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Yay! You came to Morocco (or you bought a Berber rug at home) but now it’s time to face the music. Your Moroccan rug needs to be cleaned. Of course one of the safest ways to get it cleaned is to bring it to a professional carpet cleaner. But this can be VERY expensive, especially if you have it done regularly. You also will want to be aware of any chemicals they use in the cleaning process as this can strip the natural dyes out of Moroccan rugs and cause a lot of damage.
Cleaning a wool rug is a lot easier than you might think. Learning how to do it yourself can save you a lot of money and hassle. We went through the process of cleaning a Beni Ourani rug so that I could share with you the steps. First, you need to know which type of rug you have. If it’s a flat weave rug or a rug that has a low pile it will be fairly easy and straight forward. If however you have a boucherite rug or one that has a higher pile, it can be a little more complicated.
Cleaning Flat Kilm Rugs or Low Pile Rugs
Spot Cleaning
If your rug has gotten wet, perhaps from a spill or a pet stain, begin the clean up by applying paper towels to the spot. immediately put baking soda on the spot to soak up as much of the liquid as possible. After a few minutes you can vacuum this spot. But, what if it doesn’t work or you’ve got a tougher stain. A mixture of vinegar and baking soda can do the trick.
For pet stains mix distilled vinegar and cold water in a 1-to-1 ratio. Add to a spray bottle and make sure to soak the rug. You will need to use quite a bit of water to really saturate the wool. Then use a soft bristle brush to work the mixture into the fibers of the rug. Let it sit for a minimum of 10 minutes. Blot out any excess liquid with paper towels after it has had a chance to sit and then dry completely. This will help neutralize any smells.
Deep Cleaning
Now it’s time for the deep cleaning. Beni Ourani rugs are some of the easiest to clean. Why? They’re made using natural colors. The black and white on the rug are the colors of the sheep wool so there is no additional dying. This means there’s no risk of colors running or bleeding – that is if you’ve purchased an authentic rug.
A few things I recommend having before you start cleaning;
- a space that is high enough you can hang the rug vertically to dry
- sunshine. The rug needs to have warm sunshine to dry!
- a vacuum that has a low and high setting
- a good scrub brush
- a water source, ideally apower washer
Step One
The first thing you need to do is get out any excess dirt from your rug. Take it outside and shake or bang it well. Next, lay it down flat near your vacuum. Using the “high” height setting on your vacuum you’ll want to pull up any more dirt. When you do begin to vacuum do so the short width of the rug, not the length of the rug. Go back and forth slowly. You can also use the hand attachment to pull out any dirt on the edges, this can sometimes be more effective. This process can take some time, BUT the more dirt you can remove before the washing the better!
Step Two
Arrange your rug so that the water can run off. We used a tall ladder to drape the rug over. This allows for dirty water to run off easily and is much easier on the arms. When these rugs are wet they are very heavy! I have washed rugs both with and without a power washer and if you have one, or can borrow one, a power washer is the way to go! We used it to spray the rug starting at the top to the bottom on both sides of the rug. It will take time to soak the rug and you want to make sure it is completely soaked. Spray downwards and trust me, you’ll be shocked at the dirt coming off!
Step Three
You can use the scrub brush to really work out any dark spots. We also used the scrub brush on the back, flat side of the rug to loosen up anything that was stuck. Then keep spraying! If you don’t have a power washer you could use a hose with a spray attachment.
If your rug is really dirty you can use a gentle soap like Dreft to clean it. I would be very cautious using soaps on rugs that were dyed as you can never be completely sure how the color dye will react with the soap of choice. If you have certain spots that are dirty, I would try to spot treat vs, using soap on the entire rug.
Step 4
Once you feel comfortable you’ve removed as much as possible it’s time to dry your rug. If you’re using a ladder like we did, you may want to let some of the excess water run off first. Let it hang for 20-30 minutes to do this. Then you’ll want to squeeze it. Lay the rug out on a table and roll it as tightly as you can. You won’t squeeze out everything but the point is just to get out as much water as possible. This will speed up the drying time. Once this is done, hang it back up in direct sunlight. Your rug will need to dry completely before it’s ready to go back in your home. If it doesn’t, you will know it – wet wool has a very specific smell; imagine a wet dog but worse. Depending on how warm it is, you should leave it to dry 12-24 hours minimum.
You might notice that the rug looks a bit matted after washing. You can use the vacuum again to perk up the pile and make it fluffy.
That’s it!
Cleaning your rug can be time consuming but if your rug isn’t in a high traffic area, you should only need to go through this in depth process once a year. During the rest of the time rely on spot cleaning and regularly shaking out the rug.
Cleaning Shaggy Rugs
What if you bought a shaggy rug like a boucherite rag rug? These are a little different to clean. Because of the nature of the rug you’ll want to be a little more gentle with them. The higher pile also means there’s more chance to pull out a piece of the rug and unravel a portion.
For rag rugs, a regular beating of the rug is a must. To clean it, you can clean it as you would any other fabric – they’re mostly made of fabric materials and not wool. Spot treat using the same formula as listed above and then use a soft detergent to wash the material. Rinse it out really well and squeeze as much water out as you can before hanging it up to dry. Don’t forget to wash the back, flat side first to loosen up anything stuck.
**This advice is based on my own experience cleaning Moroccan rugs. If you are unsure you should always call or consult with a professional cleaner.
Jacqueline says
Hi! I have a bright red/pink/orange boujaad rug and my boyfriend vomited on it. We cleaned it up for the most part and washed the area with dish soap and water but it still smells awful – do you have any suggestions? It was my absolute favorite rug ever and I can’t bear to lose it!! Please help!
Amanda Mouttaki says
My first attempt would be to hang it outside for awhile to air out. If that doesn’t work I’d get some quotes from professional carpet cleaners. Also vinegar usually helps to take out that smell!
Claire says
My mum had a lot of really old persian and wool/morrocan rugs…It was an annual ritual to take them to the mountains and roll them out in the cold snow in the winter, brush them off with a broom, even step over them, flip them, throw snow on them and brush some more…She called it “snow dry cleaning method”…It really perked them up without getting them wet. We never had trouble with the colors bleeding. The fluffier snow works best-and not in the spring time where a warm winter day risks melting! Then we’d roll them up again and take them back to the house.
Amanda Mouttaki says
Wow I have never heard of this but LOVE this story – thank you so much for sharing!!!
Veronica says
Hello! How would you recommend that I clean a Vintage Berber Wedding blanket, since it has sequins?
Amanda Mouttaki says
Spot clean when possible. If not than wash by hand and air dry. It’s really the only way.
George says
I just got back from Morocco and brought home a rug. It smells like bleach and it is so bad that the entire room stinks. I don’t know what to do with it! Rinse with water and dry? I tried airing it out which helped a bit but my god this thing reeks!
Amanda Mouttaki says
Like bleach? Hmmm that’s a new one for me… I’d probably try keeping it outside for a few days to see if that helps. Rinsing it with water may help but depending on the type the colors also could run. Do a spot test first.
Assya Zayania Rugs says
Sadly many sellers would wash rugs with bleach to make them very white and cover up cheap wool. When sellers are only profit oriented they would do anything to sell an item
As a berber woman artist and rug maker with a small fair trade business, quality, fairness matter way more than financial profit. And that’s why I have happy customers, they pay a little more (nothing crazy) but get the finest berber rug work there is ♡
Best of luck next time
And hey maroc mama amazing post !!
@ZayaniaRugs
Stephanie Dean says
I need help! I have a new rescue dog who has decided to pee on my treasured Beni Ourain. I cleaned one spot with soap and water and the black ran a little bit. I tried to have a professional carpet cleaning, but when the guy was picking up said “there is a risk that wool rugs will turn brown or discolor”. I yanked that carpet right out of his car. What do I do?
Amanda Mouttaki says
He’s right that is always a risk. The black should run but it can sort of “rub off” on the white fabric that is nearby. If it’s true black wool than it won’t run (because it’s the natural color of the sheep). It’s normal for the black to fade with washings. So you’ll have to decide if you want to spot clean it or accept that it might fade a bit.
KAITLYN MAYLEE CHAU says
Hi there! I purchased a Moroccan Berber rug, when I unwrapped it, it had a wet dog/ dog pee smell. I got it professionally cleaned, in hopes the smell would go away, but it still persists. Have you run into this before? What can I do?
Thank you,
Amanda Mouttaki says
If you’ve had it cleaned it should no longer be an issue. But if it’s been wrapped up a long time then air it out in fresh air (outside) as long as possible.
June Moss says
I have 2- 2’X4′ rugs on the sides of a bed. they are all wool,,,Burgundy in color. Never cleaned except to shake and vacuum. In great shape, but I’m a caregiver and my little aunt had an accident and i need to clean urine from them them,. Carpet cleaners wanted over a hundred dollars to clean. Can you give me information to do this cleaning myself. Thanks
Amanda Mouttaki says
Hi – with colors it’s really difficult to clean without the risk of bleeding of the colors. You can spot test a corner and see if it bleeds first. If it does, I wouldn’t recommend doing it yourself unless you are ok with possibly ruining them.
It’s probably best to spot clean it vs getting the entire rug wet if possible. Mix 1⁄2 tsp (2.5 ml) of dishwashing liquid, 2c water (470 ml), and 1⁄2c (120 ml) of white vinegar together in a bowl. Using a clean sponge or towel, scrub the mixture onto the area. Blot the area with cold water and a clean towel. Then use another towel to absorb as much moisture as you can and hang to dry. You really want to make sure it dries completely so in the direct sun if you can.
Jim says
Can you use Scotchgard on these rugs
Amanda Mouttaki says
I’ve honestly never tried so can’t say for sure what the outcome would be.
Helene Espinoza says
My rug is berber weave and unwrapped it at home after 2 weeks travel and has a bad odor..purchased at reputable rug merchant recommended on tour..how to get smell out please.
Amanda Mouttaki says
The first thing I would try to do is air it out as much as possible. How you clean it will really depend on the kind of rug it is. If airing it out doesn’t help then you may need to take it to a rug cleaner to have it professionally cleaned just to be on the safe side. I have cleaned rugs that have a slight smell with vinegar and water and then left it to dry really well but you risk the colors bleeding depending on the rug.
Amanda says
Love your site and the cleaning advice. Will this method work for a woven rug?
Amanda Mouttaki says
Not sure what you mean as this is a woven rug – could you be more specific?
Amanda says
Hi, I have a woven white Moroccan rug I bought in Marakkesh years ago. My 3 year old got into the vaseline today and some was smeared on the rug. I have blotted with rubbing alcohol and soapy water. Any further advice?
Amanda Mouttaki says
I’ve heard that warm water and dishsoap should get out the vaseline but can’t say I’ve tried it personally!
Elizabeth says
Hi! We purchased a really high pile (maybe 3 inches?) Berber ruh in Marrakech and are afraid of vacuuming. We did once when we first got it and so much fiber came out now we’re afraid. I comb thru it w my fingers every few weeks to grab loose fibers that have separated. Thoughts? Can we vacuum or will it fall apart?? I know beating it outside is the best option, but not practical frequently enough. Thank you!!
Amanda Mouttaki says
It won’t fall apart – but keep the vaccuum on a high setting for the roller not a low setting – usually new rugs end up losing a lot of fiber – we had one in our living room that I think shed for like a year until it stopped!