How To Care For Your Wool Penny Rugs

We spend so much time and quite a bit of money to make these pretty wool mats to display on our tables and floors so we need to know how to care for them so that they last …. well, I want to say forever, but if your children are like my daughters, it’s very likely that the dumpster will be where all of mine go once I’m gone.  :)

Really, caring for your wool penny rugs is easy.  Dust is the probably the most problem that you will have. 

Simply pick up your penny rug and give it a good shake.  You can also vacuum over it with your sweeper attachment as long as you do it from the backside of the penny rug. Vacuuming the front might loosen the stitches.

For lint, just use a sticky lint roller.  I always have a lint roller close by while I’m working on my projects too.

For spots of dirt or spills, dampened a cotton cloth or towel and dab at the area gently.

Don’t ever put it in the washer and don’t ever try handwashing it.  It will never be the same.  Dry Clean if there is dirt that can’t be removed.

If you set a vase or bowl or candle in the center of your penny rug, be sure to remove it every once in a while to give the wool a little rest from the weight.  Sometimes, if placed too long, a candle or vase will leave an indentation in the wool.

If this happens, shake the penny rug to fluff the wool back up. You can try brushing at it lightly with an old toothbrush.  If the indentation is still there, try misting it very lightly with water and then rub the indent gently with a cotton cloth or towel to fluff the fibers back up.  Don’t use paper towels .. the paper fibers will embed themselves into your wool and never come out!

NOTE:  If the indentation is in Wool Felt, it’s pretty much in there permanently so be really careful to not keep things sitting too long in the center without shaking it out once in a while.

Since I have so many, I hang most of mine ….

Haha, this is not a good example of how to hang your wool penny rugs!

This wall in my dining room has pretty much evolved into what it looks like here.  When I finish something, it gets put here for later use.

I kinda like how it’s all displayed, although I should take the time to arrange it properly so that everything can be seen. That’s on my “to do” list. 

If you do hang your penny rugs, just be careful that they’re not exposed to too much sunlight, which will fade the colors.  They collect dust just as easily as the mats laying on your table, so be sure to shake them out once in a while.

Someone told me a long time ago that rubbing a scented dryer sheet on the penny rug will keep moths away. Supposedly moths don’t like the smell.   That’s what I do every once in a while to my older ones.

I haven’t had any problems in all the years (knock on wood) that I’ve been working with wool, so perhaps it works.  If anyone has any other suggestions for keeping moths away, leave it in the comments!

I always welcome other suggestions or help so if you have other ways that you care for your wool, just leave a comment.

 

Also …. Sheree, you left a comment question in one of my older posts.  I don’t have any way to contact you since you didn’t give your email address.  I think you might find my post HERE about how to attach tongues, helpful.  If that’s not what you mean, email me for help. :)

 

Happy Day everyone!