Frequent vacuuming is the single most important care you can give your Bellbridge carpet.
The structure of wool fiber resembles the shingles on a pine cone. This unique structure in nature naturally repels soiling, (up to 25% more readily than synthetic carpet) keeping dust and dirt towards the surface of the pile. Nearly 80% of carpet soiling is caused from dry materials like dirt, dust and soil. Beginning from the day you install your carpet, frequent vacuuming removes these dry particles before they can become embedded in your carpet We recommend thoroughly vacuuming your carpets weekly, paying more attention to heavily trafficked areas. An upright or canister vacuum with a rotating beater bar/brush can be used on most cut pile carpets, but it not recommended for regular use on velvet cut pile carpets.
To prevent possible fuzzing, we recommend using a suction only vacuum on loop pile carpets when possible (no use of rotating beater bars or brushes). We also recommend emptying the vacuum dust bag when it becomes half full to maintain cleaning effectiveness.
While Bellbridge carpets are designed to look great for decades, a little preventative maintenance will insure that your wool carpet keeps looking its best.
In areas that receive high traffic or tracking such as doorways we recommend placing absorbent matting, where practical. In most cases, the extra carpet from your installation can be fashioned into a matt so the overall look of the flooring is not altered. Regular cleaning of these mats will help insure that embedded dirt does not get tracked into the rest of the building.
Spot Cleaning
One of the keys to carpet maintenance is the timely removal of spots and spills. This means acting quickly when anything there has been a spill.
Detergent Solution: Bellbridge recommends creating a solution of 1 teaspoon of Woolite, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and about a quart of warm water. Keep a bottle of this economical mixture on hand for those unexpected spills.
Recommended Spot Cleaning Method:
- Scoop up solids first
- Blot up as much liquid as possible with a clean white or fabric towel
- Apply Spot removal treatment to the clean towel and not on the carpet directly. Always work inwards from the edge to prevent spreading. With any cleaning product that you have not used before on the carpet make sure to test a small inconspicuous part of the carpet first before a general application.
- Rinse the area with cold or luke warm water.
- Blot the area dry using paper towels or a dry using a fan.
- Never, Never scrub or rub your wool carpet as this can cause permanent pile distortion
Types of Treatment:
- Add cold water and blot
- Detergent solution or WoolClean Dry Spot Remover #1*
- Methylated mineral spirits, turpentine, or WoolClean Dry Spot Remover #2*
- Chill with aerosol freezing agent or ice cubes in a plastic bag. Pick or scrape off gum.
- Warm water
- Clean nail polish remover (preferably acetone)
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Rust remover
- Absorbent powder (e.g., salt, talc or Absorb-It™*)
- Absorbent cleaner (Host®, Capture®, or Dri-Matic
Professional Cleaning
The natural soil repellent properties of the wool fiber do not require a lot of special cleaning. You should have your carpet professionally cleaned once every 1 to 2 years or as needed.
We highly recommend finding a cleaner who is experienced cleaning wool carpets as some solvents used to clean Nylon carpets might not be suitable for wool. Finding a reputable wool carpet specialist by checking references is worth the time, but is worth it to help keep your Bellbridge carpet clean and healthy.
For example, your professional cleaner should not apply any stain repellant treatments that contain silicone because they tend to accelerate carpet soling. As always have the cleaner test the cleaning agent on a small inconspicuous area before proceeding to the entire room. Always vent your rooms out thoroughly both during and after a professional cleaning to freshen your air and to help the carpet dry thoroughly which helps prevent mold.
| Spot Cleaning | Order of Treatment | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | |
| Alcoholic Beverages | 1 | 2 | – |
| Bleach | 1 | 2 | – |
| Blood | 1 | 2 | – |
| Butter | 3 | 2 | – |
| Candle wax ** | – | – | – |
| Chewing Gum | 4 | 3 | – |
| Chocolate | 2 | 3 | – |
| Coffee | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Colas and Soft Drinks | 1 | 2 | – |
| Cooking Oils | 4 | 2 | – |
| Cream | 2 | 3 | – |
| Egg | 2 | – | – |
| Floor Wax | 3 | 2 | – |
| Fruit Juice | 1 | 2 | – |
| Furniture Polish | 3 | 2 | – |
| Gravy and Sauces | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Ink (Fountain Pen) | 1 | 2 | – |
| Ink (Ball Point) | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| Ink (Felt Tip) | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Ketchup | 5 | 2 | – |
| Lipstick | 3 | 2 | – |
| Mercurochrome * | 2 | 10 | – |
| Milk | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Mustard | 2 | – | – |
| Nail Polish | 6 | 3 | – |
| Oil and Grease | 3 | 2 | – |
| Paint (Latex) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Paint (Oil) | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| Rust | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Salad Dressing | 2 | 3 | – |
| Shoe Polish | 3 | 2 | – |
| Soot | 3 | 2 | – |
| Tar | 3 | – | – |
| Tea | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Urine (fresh) | 1 | 2 | – |
| Urine (old) | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Vomit | 2 | – | – |
| Wine | 9 | 1 | 2 |
| Unknown Material | 3 | 10 | 2 |
