Stop vacuuming your wool carpet with a beater bar. That spinning brush can pull apart the delicate wool fibers—leaving your beautiful carpet looking fuzzy and worn before its time. Here’s the fix: Use a suction-only vacuum with no brush. (Have a tufted synthetic carpet instead? Then it’s perfectly fine to use the brush.)
How to Care for Wool Carpets: Expert Advice from Island Carpet in Middletown, RI
If you’ve chosen a wool carpet for your home, congratulations — you’ve invested in one of the most luxurious and durable flooring materials available. Wool is natural, renewable, and offers timeless beauty. We've seen wool carpets last for decades! Homeowners across Aquidneck Island — from Middletown to Newport and Portsmouth — love it for its warmth, resilience, and the way it feels underfoot. And as with anything high-quality, it deserves a little extra care.
You’ve probably seen vacuums with a rotating brush (also called a beater bar). While these brushes work great on synthetic carpets, they can be too harsh for wool fibers. That's because wool carpet is made up of tiny natural fibers twisted together. When a beater bar hits those strands repeatedly, it can fray, fuzz, or even shred the fibers, leaving your carpet looking worn.
If your vacuum has an adjustable beater bar, raise it up or turn it off entirely. Many vacuums also come with suction-only attachments—these are perfect for wool carpets. You’ll still lift dirt and debris effectively without damaging the carpet fibers.
And vacuuming is important: It prevents dirt buildup that wears fibers down. Optimally, you could try to vacuum about once per week. Otherwise, vacuum as often as is convenient.
Caring for wool carpet doesn’t have to be complicated. But a small change that leads to a big difference is vacuuming your wool carpet WITHOUT using a beater bar. We want your carpet looking fresh, soft, and beautiful for years to come.
If you have any questions about wool carpet care, give us a call at 401-214-0285 or visit our showroom. We serve customers throughout Rhode Island and southeastern New England, including Newport, Middletown, Jamestown, Portsmouth, Bristol and more.
About Ken: Ken Fain is the co-owner of Island Carpet in Middletown, RI and a floorcovering veteran of more than 40 years. His popular 'Ask Ken' video series answers common flooring questions on a variety of topics. It has reached thousands of viewers on both YouTube and Facebook.
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