There has been a discussion on "The Welcome Mat" about how people wash their rugs. I've hooked since 1999 and I've never "washed" one of my rugs....I've vacuumed them and spot cleaned them but never "washed" one.....Sunday I got brave and threw this one in my front loading washing machine on the permanent press setting on cold with some Orvus paste (come to find out...with the cold setting the Orvus paste didn't dissolve and was still sitting in a lump in the reservoir when I finished, so there was a lesson learned there....perhaps next time I should dissolve it in a little hot water first). After washing I threw it in the dryer on a low setting with a dryer sheet for about 10 minutes to try and get rid of even more dog hair......here are the results.
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the rug is now brighter, cleaner and it has it's loftiness back. I was really a bit worried to try this on this particular rug...you see, when I first learned to hook, noone told me to cut the wool paralell to the selvedge edge to get a stronger strip.....so on this rug I cut the wool any way that I could get the longest piece to hook with it....some of it was cut on the bias and who knows how. Oh well, sometimes that is how we learn. However, the rug held up well to the washing.
This was a rug that was hooked on monks cloth.....would I try this on a burlap rug....probably not.
You are very courageous!! Holy crow!! I would have a hard time doing that ~ was any of the wool dyed or all as-is???
ReplyDeleteAlice
Alice,
ReplyDeleteThis was my very first "rug" that I hooked. All of the wool is from thrift store clothes....so as-is for 98% of the rug. However, I did buy the wool for the moose, antlers and outline of each at Mountain Handcrafts, so I think the only things that were hand-dyed were the antlers and the numbers (the golds). I was a bit worried that the maroon/wine color on the border would run, but thank goodness it didn't. I'm going to try another rug next week.....getting braver by the day!
Tammy, the difference in the colors is amazing!! It looks brighter and lighter after washing. I'm surprised you tried this although I've been reading the same discussion on the Welcome Mat. I think, though, that the fact that you have a front loading washer makes a huge difference. Would I put a rug in my top loader? Even on the extremely delicate cycle? Nope. I'm pretty sure the agitation would ruin it.
ReplyDeleteThis was a neat experiment. Thanks for trying it and passing along your results.....with pictures!!
You are sooo brave! And talented too....I love seeing all of your work!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed! I'm going to try it, too . . .
ReplyDeleteSarah
Wow...you are a brave soul!...but the rugs does look more brighter...very pretty.
ReplyDelete