Wool carpet adds a sense of comfort and luxury to any room. The soft and natural feel of wool carpet cannot be recreated with even the very best synthetic fibres. If you’re in the market to carpet your home or specific rooms in your house there are four key reasons to consider using wool carpet.
- Hard wearing and long lasting
- Low maintenance and easy to keep clean
- Keeps your home environment healthier and cleaner
- Renewable resource and recyclable making it better for the environment
Hard wearing and long lasting
Wool carpet looks better longer when compared with synthetic fibres. Due to the natural crimp in wool, it naturally resists crushing in higher traffic areas and the fibre bounces back faster after being compressed by furniture. A good quality wool carpet should be expected to last at least three times as long as carpet from synthetic fibres.
Easy to clean and maintain
Naturally water proof and stain resistant, wool carpet resists dirt and does not need to be treated with stain protection chemicals. The fibres in wool carpet are coated with a natural oil, lanolin, which acts as a water proof barrier making spills easy to clean. The outer surface of each wool fibre contains microscopic scales which help to repel dirt and prevent staining. Wool carpets need no more maintenance than vacuuming once a week and a professional clean every 3-4 years.
Create a healthier home environment
Wool is a natural ‘smart fibre’ and wool carpet can actually help to create a healthier home environment. It is a natural insulator and will help to keep your house warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Wool can absorb up to a third of its own weight in water without feeling wet so wool carpets help to moderate humidity by absorbing and releasing moisture from the air as needed.
Wool carpet is the ideal choice for allergy sufferers and anyone concerned about chemicals in the home. The scales on wool fibres hold onto dust until vacuumed, helping to prevent dust particles floating in the air. Wool does not promote the growth of bacteria and is not a food source for dust mites.
Unlike synthetic carpet, Wool does not off gas volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and helps to keep indoor air quality clean and non toxic. Not only does wool carpet not produce or emit chemicals but it can help to actually purify indoor air for up to 30 years by absorbing nitrogen and sulphur dioxide (produced by some gas stoves and heaters) and formaldehyde (produced by offgassing from furniture).
Best choice for the environment
Wool carpet is naturally better for the environment. Wool is a renewable resource and wool carpets are recyclable and biodegradable. Wool carpet is also more energy efficient in production compared to man-made synthetic fibres.
Are there any downsides to wool carpet?
The only real downside to wool carpet is the initial cost. Wool carpet can be considerably more expensive than nylon and polypropylene carpet. However, when weighed against the longer life and lower maintenance costs when compared to synthetic carpets wool still comes out the winner.
For advice on the best carpet choice to suit your lifestyle, home and budget, contact the friendly team at Ashmore Carpets.
