We have touted wool carpets as being among the most luxurious options you have for carpet in your home. When you’ve spent more money on wool, you want to maintain it correctly! The single most effective method of maintenance on wool carpet is regular vacuuming.

One of the most common issues with wool carpet is a red wine spill. Have you heard it said that if you want to treat a red wine spill on wool carpet, you pour some white wine on it? Don’t do it! Not only will it be a waste of some good white wine, it will simply spread your problem!

The best way to treat a wine spill (or any water-based staining agent) is to immediately soak up as much of the spill as possible with an absorbent cloth or paper. Start at the outer edges of the spill and work your way to the center, blotting rather than rubbing. This is important! Blot, don’t rub! If you can still see the spot after blotting, use a spot remover specifically designed for water-based stains on wool, like any spot removers that carry a WoolSafe® label. In particular, do not use regular detergents, as they will likely leave a residue that will cause soiling quickly at the spot of the stain.

For oily stains, don’t be afraid to use a dry cleaning solvent (again, best with a WoolSafe® label). Remember that most high-quality wool garments recommend dry cleaning! Just be sure that you use the solvent sparingly as it can damage the backing of your carpet.