Carpet Fibre Types and How to Clean Each: Wool, Synthetic and Fitted Carpet in Jeddah

Turn up a corner and look for a label on the back stating the fibre, origin and care. If there is none, check the feel: wool is warm and springy, its pile recovers after pressing and it gives off a natural smell when wet, synthetics are smoother and slightly glossy and fairly uniform, and silk is very soft, very shiny and finely knotted.

Specialists can identify fibre by examining a tiny tuft from the edge. We advise against burning fibres yourself to identify them; it is risky and unnecessary at home, and the label, the maker or a specialist team is enough.

The backing affects cleaning: cotton backing soaks up water and takes longer to dry, while synthetic backing tolerates water better but can crack with heat. Dyes matter especially in coloured rugs: test a cleaner on a damp white cloth rubbed lightly on a small tuft, and if colour transfers to the cloth stop water-based cleaning and ask for an inspection.

Begin by beating or vacuuming the carpet from both sides if possible, because deep dust harms fibres if it stays. Treat stains by type before the general clean, then use a cleaner suited to the fibre with as little water as possible and rub gently with the pile. Rinse well if the cleaner requires it, then draw out water with an extraction machine or absorbent cloths.

Do not flood the carpet if it does not need it; flooding lengthens drying and risks the backing and the floor beneath.

Lift the carpet off the floor if you can so it dries on both sides, put it in a well-ventilated room with a fan aimed at it and do not place furniture on it until dry. Avoid long exposure to strong sun because it fades colour and dries out fibres, especially wool and silk. On very humid days it is better to postpone washing to a better day.

See damp smell after cleaning when a musty smell returns and the humidity and mold guide for lowering room humidity.

Large and valuable carpets and carpet laid across whole rooms need extraction and drying equipment and working space. Al Awael provides carpet cleaning in Jeddah, and you can send a photo of the carpet, its label and its size on WhatsApp so we can suggest what suits. For larger homes it can be combined with home and apartment cleaning or sofa and majlis cleaning.

We tell you before the job what result to expect, since some old stains and colour changes do not clear completely, and honesty means saying so in advance.