An unfortunately common experience for most of us: a moment of distraction and the next thing you know, your jam and butter toast has leaped off the plate and is now lying face down on your favourite rug. In everyday life, the durability of rugs is often put to the test. However, to ensure that they remain enjoyable for a long time, they need to be cleaned and cared for properly. Here we offer you some important cleaning tips and tricks to keep in mind.

Before the rug you’ve been eyeing finds a new place in your home, there are a few points to consider when making your purchase:

• What should it look like, high pile or short pile?
• How big should it be?
• And above all: where should the rug lie?

Asking yourself these questions right at the beginning can not only make the rug purchasing process easier, but also the subsequent cleaning and care. Because then you know what is important and what you must pay attention to. In living areas where a rug is subject to more wear and tear, such as in the entrance area, a hard-wearing and easy-to-clean rug that resists stains is recommended. After all, you don't want to have to take it to the cleaners every two weeks because your hoover has reached its limit. A beloved plush rug should therefore be placed somewhere else for your peace of mind.

High pile or short pile: who will clean up better?

High pile rugs are a pampering accessory and enjoy a special charm thanks to their incredible fluffiness. They create a woolly feel-good atmosphere. Ideal, therefore, for the parents' bedroom or living room to provide instant cosiness. However, they are not very suitable for the children's room or the entrance area.

The reason: they are more difficult to clean. Due to their long pile height, dust and dirt can stick more easily. Even a toy car can disappear into the thick material.

Short pile rugs, on the other hand, are true all-rounders. Thanks to their compact finish, they are not only very hard-wearing and easy to clean, but they are also real eye-catchers. With their versatile designs, they fulfil every wish and turn your home into a living paradise.

What’s more, they also make more suitable racetracks for toy cars.

How often should I clean my (sheep's wool) carpet?

Our hard-wearing carpets may be frugal in want, but they still need some care. Regular vacuuming with a smooth nozzle - never with a brush - will keep your sheep's wool carpet looking new for longer.

All FELICE rugs are unsealed, so they have a self-cleaning effect: dirt passes through to the bottom and can be easily removed from there. Liquids should be dabbed off immediately with an absorbent cotton cloth, then rinsed with clear water. A secret tip from us: beating fresh snow onto the rug is an efficient way of cleaning it.

I suffer from allergies. Which rug is suitable for me?

Rugs do in fact work well for allergy sufferers, despite popular belief that they aren’t suited to each-other. Rugs are often considered to be real dust catchers, which is why they are not a bad choice for allergy sufferers because they retain dirt and thus prevent a high accumulation of dust in the air.

Regular rug cleaning and hygiene measures guarantee a sneeze-free rug and general well-being. In this article, we have summarised in more detail what to look out for.

Is my rug catproof?

It is not only us humans who appreciate the many advantages of rugs. Our four-legged friends also like to make themselves comfortable on the warm and fluffy surface. Would you really find any fault with your furry friend if he enjoyed stretching out on your beautiful rug?

If you keep a few points in mind, your favourite rug will get along with your cat just fine. Here are a few quick tips on how to proceed:

3 tips when buying a rug:

• Workmanship: Go for flat weaves. Such rugs are not only easier to clean, but they also prevent possible injuries as paws and claws could easily get caught in the loops of a fluffier weave.
• Material: Pure new sheep's wool - the best choice. Not only is it extremely hard-wearing, but it is also self-cleaning and prevents odours.
• Design: Match the colour of the rug to your pet's coat colour and any shedding will be perfectly camouflaged.

3 Tips for cleaning:

• Vacuuming: Probably the easiest way to remove coarse dirt. However, make sure you remove the brush attachment first - sheep's wool rugs do not bear well with brushes.
• Beating and airing: Deep-seated dirt can be removed by beating the rug. If you leave the rug to dry in the fresh air for a day or two, it will get a real freshness boost.
• Cleaning: Match the cleaning agent to your rug, then dab gently.

Tip 1

Every rug needs its own kind of care. So, tailor your cleaning and care routine to that. We have summarised the most important tips for our sheep's wool carpets here:

• It is better to vacuum more often and at half power or suction. This way you avoid letting the dirt soak in. Unfortunately, brush vacuum cleaners and vacuum robots are not the best choice for sheep wool.
• Act quickly in case of liquid spillage. Dab off the liquid with an absorbent cotton cloth. Never scrub or rub roughly; patience is needed for stubborn stains. If necessary, use only special cleaning additives and the "back of the spoon" method. This involves gently working the cleaning agent into the rug with the back of a spoon.
• Basic cleaning by a professional. Here, the cleaning agents, the degree of wetness and the drying process are optimally dosed and adjusted.

Tip 2

Vacuum regularly, air out and ensure the right humidity - then mites don't stand a chance.

Tip 3

Afraid of moths when storing rugs? You don't have to be. With a few tips and tricks, you can stay one step ahead of moths. Here's how:

• Thoroughly vacuum the rug before storing it.
• A plastic cover will then protect it from all external influences.
• Moths don't like scents such as lavender, pine or cedar. To be on the safe side, you could apply such aromas to the carpet in the form of essential oils or scented sachets.
• Alternatively, you could set up moth traps. Then you will find out sooner rather than later if you have a moth problem and can vacuum the rug again or move it to another place if necessary.

Here is a summary of what else you should look out for when dealing with moths.

Rugs are a pampering accessory for our feet. To keep things that way, proper cleaning is essential. Many of us would like to do so without using chemicals. There are many tips on the internet about home remedies to remove stains. We have taken a closer look at the most popular ones and tested them for you. Hint, the front-runner of the test surprised us!

Included were the following home remedies:

• Mineral water: Is carbonic acid the miracle cure?
• Vinegar mixture: Disinfects and helps with limescale in the bathroom. But does it also help with rugs?
• Shaving foam: It contains many fat-dissolving agents, but can it really clean a rug?
• Cornstarch-soda mixture: Strong enough for any stain?
• Baking powder-soda mixture: Makes cake batter rise, but does it also lift stains out of rugs?

As a direct comparison, we also tested a conventional rug cleaning agent from the drugstore and applied it to our stains.

If you don't want to use home remedies to remove stains, you can find cleaning products in drugstores that are now often organic and environmentally friendly. Many of these products do not involve animal testing or genetic engineering. The cost factor is higher here, but they are definitely worth it.

There are different ways of cleaning: powder, foam, shampoo, spray or a cleaning machine, which you can rent out for instance. Your choice mainly depends on the type of soiling present.

• Cleaning powder is easy to use: apply, work in and vacuum. The greatest difficulty lies in the uniformity of the application. Depending on the type of rug, there is also a risk that powder residues will remain.
• Cleaning foam also easily removes more stubborn stains from your rug. Again, even application may require a little practice.
• Rug cleaning shampoo is applied to the rug by hand or with a gentle brush and rubbed in. Make sure, however, that the carpet is only soaked superficially. Then dab with water until there is no more foam and leave to dry.
• A cleaning spray is particularly suitable for smaller stains. Sprays are usually a little more expensive.
• If the rug is more heavily soiled or immobile, you can also hire a cleaning machine. It is important to ensure good ventilation and drying for this process.

If the stains on your carpet are stubborn or extensive, you can also clean it with the assistance of a machine. When cleaning carpets, you can basically distinguish between two options: dry cleaning or wet/damp cleaning.

Dry cleaning

Dry cleaning is the process of removing dirt from a carpet with a simple beater or hoover.

Our tip: never vacuum with a brush, but regularly with a smooth nozzle.

Damp or wet cleaning

With a steam cleaner, dirt and grease can be easily loosened and dabbed off with a cloth. There are also rug and upholstery cleaning devices that can be rented. Here, too, various cleaning agents are used, which must be applied beforehand.

For wet cleaning, a shampooer is used to work the agent into the rug at high pressure. In this way, even coarser soiling is easily removed from the rug. If the rug is smaller and the rug material allows it, a spin in the washing machine or a quick rub in the bathtub are further possibilities. The following applies to all types of rugs:

Whether the rug is cleaned by yourself or by a professional cleaning company depends on several factors: material and its sensitivity, time and money.

Sensitive materials such as silk or designer rugs are definitely worth taking to a professional cleaner. Even if the stains are more stubborn than expected, the visit is always worthwhile. Professional cleaners can also remove invisible dirt or dust mites from the rug. Especially if there are small children in the house and they often crawl over the rug, professional cleaning is especially recommended. We have summarised the advantages and disadvantages for you in a nutshell:

Always clean your carpet as gently as possible and pay attention to the material of the carpet, regardless of whether you tackle the stains with a home remedy or an industrial cleaner. If a carpet is more sensitive, it certainly won't hurt to take it to a trusted carpet cleaner. Then you will be able to enjoy your carpet for a long time.