A handmade rug is uniquely hand-crafted into a work of art that oozes character and should last for many years. Due to the nature of this type of rug small irregularities which are not present in machine made products do occur and should be looked at as part of the character and not as a flaw.
Mainly raw materials such as wool, cotton, goat hair, silk and vegetable fibres are used for the production of handmade rugs, all raw materials have specific characteristics which contribute to the value and character of this type of rug.
We have listed some information below on how to care for a handmade rug, generally speaking handmade rugs are quite resilient but the right information can help your investment last a lifetime.

1. Vacuum your carpet with a soft nozzle and never with revolving hoovers.

2. Do not drag sharp edged furniture over or onto your rug.

3. Turn your rug occasionally in order to prevent uneven wear or colour change due to sun exposure through a window.

4. Shedding or malting of loose fibres is completely normal with any wool product, regular vacuum cleaning will terminate this process over time.

5. Any loose pile or long filaments can simply be cut off with a pair of scissors, these are simply strands of yarn that are pressed down during the knotting process.

6. Dab any spills i.e. liquids immediately with absorbent household paper, do not rub, brush the pile in the direction of the weave whilst still damp then treat with lukewarm water. The carpet should be allowed to dry naturally on both sides before laying back on the floor.

7. Try not to vacuum pale fringes, this only cleans the inside of your vacuum hose and actually makes your fringe dirtier.

Following these basics steps can add years on your rug and will keep it looking like its just stepped off the loom.

It is very important to clean marks and stains on a rug quickly and correctly, quickly because this helps avoid permanent pile damage and correctly to avoid spreading the stain or mark.
Leftovers ie food or dirt on the surface can be removed using the back of a knife, do not use aggressive detergents to avoid damaging and discolouring the pile surface.
On liquid stains like coffee, tea, blood, milk, starchy foods and urine firstly soak off liquids by blotting the stain with kitchen roll, try a little lukewarm water first but do not over wet or rub the stain, if necessary add a little bit of mild detergent, dry any excess liquid by blotting and allow to dry naturally.
Stains and dirt caused by oil, shoe polish, gravy, soot, chewing gum, fat, fruits and paint should be soaked off immediately and treated with a commercial stain remover. Make sure the stain remover used is suitable for the pile of your rug, ie wool, silk.
Candle wax should first cool off. Then carefully remove any surface wax with a knife, absorb the rest using blotting paper and an iron on a low temperature.

Well maintained rugs can give many years of use, a well looked after rug can still look new even after many years.

To air a rug and avoid uneven wear and tear you should turn you rug regularly, this will help you rug age gracefully!!

Dirt should be removed at once, dirt that is left for a while can discolour the pile and even damage the material.

A rugs life span can be shortened by sanding (rubbing) this can wear areas of pile or spread stains, excessive  moisture can rot certain rugs and cause mould.

Regular vacuum cleaning with an attachment on the end of a hose (never use Upright Hoovers with revolving brushes) is sufficient to remove every day dust and soiling. Wool rugs will loose fibres over time, this is nothing to worry about and is the nature of wool.