MATERIALS / RUGS
LIVING WITH RUGS.
The rug decides how relaxed the room feels, and how much you'll be cleaning it. Pick the fibre first, the pattern second.
MATERIALS / RUGS
THE SHORT VERSION
Wool is the all-rounder: durable, cleanable, sheds at first. Jute is the most relaxed and the cheapest, but it stains, sprouts and hates moisture, so it's wrong for wet rooms and rentals. Viscose has the most sheen and the least resilience; water marks it. For kids, pets and holiday homes, an outdoor-rated flatweave is the honest answer indoors too.
What it is
WHAT IS THIS RUG MADE OF?
Wool, jute and other plant fibres, viscose and Tencel, cotton, and outdoor-rated synthetic flatweaves. The fibre is in the specifications, along with the construction (hand-knotted, hand-tufted, hand-woven or machine-made), which is the second thing that decides how it wears.
The honest bit
WHAT WILL HAPPEN ANYWAY
Wool will shed.
Vacuum bags of fluff for the first two or three months. Loose fibre from manufacture, not the rug wearing out.
Jute will sprout.
Short fibres pop up. Trim flush with scissors. Never pull.
Viscose will crush and mark.
Footprints in the pile, a shadow where the coffee table sits, a permanent mark from a wet glass.
Everything fades in sun,
jute and wool fastest. Rotate every six months.
New rugs smell.
Dyes and backing, magnified by packaging. Gone in a week with the windows open.
Where it belongs
WHO EACH RUG SUITS
Kids.
Wool, or an outdoor-rated flatweave. Not viscose. Not pale jute, which stains with the first spilt cup.
Instead of jute: a flatweave in a jute tone gives the texture and takes a hose. Outdoor Rugs →
Pets.
Low-pile wool or flatweave. Loop pile catches claws; viscose holds every accident.
Instead of viscose: a wool rug with a subtle sheen reads formal without the fragility. Rugs →
Coastal.
Humidity is the enemy of jute. In a house near the water that's closed up for weeks, jute can swell, smell and, in a bad summer, mildew. Wool copes. Flatweave doesn't care.
Renting it out.
Don't put jute in a rental. Guests spill, jute stains, and it can't be cleaned. Same for viscose.
Instead: an outdoor-rated flatweave that looks like jute and survives tenants, or a dark-toned wool. Outdoor Rugs →Rugs →
Entertainers.
Viscose and hand-tufted wool belong here, in the formal living room where wine stays on the table.
MATERIALS / RUGS
HOW TO CLEAN A RUG
The routine for all rugs. Vacuum weekly on low suction with the beater bar off or lifted; rotating brushes tear wool and pull sprouts out of jute. Blot spills with a clean white cloth from the edge in, never rubbing. Rotate 180 degrees every six months. Non-slip underlay under every rug. Felt pads under furniture legs; no castors. Store clean, dry, rolled pile-in, wrapped, flat. Don't steam-clean natural fibres, don't machine-wash unless the label says so, don't leave a wet rug on a timber floor, and don't use bleach or ammonia on anything.
Wool
- What it is.
- Naturally springy, naturally stain-resistant thanks to lanolin, hides dirt. Hand-knotted and hand-tufted wool rugs are the workhorses of a living room.
- What happens.
- Shedding for the first few months, then it settles. A loose loop or two. Fades in sun. Moths in a rug stored dirty.
- Clean.
- Vacuum weekly, no beater bar. Spills: blot, then a little wool-safe detergent in cold water on a cloth, blot dry. Professional clean every year or two by someone who knows wool.
- Don't.
- Don't pull a loose loop; snip it flush. Don't over-wet; wool holds water and the backing can mildew. Don't steam.
- Normal vs not.
- Shedding that slows over months, snipped loops, slight size variation on hand-made rugs are normal. Bald patches, shedding still heavy after six months, or backing coming away are not: send us a photo.
Jute, sisal and seagrass
- What it is.
- Woven plant fibres, textured, and the far relaxed end of the scale. Jute is the softest of the three; sisal and seagrass are harder-wearing and rougher underfoot. All are absorbent.
- What happens.
- Sprouting. Fading in sun. A faint plant smell in a damp room. A spill soaks in and can leave a permanent water mark. Humidity swells the fibre.
- Clean.
- Vacuum weekly, no beater bar, and vacuum underneath; grit falls straight through. Spills: blot immediately, then a dry-cleaning powder or a barely damp cloth. Never soak it. Never hose it. A professional dry-extraction clean for anything serious.
- Don't.
- Don't wash it. Don't steam it. Don't put it in a bathroom, laundry, entry that gets rain, or anywhere the sliders stay open in wet weather. Don't put it in a rental.
- Normal vs not.
- Sprouting, colour variation, a plant smell that fades, and a slightly uneven edge are normal. Fibres unravelling in rows or mould are not: send us a photo, and check where it's sitting.
Viscose and Tencel
- What it is.
- Regenerated cellulose fibres that give a silk-like sheen at a fraction of the cost. Beautiful and delicate. The lux end of the scale, and it wants a formal room.
- What happens.
- Crushing underfoot and under furniture. Water leaves a permanent mark. It sheds at first, like wool. It fades.
- Clean.
- Vacuum gently on the lowest setting, or use a carpet sweeper. Spills: blot and stop. Anything wet, including water, marks it, so call a professional who specialises in viscose.
- Don't.
- Don't use water. Don't use any home cleaning product. Don't put it in a dining room, a hallway, or anywhere near a door to outside.
- Normal vs not.
- Crush marks, footprints, sheen shading and early shedding are normal. Pile loss in patches or a backing coming away are not: send us a photo.
Cotton
- What it is.
- Flat-woven or braided cotton, soft, casual, usually in smaller sizes. The most washable natural fibre.
- What happens.
- Fades, wrinkles, and shrinks slightly if washed hot. Ends fray.
- Clean.
- Small cotton rugs are often cold machine wash on gentle; check the label. Larger ones: vacuum and spot-clean with mild detergent, or dry-clean. Line dry flat in shade.
- Don't.
- Don't hot wash or tumble dry. Don't bleach.
- Normal vs not.
- Softening, slight shrinkage and fading are normal. Seams splitting are not: send us a photo.
Outdoor-rated flatweave
- What it is.
- Polypropylene or recycled PET, woven flat. Looks like jute or wool from standing height, hoses clean, and doesn't care about sun or wet feet. Made for decks, and quietly the best rug for a family living room.
- What happens.
- Very little. Slight fading after years in full sun. A stiffer feel than wool.
- Clean.
- Vacuum, or hose on the lawn with mild soap and a soft brush, then dry flat in shade before it goes back down. Blot spills; most come out with water.
- Don't.
- Don't lay it back on a timber floor while damp. Don't use solvents.
- Normal vs not.
- Stiffness and mild fading are normal. Weave splitting is not: send us a photo.
MATERIALS / RUGS
IS THIS NORMAL?
- Wool shedding in the first months: normal.
- Fibres sprouting from jute: normal. Trim, don't pull.
- Footprints and crush marks in viscose: normal.
- Colour or size slightly different from the listing: normal for hand-made rugs.
- A stray loose thread: normal. Snip it flush.
- Bald patches, backing coming away, edges unravelling, or shedding that hasn't slowed after six months: not normal. Send us a photo. Warranty →
Questions Worth Asking
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Can you wash a jute rug?
No. Water soaks in, marks it and can shrink or mildew it. Blot spills, use dry-cleaning powder, and call a professional for anything serious.
Are jute rugs good for dining rooms or high-traffic areas?
For traffic, yes; jute wears well. For dining, no; the first red wine is permanent. Use jute in living rooms and bedrooms, and a wool or flatweave under the dining table.
Jute rug or wool rug for a rental?
Wool in a mid or dark tone, or an outdoor-rated flatweave. Not jute; it can't be cleaned once stained.
Why is my wool rug shedding?
Loose fibre from manufacture. It slows over two to three months with gentle vacuuming. If it's still heavy after six months, tell us.
Are jute rugs bad for allergies?
Jute itself is low-allergen, but the open weave holds dust, so vacuum it and the floor beneath weekly. Wool is naturally dust-resistant; flatweave is the easiest to keep clean.
What's the best rug for kids and dogs?
Low-pile wool or an outdoor-rated flatweave. Both clean, both cope, and the flatweave can be hosed on the lawn.
WOOL, JUTE OR SOMETHING THAT SURVIVES THE DOG?
Fifteen minutes, a photo of the room, and we'll pick the fibre and the size. Complimentary.
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