Design by Amber Interior Design 

So you invested in vintage; first, yay! It was a great choice. But now you are wondering about how to care for your piece. Well, these rugs are made to be durable and resilient and are woven to stand the test of time. But there are some best practices when it comes to care-taking and following these points will help your piece live on as a foundation in your home for years to come. 

First, as a point of assurance, these vintages pieces are made of wool and its fibers are naturally dense and elastic, which helps to increase the rugs dexterity and ultimately its' longevity. The wool fibers also contain lanolin, or wool wax, which is a wax secreted by the glands of wool-bearing animals. Within the rug, this wool wax acts as a natural stain repellent, helping to wick away any liquid that may come in contact with your rug. 

Secondly, invest in a rug pad. Doing so will help keep out dirt and particles from getting into the rugs foundation which can grind away at the back of the rugs fibers and damage the base of the rug. You can buy a solid rug pad from RugsUSA. 

 

Design by Jean Stoffer Design.

So you spilled something on your vintage rug. Don't fret. Here are our tried and true techniques to deal with stains and smells. 

Musty Smell

Did you unpack your rug and notice the smell of old? No worries. Roll our your rug so that the fibers can breathe and after a few days, the smell should be gone. If you are still having some lingering scents after a few days, you can use a gentle scent neutralizer like Febreeze Fabric Refresher.

Stains

Like I mentioned, wool is naturally stain-resistant so if you do spill, a quick blotting should do the trick. If it is something more stubborn (like a pet stain or a blob of spaghetti sauce) scoop up what you can, as quickly as you can. You can always sprinkle some cornstarch or baking soda on the stain and let it rest for 10-15 minutes (this helps absorb the stain) and then use water, a mild dish detergent and some white vinegar and blog with a soft rag. Once the stain looks under control, you can rinse with cold water and let air dry. 

Red Wine

We have all been there, it happens to us all. You can neutralize the stain with white wine or vodka. Just pour it over the red wine and blot it clean. You can then use the steps above to remove any extra coloring.

I know this can all seem a bit scary or doomsday when you invest into vintage but I have not come across a stain yet that hasn't been riddled by any of the above techniques. These vintage pieces are vintage for a reason; it is beacause they were truly made to last. 

If you have any other questions on caring for your rug or how to store and maintain, take a look at our Care Guide