Cleaning and Care of Wilton (Wool) Carpets

[togwt]

Wilton carpet is a dense 100% imported lamb’s wool loop pile of the highest grade (Wilton) Wilton patented their first loom in 1741; their carpets are always machine woven and are very hard wearing. This type of premium carpet is mostly used in prestige European automobiles; Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lotus, Lexus and Rolls Royce, and high-end German automobiles such as Audi, BMW, Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz, and earlier Porsche models.



Cleaning of wool carpets is not such a difficult task. It can be done with a little bit of extra care regarding cleaning solutions, heat, avoiding over wetting, etc. Excessive agitation and heat should be avoided, but generally wool fibres may be cleaned with most cleaning methods. Wool should be cleaned with pH neutral detergents and dried quickly.



These carpets should be maintained and cared for with regular vacuuming and cleaning. A vacuum with a rotating beater bar is beneficial in agitating the carpet, which helps in better removal of soil stuck on the surface. The advantage of a vacuum with a rotating beater or bar is that it facilitates removal of embedded soil and thereby prevents matting and packing. As an alternative use a medium-stiff upholstery brush



Unlike carpets made of synthetic fibres, soil can be vacuumed from wool carpets very easily. I would recommend vacuuming at least two or three times a week to remove excess fuzz that accumulates on the (new) surface. This fuzzing is perfectly normal and in no way shortens the life of your carpet, it is merely the result of loose fibres created during the weaving process.



Pilling - a condition of the carpet face in which fibres from different tufts become entangled with one another, forming hard masses of fibres and tangled tufts and may be caused by excessive heavy foot traffic or using powder cleaners or deodorizers that "clump" fibres together. If the beater bar of your vacuum slows down noticeably on the rug, raise the height, constant heavy beating with these bars can also cause pilling.



Cleaning



The advantage of foam (Woolite® Heavy Traffic Carpet Foam) over liquid is the minimum amount of moisture, very important for cleaning absorbent and moisture sensitive materials. Use foam cleaner, which should be given dwell time and then gentle agitation with a medium stiff bristled brush to get the product into the materials surface, the low moisture content of foam can then be easily rinsed and the surface dried.



Dust - can soil carpets in various ways, it will discolour the fibres making them appear dull and grey, dust brought into the vehicle from outside often contains grit, which will abrade the fibres and cause wear marks, especially in the foot well close to the pedals. Using a vacuum with an agitator attachment regularly will avoid these problems



Spills and stains - whenever a spill occurs it is important to blot as much of the liquid us as possible using a dry clean cloth or tissue. Never rub the pile as this will cause distortion and possibly alter the appearance of the carpet. It is very important to do this immediately after the spill occur, failure to remove the spill quickly could lead to the stain becoming permanent and it may not be able to be removed at a later date, even with professional assistance.



Carpet shampoo - if incorrectly applied, can leave sticky soap residues in the fibres which can result in the soiling reappearing quite rapidly. The advantage of foam over liquid is the minimum amount of moisture so it will not over wet the fibres, very important for cleaning absorbent and moisture sensitive natural wool carpets.



Normal cleaning- brush loose dirt/dust with a medium stiff brush (use only on dry carpets, otherwise the fibres will tear), lightly spray surface with a carpet cleaner (Scotchgardâ„¢ Fabric & Upholstery Cleaner) and let the foam remain in place for 5-10 minutes and then remove residue.



Autoglym Interior Shampoo/Cleaner easily cleans through dirt and oils on hard to clean panels like door handles or seats, and effectively removes stains from carpets without any fear of bleaching, leaving soapy residue, or lingering scent behind. The name suggests shampoo, but this product is an actual cleaner.



Heavily soiled- brush loose dirt/dust with a medium stiff brush, use a citrus-based pre-cleaner P21S® Total Auto Wash 10:1 distilled hot water, or Woolite® Heavy Traffic Carpet Foam, allow the solution remain in place for 5-10 minutes to enable cleaners to react, and then use a carpet extractor or high suction vacuum



After surfaces are clean and dried, use a rubber bristle brush to go over the carpet material to raise the fibres and apply a stain guard (303 High Tech Fabric Guard or Scotchgardâ„¢ Protector) improves the fibres resistance to oil and water-based stains, as well as soiling from everyday use.



Steam - this method is most effective but use caution by not using too much detergent or water, do not over-wet natural wool As always test the product on a small area to check for residue or a sticky feel. Do not use if a residue exists, or if in doubt about a product. Finally, do not use laundry detergents to clean as they often contain chemical brighteners.



Drying



Always thoroughly dry carpets to avoid mildew and/or mould formation. To speed the drying process, leave the doors or the sunroof open, but make sure you shut off the interior lights by placing something in the door jamb that keeps the buttons retracted, or disconnecting the battery. Use of a carpet extractor is better than heat as this may cause the mats or carpet to become stiff. If an extractor is not available use cotton terry towels to pat dry



Protection



Scotchgardâ„¢ Protector -fluorocarbon chemicals (polymer latex) developed by 3M are mostly inert so by applying it to fabric they provide an effective protective treatment by surrounding each individual fibre with an invisible shield.

It can be safely used for the finest wool or nylon fabrics; Scotchgardâ„¢ Protector improves the fibres resistance to oil and water-based stains, as well as soiling from everyday use

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[David Fermani]

Thanks Jon. I wish I had this infor back when I posted this thread: http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...loor-mats.html



What is your suggestion for Cissel floor mats that are in the Phantom?

[togwt]

I`m sorry I missed yor post on wool carpet care, but I was on a long vacation at the time :rolleyes1:



I hope that this info can be of help to any detailer that is confronted with this type of carpet in the future



The reason I like foam cleaners for `delicate` carpets (same goes for leather) is the use of a foam cleaner. They contain surfactants that encapsulate the dirt into the foam so that it can be wiped away without over-wetting the surface.As I`m sure you`re aware wet wool has a horrid smell (akin to a wet dog)



[What is your suggestion for Cissel [sic] floor mats that are in the Phantom?]



I`ve only come across this type of carpeting in automobiles (Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop- head Coupe) a couple of times (great for vehicles that live by the coast) but rough on bare feet



Sisal Floor mats



[: Sisal is a fibre that is made from the Agave Sisialana plant; that is grown primarily in Central America and Mexico, where the leaves are stripped into their base fibres]



Sisal car mats ( or over-carpets, as RR so aptly names them) are made from hard, natural vegetable fibres, very similar to seagrass, they do not attract dust, and bacteria cannot penetrate the fibres, so they provide ideal protection for the (often Wilton wool) carpets underneath. Sand and fine dirt do not damage sisal carpets as the soil filters through the weave, rather than sits on the surface and are therefore less vulnerable to abrasion.



Fibre Characteristics



As with other natural fibres sisal has a tendency to return to their original colour after exposure to ultra violet (UV- light radiation. Shade differences between areas exposed/unexposed to sunlight may be apparent; this can be avoided by using a UV protection product (303â„¢ Space Protectant)



Maintenance



Regular vacuuming with a strong brush-suction is all that is needed for daily care of sisal and seagrass carpets. A high water lift (strong suction) vacuum pulls out the fine dirt / dust. Frequent and regular vacuuming will increase carpet life by preventing soil build-up, and will help eliminate stains caused when spilled liquids dissolve soil accumulations.



If exposed to dryness or low humidity, a frequent, light and even application of water strengthens these natural vegetable fibres and enhances the wearing qualities. Moisture can be applied by spraying lightly with distilled water, sisal carpets dry quickly. Under no conditions should the carpet be saturated, or undesirable dimensional changes could result, as well as possible staining from dyes in the underlay. Care should be taken that the carpets are vacuumed and clean before applying the moisture, since dirt in the matting might stain if diluted.



Spot cleaning



Like all carpets immediate attention to spills is the most important for spot removal by blotting up with clean cotton terry weave towels and using 303â„¢ Rug / Upholstery Cleaner & Spot Remover and then dry the carpet quickly by blotting with a clean dry towel.



Grease and oil stains can be successfully removed with an aerosol can spot removers, such as K2, which contains both a cleaning solvent and absorbing powder.



General Cleaning



Both sisal and seagrass carpets are hygroscopic, that is, they absorb moisture and give off moisture, depending on the relative humidity in their immediate environment. Although humidity is good for natural fibre carpets, saturation of the fibres with water can cause undesirable matting of the fibres. The best method for overall cleaning is a spray-extraction method using minimum moisture setting on the machine, followed by blotting with a clean, dry towel to avoid water-marking



Steam-cleaning, wet shampooing, or any other method that involves water saturation of the matting is NOT recommended



Protection



The application of a surface protection stain guard (303 High Tech Fabric Guard) will help to repel grease, dirt and oil based stains and provide ultra violet (UV) protection against fading.

[David Fermani]

Great info Jon. Much appreciated. Never thought about using a fabric protector on them, but will next time I service my cleints DHC.