How to Care for a Moroccan Rug

How to clean a Beni Ourain or Moroccan wool rug, what to do about spills and shedding, and how to keep it looking good for decades.

4 Essential Care Steps

Vacuum weekly: Suction only, no beater bar, moving with the pile rather than against it.
Blot spills at once: Blot with a clean cloth and cold water. Never rub, and never use hot water.
Turn it twice a year: Rotate the rug every 3–6 months so it wears and fades evenly.
Clean it once a year: Have it professionally cleaned about once a year in a busy room, every 2–3 years in a quiet one.

How to clean a Beni Ourain rug, step by step

A Beni Ourain, or any Moroccan wool rug with a pile, needs the same routine. Most of the work is regular, gentle vacuuming; a deep clean is a job for a specialist.

Vacuum it every week. Use suction only, with the beater bar or rotating brush switched off, and move the vacuum in the direction the pile lies. On a deep shag, a handheld nozzle is gentler than a floor head. Every few months, turn the rug over and vacuum the back too: grit works its way down to the knots.
Shake it out a few times a year. Take a small rug or a runner outside and shake it, or hang it over a rail and tap the back with your hand. Dust that vacuuming leaves behind comes out of the back of the rug, not the front.
Deal with spills straight away. Blot up as much as you can with a clean, dry white cloth, working from the edge of the spill inward. Then dab with cold water and a few drops of wool-safe soap, and blot again with a dry cloth until no more moisture comes up. Never rub or scrub: it pushes the stain deeper and roughens the wool.
Dry it flat and fast. Let a damp patch dry flat with air moving over it, away from radiators and direct heat. Lift the rug or slip a towel underneath so the floor does not stay wet: wool left damp for days can grow mildew.
Have it professionally cleaned. About once a year in a busy living room or hallway, every two to three years in a quiet bedroom. Choose a rug cleaner who hand-washes handmade wool rugs rather than a carpet-cleaning machine: steam and rotary scrubbers can shrink wool and make dyes run.

Detailed Care Instructions

Everyday Care

Small habits that keep the pile looking full

Vacuum weekly on suction only, with the pile rather than against it
Use a non-slip rug pad on wood, tile or stone: it stops the rug sliding and helps it wear evenly
Put furniture cups under heavy legs, and shift them a little now and then so the pile does not crush
On a light-colored rug, shoes off if you can: grit is what wears wool down

Spills & Stains

What to do in the first five minutes

Blot, never rub, with a clean white cloth
Coffee, tea, wine or juice: cold water and a few drops of wool-safe soap, then blot dry
Wax or chewing gum: let it harden (an ice cube helps), then lift it off; never heat it
Pet accidents, oil, ink or a large stain: blot, then call a rug cleaner — home products can set a stain for good

Shedding

Why a new wool rug sheds, and when it settles

Short loose fibres left from knotting and trimming work their way out in the first weeks; a deep pile sheds more, and for longer
Regular vacuuming on suction only is the quickest way through it
Shedding slows over the first few months and then settles
Never pull a loose end: trim it level with the pile using scissors

Sunlight & Fading

Keeping the colors even

Turn the rug 180° every 3–6 months
Strong sun fades any wool over time; curtains, blinds or UV film help in a bright room
Gentle, even fading is part of a wool rug's character — turning it is what keeps one half from fading more than the other

Kilims & Flat Weaves

No pile, slightly different care

A kilim has no pile, so a normal floor head is fine — still with the beater bar off
Turn it over now and then to share the wear between the two sides
Use a rug pad: a flat weave is light and slides on hard floors
Blot spills quickly; a flat weave dries faster than a pile rug

Storing a Rug

If it has to go away for a while

Vacuum it and make sure it is completely dry
Roll it, never fold it: folding creases and strains the foundation
Wrap it in breathable cotton or paper, not plastic, which traps moisture
Keep it somewhere dry and off the floor, and check it every few months for moths

Important: What to Avoid

Any of these can shrink wool, make dyes run or set a stain for good:

Machine washing or tumble drying
Steam cleaners and carpet-shampoo machines
Bleach, ammonia or harsh chemical cleaners
Hot water on a stain
Rubbing or scrubbing a spill
A vacuum beater bar or rotating brush

Questions About Rug Care?

A stubborn stain, a question about cleaning or shedding: send us a message with a photo and we will help. We can also talk it through on a phone or video call.