Maintenance
Our main recommendation is to dry clean pieces on a regular basis.
We have had many pieces cleaned and can say that you needn’t worry about dyes or fiber. We use only wool and both the natural and commercial dyes clean beautifully. Find a dry cleaner you trust and take your piece to them regularly.Pieces get softer to the touch from use and from cleaning.
If you decide to wash your weavings we want you to know that this is wool so it can shrink in hot water, and agitating can “felt” it. Naturally dyed yarns will have been washed in soap already. Commercially dyed and undyed wools have not. A professional who cleans oriental rugs will be comfortable cleaning our weavings. Any washing should be done in cold water with a gentle soap (We use Ivory liquid), and as little agitating as possible. A washed piece will probably need to be pressed.
To press use a hot iron over a light damp cloth over the weaving. The steam from the cloth will relax the fibers.
Moths
Because moths are a very real threat to wool, we’d like to give you some information here. There are other insects that eat wool, and you might like to become familiar with local threats. These rules apply to moths.
1.They’re sneaky. You can have moth larvae munching on your wool and never have noticed a little moth fluttering into your house.
2.They like it dark, warm, and dry. Closets and drawers are moth favorites. And the back side of a wall hanging is another.
3.You can kill them in your freezer. Wrap weavings in plastic bags, and freeze them quickly (a very cold freezer). After a day or two you can remove the piece, let it thaw out, and freeze it again. The changes in temperature should kill all moth eggs, larvae and adults.
4.You can moth proof. A dry cleaner can apply moth-proofing, and the Fuller Brush people sell cans of a moth-proofer. Dry-cleaned items also repel moths. And dirty wool seems to attract moths. Another reason to keep them clean.
5.We recommend checking for moths at least once every three months. At that point you can choose what to do.
Hanging Weavings
The warp is the structural foundation of the piece. Our weavings are weft-faced and are structurally stronger hung with the warp vertical and the visible weft yarns horizontal. We recommend the following sleeve mount for our weavings.
Materials needed are “curtain pleater tape” (white cotton polyester blend, 3 1/2″ wide), clear nail polish, regular polyester-cotton thread, sewing needle, 1/8″ x 1″ aluminum bar.
Installing Rugs
We recommend putting a pad under your rug that is a few inches smaller than the rug. Even if you put the rug on top of carpeting it is necessary to use a pad to guarantee no transfer of color between rug and carpet. A padding comparable to that which you would use under carpeting is a good idea. It will serve to keep the rug from sliding and to allow the dirt to fall through the rug. It will also feel better underfoot with additional padding.
Direct sunlight is destructive both of dyes and wool. Please avoid locating your wool rug in any place where it will receive direct sunlight.
Cleaning Rugs
It is important to use a non-rotary vacuum cleaner or the upholstery attachment when vacuuming your rug. The rug should be cleaned as needed by taking it to a reputable dry-cleaner, or an oriental rug cleaner.
Sub-Categories
