Short version: Dry clean only!
Longer version
Wool – and other fine animal hair – is a beautiful living material. It covers an animal’s body in its natural, raw form, which means it needs to stand a lot. Of course it does: just imagine a sheep grazing in a meadow, exposed to sunlight or standing in the rain, occasionally buried in mud. None of these make damage to sheep wool.
The case is different though when the wool comes off of the sheep. The wool is processed, refined and dyed.
Handwoven wool tapestry by Eva Nemeth, SOLD
When it comes to cleaning a wool tapestry, always follow the laundry label or care instructions – if there is any! This is usually not the case with vintage items.
I’ve been collecting handwoven tapestries for a long time. My absolute favourite designer is Eva Nemeth. Her style is timelessly beautiful and can’t be confused with anyone else’s. During the years I have learned a lot about how to take care of these pieces – sometimes the hard way…
Wool tapestry with love birds and flower, ca. 1970s
The handwoven wool rugs you can find in my shop should be dry cleaned only. Water causes irreversible damage: it makes the colors bleed into each other – the damage is then irreversible.
Why does water damage the wool tapestry?
We need to go back in time to find the answer. I learned a lot from former rugweavers of Bekescsaba Rug Weaving Manufacture (this is where the majority of the Eva Nemeth rugs were made). Back in those years (1960s-80s) the dying agent had not been fixed into the wool yarn after the dying process. The color pigments are attached to the wool fibers, but can dissolve again in water and dye the material around. This can happen in cold and warm water as well.
I have seen large, beautiful handwoven rugs ruined by water. Also I have seen the results of desperate experiments of fixing the damage with bleach, hydrogen peroxide etc. Trust me: nothing can save the rug once its damaged. Water damage / color bleed is definitely not something you want to see on your precious Eva Nemeth tapestry.
Long story short: Dry. Clean. Only.
I have used carpet- and upholstery cleaning foam many times with great results! This is a dry foam in a canister and it is widely available.
How to use an upholstery cleaning foam?
- Spray it on the surface
- Rub it in with a sponge or gentle brush
- Wait until it dries – ca. 2 hrs
- Vacuum thoroughly.
- Repeat if necessary.
Upholstery cleaning foam removes decades old dust, brightens up colors and freshens the odour of your tapestry.
You can also use powdered detergent for large, flatweave rugs. Always try the product in a less visible area first!
Collection of tapestries by Eva Nemeth, available in my Etsy shop
HOW TO SHOP
1. Browse my up-to-date vintage tapestry collection in my Etsy shop here!
2. You can pay / check out on Etsy, or message me for a private sale with 10% discount on Etsy listing prices!
