Wool area rug or not, in a household with dogs?

[Jenrae]

I am preparing to purchase my first large area rug and am conflicted on which type of material is best in a home with pets. Google has left me confused!

 

 

Even though I would like a beautiful Oriental style rug that will last several years, what is most important to me is the ease of cleaning up a pet accident when it occurs. What has been your experience? If you have a wool rug, have you used a household shampoo/extractor machine and did it harm the rug?

 

Maybe I should just get a synthetic one or one made of Polypropylene?

[vonbon]

I like wool rugs but I've never been sure about how I'd go about cleaning one (short of hiring it out, which seems expensive).

[Spryte]

I don't have rugs now (kid with asthma) so it's been a few years.

 

Wool rugs worked well for us. We had dogs, and it was manageable. Vacuumed a lot, and I used a dry cleaner fairly often - that we bought at a rug specialty store. It had a spray, I think, and a dry powder that I scrubbed in with a brush. Let it sit, then vacuum.

[gardenmom5]

if you want synthetic - get nylon.

polypropylene attracts dirt, holds onto it, and is harder to clean and get them to stay clean.  but it's cheap, though doesn't last very long.

 

good quality wool is pricey -but will last a long time.  she had a dog (who had diarrhea all over it when she was pg.)
my mother bled all over her pale wool carpet.  we had a good cleaner who worked hard - but he got it out and it looked new for when we  put it on the market.  - the carpet was original and she lived there for 15 years.

[Tap]

Check the care instructions if it is an area rug.  Wool area rugs are supposed to be swept (broom or carpet sweeper).  Vacuuming with a regular vacuum very often is hard on a wool rug, especially if it has a strong beater bar. Vacumming can actually make a wool rug shed more fibers, because it loosens them as it pulls on them. 

 

 

Snip from here

 

Q. Can you vacuum too much?

A. Today’s vacuums may be too aggressive, especially if there is hard floor underneath. You need to sweep a wool rug with a carpet sweeper. When you vacuum, once a week or two, use a canister vacuum, and set the beater bar high for less abrasion. Vacuum from side to side, not end-to-end, so you don’t grab the fringe. Once a year, take the rug outside and vacuum the back to get embedded dirt out that causes fiber wear. Then vacuum the top again. If you whack a corner and see a dust poof, it needs to be washed.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Tap

[PeterPan]

I have multiple large wool area rugs.  I'm not actually really finicky about these things, because I have really idiotic notions about people in other countries LAUGHING at us for buying the rugs they were done stomping on with their camels or whatever.  So I buy them on ebay, use them, and if they wear out oh well.  Like I said, that's my theory.  I watch ebay, use esnipe (MUST snipe!), and paid a low enough price that I'm cool with that. And yeah we've had some accidents and things.  

 

Walmart makes an enzyme spray that breaks down pet urine.  If you're lucky and fast, things will stay or puddle on top.  If you're unlucky, they sink in and will go to your floor underneath.  So you have the under layer issues to deal with.  In general though, I apply the spray, dab with a paper towel, apply more, and wait for it to do its business.  I have been satisfied with this and the people who come to my house don't gag and say I'm a terrible housekeeper.  Actually I usually dab them with a damp paper towel and get up excess and try to clean it first, THEN the enzyme spray.  It's really just common sense, kwim?  

 

If that's not good enough to you (which I can understand, everyone has opinions), then you're going to have to train your animals.  Really, our accidents were because I was inexperienced and didn't know how to train the animals.  I would advice you to solve that part and just not have the accidents.  A dog should never be anywhere without a leash that he has not learned to use correctly.  So you put him beside you on a leash, take him out, and eventually he learns he's not to void in that room.  You slowly let him off leash (keeping him close) in that room, till he learns.  He will skitter and run off to void, and that's why you're trying to build your communication so he's telling you and you're taking him where he's SUPPOSED to void.  IF the dog picks your rug (say because it's an entry rug and not somewhere you play with him), then you have trouble!  We had that happen, and I put his toys on that spot in a bin to tell him no more, that's not voiding, that's part of our house.  Totally frustrated him, but he caved and gave in.  Actually it was hilarious.  

 

So the key is dog training, not changing your rugs.  But I'm not any better with dogs than I am with house cleaning, so consult someone else.  Or just get a dog that is already thoroughly housebroken.  But again, leash train them and don't let them on the rug till they know it's not where they void.  

Edited October 30, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

When you're using ebay, main thing (besides kpsi and construction, obviously) is look at the reputation of the vendors.  I wouldn't pay US store prices, because ebay can be great if you watch a while.  I really like Kashan rugs.

Edited October 30, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Guest]

Our problem with dogs and rugs has not been pee or poop. It's been vomit. I have yet to find a rug that can withstand dog vomit that may or may not be composed of woodland creatures, crayons, or sticks in most cases, without leaving a horrid stain. Every single time it's stained no matter what the material of the rug. I've tried everything from wool to hemp. I have given up on rugs. My dogs seem to think the sole purpose of area rugs is to give them a target. :( Anyway, if you have pukers keep that in mind.

[PeterPan]

Fwiw, I keep just a normal loop rug with latex backing at my door, and that's where the dog usually vomits if he's going to.  And if he's making that kind of noise, I shoo him there.  I agree, that stuff is yellow and bile and would be horrible on good rugs.  I can't *recall* if it has happened on my rugs.  But again, my go to routine is always that enzyme spray from walmart.  

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I have a wool rug, but I only have a cat, not a dog.  The cat has vomited on the rug many times, and I have gotten it clean with just water.  I vacuum it about once a week, but my vacuum (a Dyson) only has a brush, not a beater bar.  It has withstood that just fine.  The cat has scratched at the rug on occasion, and has pulled some of the yarns up a bit with respect to the other yarns, but I've trimmed them with scissors and they don't show.  

 

YMMV

[Jenrae]

Thank you to everyone that took the time to share their experience!

 

I have been looking at rugs on Overstock.com and am still undecided. My dogs are potty trained, but there have been bladder infections that caused them to have potty accidents. Then of course, there is the vomiting, or the butt dragging that happens on occasion. Yuck! THAT is when I pull out my trusty shampooer and I feel like the world is good again!  I guess I need to look into the dry shampoo for the wool rugs and read up on it.