THE INSIDE STORY

Put a wool fiber under a microscope and you'll see a series of overlapping scales that look like roof shingles. Each fiber is coated with a protective membrane that naturally repels stains and keeps dirt near the surface. Putting protective oversprays on wool is unnecessary.

VACUUM ONCE A DAY EVERY DAY

This is the single most important maintenance step. Since the scales keep the dirt near the surface of the pile, it's easily picked up during vacumming. We think the best cleaner for the job is a good beater bar vacuum.

Areas with the most traffic need the most vacuuming. A good six or seven sweeps daily should be ideal. Cutpile carpeting also needs to have the pile lifted once a week, especially in heavily traveled areas.

BARRIER MATS: YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

It's amazing how much tracked-in dirt you can eliminate with a barrier or walk-off mat.

Mats should be placed strategically at all outdoor entrances and at any spot where people walk from hard surfaces directly onto carpets. Just make sure your mats stay clean, otherwise you can't keep soil and dirt out.

TO CLEAN OR NOT TO CLEAN

Since wool is an opaque fiber it can hold dirt and not show it. This is especially true of heavily traveled walk paths. Those areas need the most cleaning. We recommend treatment every three to nine months based on your carpet's traffic patterns. For best results always use a non-solvent dry compound cleaner.

Properly cared for, your carpet will not need any overall cleaning for years. However, should it ever become necessary, make sure it is done right. Only employ a qualified specialist who uses the extraction method and is thoroughly familiar with wool. That's the best investment you can make to keep your carpet looking showroom-new.

GETTING RID OF SPOTS AND STAINS

The best defense against spots and stains is quick action. All carpets should be inspected daily for spills and spots. You also need a spot cleaning kit which includes:

a.  Neutral or slightly acidic carpet shampoo for water-based stains.
b.  Solvent spotter for removing greasy stains.
c.  Chewing gum remover.
d.  Absorbent white terry cloths or paper towels.
e.  Small sponge for applying shampoo or solvents.