic rugs which only absorb 20-30% of water. Fibers act as a sponge. Wool can hold up to 10 times it’s weight in water and is prone to shrinking, so use caution with wet cleaning methods.

Wool rugs (which are canvas backed), used latex under the canvas, to hold the weave in place. Rugs and carpets that start curling are a tripping hazard. A rug should lay flat all around regardless of whether it sits on tile, hardwood or another carpeted surface. Rug curling will only get worse with time causing weakened fibers and damage that can be extremely pricey and expensive to repair. When a rug is cleaned it causes the fibers to soften and curl at the edges.

Tips & Tricks

  • Books:

    For this trick, get your hands on your largest sized books. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, phone books, and so forth. Place the books along the edges of the rug to hold it down. Leave the books, in place for a week. Then remove again after the time has passed and the rug should be flat.

  • Your Mattress:

     For really stubborn area rugs there is a final solution for you to try. Remove the area rug from the floor and place it between your mattresses and box spring. Make sure it lies completely flat and leave it for at least a week before you check the results. This method should work for rugs that are badly curled at the corners, but the rug obviously needs to be the size of the bed or smaller for the best possible results.

  • Reverse:

    Simply taking the carpet and laying it upside down will also help stop the curling it may look for a while, but you should have a flattened area rug in about a week or so.