Tales From the Floor: Fuzzy Carpet

Wool carpet has continued to have a market presence. The environmental component, soft hand, and luxurious looks drive its appeal. It is most commonly found in loop construction rather than cut pile in residential broadloom, wall to wall installations. Wool is also a staple fiber, so it will shed occasionally. The inspector gets involved when they are vacuumed improperly.

Loop pile wool carpets are to be vacuumed by suction only – no brush bar. The brush bar will cause these carpets to fuzz by pulling the filaments.

This can be corrected! By shearing the face of the carpet (ironically using sheep shears).

While time consuming, shearing the face of the carpet will get it back to what it looked like when it was purchased. The biggest thing is informing all people who clean the home how to properly maintain these carpets. It is usually listed in the care and maintenance information how to vacuum, what vacuums are approved, and other cleaning instructions.