How much does it cost to clean a wool rug?

The cost of cleaning a wool rug depends on its size, its condition and any extra treatments — so each quote is prepared individually. Send us a few photos and you will receive a free quote within 48 hours, with free pickup and delivery across France, Monaco, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Can I wash a wool rug in a washing machine?

No — a wool rug should never go in a washing machine. Hot water, spinning and mechanical rubbing felt wool irreversibly: the rug shrinks by up to a third, stiffens and loses its shape. Only a patient hand wash in cool water, followed by flat drying, preserves the fibre.

Do wool rugs attract moths?

Yes — wool rugs attract moths, because wool is the favourite food of moth larvae, especially in dark or humid rooms. After every wash we apply a natural moth treatment, free of harsh chemicals, which protects the rug for 12 to 24 months.

How often should a wool rug be cleaned professionally?

A wool rug should be professionally cleaned every three to five years in normal use, and more often in busy rooms and hallways. Between washes, vacuum gently without a rotating brush and turn the rug twice a year. With over 75 years of expertise in caring for wool, this is the routine we recommend.

Tapis Boeuf founded in 1950 Free quote →

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Material file · Wool

Vol. 01 · Materials

Wool rug cleaning

“The warmest of the noble fibres — and the one moths love most.”

— The Tapis Boeuf atelier, Sartrouville

The best wool rug cleaning is a hand wash in cool water with plant-based soaps, then slow flat drying. At the Tapis Boeuf family atelier, founded in 1950, machines and hot water never touch wool.

Request a free quote →

+33 (0)9 50 91 88 85

1950founded 4generations 2500+wool rugs 4.9/5148 reviews

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Collection across all of France
Monaco · Switzerland · Belgium · Luxembourg
Free pickup & delivery
Free quote within 48 h
Rug insured while in our care

Years

of craftsmanship

Generations

of artisans

2500+

Wool rugs

cleaned by hand

pH 7–8

Gentle

neutral baths

They entrusted us with their rugs

4.9 / 5 · 148 Google reviews

Reviews translated from French.

Alain DemaillyVisited May 2026

★★★★★

A new lease of life for our Hereke rug. Colours revived, edges restored, fringes redone — the work of true professionals. Alain and Josy

Martine PujolVisited April 2026

★★★★★

Deadline met, and a magnificent clean and restoration of our thick-pile Tunisian wool rug — colours revived, fringes redone, a rug made new again. Thank you!

Olivier CarréVisited April 2026

★★★★★

Remarkable work by passionate people. Our rugs came back looking brand new, their colours glowing. A company of rare excellence.

— The fibre at a glance

Wool, as the atelier sees it.

Nearly every hand-knotted rug we receive — including the Oriental rugs we wash by hand — is woven in wool. Knowing the fibre guides every decision of our complete rug cleaning service.

Fibre file · Ref. TB-W-01

Natural wool — Ovis aries

Reviewed before every wash in the workshop

Noble animal fibre Robust, yet it can felt

Origin

Sheep’s fleece

Shorn once a year, then spun and dyed by hand

Types of wool

Fine lamb’s wool to rustic tribal wool

Each grade gets its own washing plan

Traditional dyes

Plant-based colours

Madder red, indigo blue, walnut brown

Lifespan

50 to 80 years — often more

A well-kept wool rug outlives most furniture

Bounce-back

Springs back after every footstep

The pile recovers where synthetic fibres stay crushed

Natural protection

Lanolin coating

Wool’s own wax repels spills for a few precious minutes

Washing temperature

30 °C maximum

Hotter water felts and shrinks wool for good

Bath chemistry

Neutral pH 7–8

Plant-based soaps only — bleach is never allowed near wool

Water absorbed

Up to a third of its weight

Hence slow, flat drying over 4 to 7 days

Enemy number one

Moth larvae

Kept away by our natural moth treatment

What ruins wool

Heat, rubbing, harsh chemicals

Every step of our protocol is built to avoid all three

What it is worth

Often more than you think

Heirloom pieces, handled as such

— Our method

Wool rug cleaning
in seven steps.

Scroll down — each stage reveals itself as you go, photographed in our workshop in Sartrouville, 20 minutes from central Paris.

↓ Keep scrolling

I VII

Step 01 / 07

Fibre diagnosis

We examine your rug, identify the type of wool, test every colour for fastness and check for any trace of moths — before a single drop of water touches it.

Takes · 30 to 90 min

Step 02 / 07

Deep dusting

Gentle traditional beating and repeated vacuuming, front and back. A wool rug can hold up to a kilo of embedded dust per square metre.

Takes · 3 to 5 h

Step 03 / 07

Stain pre-treatment

Targeted natural agents are applied to each stain and left to work — never rubbed. Rubbing, even dry, is what damages wool.

Takes · 2 to 4 h

Step 04 / 07

The gentle bath

Full immersion in a pH-neutral bath at 25–30 °C with plant-based soaps, then hand brushing in the direction of the pile — never in circles.

Takes · 1 to 2 days

Step 05 / 07

Thorough rinsing

Successive clear-water rinses until every trace of soap is gone. Leftover residue would dull the colours and weaken the wool.

Takes · 4 to 8 h

Step 06 / 07

Flat drying

Slow, flat drying on mesh frames in a ventilated room. Hung up or heated, wet wool stretches or shrinks — flat and patient is the only safe way.

Takes · 4 to 7 days

Step 07 / 07

Combing & finishing

The pile is combed, the colours revived, and the rug inspected in daylight. Before-and-after photographs and a care certificate travel home with it.

Takes · 4 to 6 h

Total time · 2 to 4 weeks per rug

— Free quote, no obligation

Entrust us with your wool rug. An estimate within 48 hours.

Free pickup and delivery across France, Monaco, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Request my free quote

— Before / after

Three wool rugs,
brought back to life.

Wool rug cleaning result — Kashan rug after stain removal, deep red medallion intact

Kashan wool rug before cleaning — large wine stain across the centre

Before After See afterSee before

Kashan · fine lamb’s wool

Wine stain · 2024

Berber wool rug after moth treatment — natural beige and terracotta borders restored

Berber wool rug before treatment — visible moth holes and exposed fibre

Before After See afterSee before

Berber · rustic wool

Moth damage · 2023

Tabriz wool rug after flat drying — crisp red medallion and ivory grounds recovered

Tabriz wool rug before cleaning — water-damage rings across the pile

Before After See afterSee before

Tabriz · merino wool

Water damage · 2024

— Never do this

Six mistakes that ruin a wool rug.

Before you try anything at home, read this list. Wool forgives a great deal — these six mistakes it never forgives.

The washing machine

Hot water, spinning and mechanical rubbing felt wool permanently. The rug shrinks, stiffens and distorts — no one can undo it.

Bleach and harsh cleaners

Wool is a natural protein. Bleach and ammonia burn the fibre itself: first yellowing, then weakening, then holes.

Rubbing a stain

Rubbing wet wool felts it on the spot — the patch turns matte, stiff and darker. Blot gently, never rub.

Ignoring moths

Moth larvae eat wool in silence and can riddle a rug within months. If holes have already appeared, our rug reweaving workshop rebuilds the damaged areas by hand.

Drying on a radiator or in the sun

Heat shrinks wet wool for good — a rug can lose 10 to 20 % of its size in a single night on a radiator.

Damp, dark storage

Moisture and darkness invite moths and mildew. Store your rug rolled in a dry room, and air it regularly.

— Frequently asked questions

Your questions on
wool rug cleaning.

Wool rug cleaning at Tapis Boeuf is done entirely by hand. Each rug receives a deep dusting on both faces, a full-immersion bath in cool water with plant-based soaps, gentle brushing in the direction of the pile, thorough rinsing and slow flat drying. The same careful method applies to wool area rug cleaning and wool carpet cleaning alike.

— Entrust us with your wool rug

Your assessment,
free and with no obligation.

Three ways to reach us. A reply within 48 h, free pickup and delivery included — and wool rug cleaning done as it has been since the atelier was founded in 1950: entirely by hand.

01 · Workshop

+33 (0)9 50 91 88 85

Mon–Sat · 9 am–8 pm · Sun 9 am–6 pm
Sartrouville, 20 minutes from central Paris

Call the workshop →

02 · Mobile

+33 (0)6 17 59 32 54

7 days a week · urgent stains
SMS & WhatsApp welcome

Call an artisan →

Recommended

03 · Online quote

Quote request
form

Photos of your rug · a priced reply within 48 h.

Fill in the form →

✓ Family atelier founded in 1950
✓ Free pickup & delivery
✓ Free quote within 48 h
✓ Insured while in our care
✓ No obligation

Wool rug cleaning

They entrusted us with their rugs

Wool, as the atelier sees it.

Wool rug cleaning in seven steps.

Fibre diagnosis

Deep dusting

Stain pre-treatment

The gentle bath

Thorough rinsing

Flat drying

Combing & finishing

Entrust us with your wool rug. An estimate within 48 hours.

Three wool rugs, brought back to life.

Six mistakes that ruin a wool rug.

The washing machine

Bleach and harsh cleaners

Rubbing a stain

Ignoring moths

Drying on a radiator or in the sun

Damp, dark storage

Your questions on wool rug cleaning.

Your assessment, free and with no obligation.

Wool rug cleaning
in seven steps.

Three wool rugs,
brought back to life.

Your questions on
wool rug cleaning.

Your assessment,
free and with no obligation.