How do I clean an old wool rug?

Surface dust is best removed through gentle suction without a rotating brush head. Professional textile cleaners who understand vegetable dyes should handle deeper washing. Water saturation must remain controlled during any maintenance to prevent the wool fibres from weakening or shrinking.

Where should I place a long runner?

Narrow formats suit high-traffic corridors, hallways, and bedside placements where linear designs can stretch visually. Their proportions help guide movement through architectural spaces. Underlay beneath the textile prevents slipping and reduces friction between the wool pile and hard flooring.

What causes colour variations in the wool?

Natural dye baths absorb differently into distinct batches of hand-spun wool over time. These subtle shifts are standard characteristics of traditional vegetable dyeing methods. Sun exposure and age also interact with the indigo and madder pigments, deepening the tonal character.

How can I tell tribal rugs apart?

Distinction lies in the specific drawing of the geometric motifs, palette choices, and structural foundation materials. Different tribal groups utilised characteristic borders and knotting densities. Regional traits often reveal whether a piece originated from a nomadic confederacy or a settled village workshop.