THE BENEFITS OF WOOLMARK CARPET - Balta Group

The Benefits of
Woolmark and
Woolblendmark Carpet
The Woolmark and the
Woolblendmark are two of the
world’s most recognised textile
symbols and represent your
assurance of the finest quality
and reliability.
Only approved companies are
licensed to use these marks in
association with their products.
Carpets bearing these marks must
pass a stringent set of tests for
quality and performance, to comply
with technical standards prescribed
by The Woolmark Company.
The Benefits of Wool
How do I recognise a quality carpet
Look for Woolmark and Woolblendmark labelled
carpets as they are quality assured, having been
subject to The Woolmark Company’s 24 stringent
performance tests. A Woolmark or
Woolblendmark carpet will be a part of your life for
years to come.
Why choose wool
Wool has been used for centuries and its
performance capabilities are well known. Its major
attributes include a natural resistance to soiling,
staining and flames. Wool has very good
appearance, retention and durability properties
because of its natural resiliency, resistance to static
build up and its ease of cleaning and maintenance.
What is the difference between
wool and synthetic fibres
Wool is a natural product whilst synthetics are
manufactured from man-made chemicals. Wool is
considered to be the superior fibre for high quality
domestic and commercial installations. It is also
biodegradable and a renewable resource.
What about mixes of wool and
Is it necessary to use the same
carpet throughout the house
No. It is not necessary to use the same carpet
throughout the house and you may choose
different carpet grades for different areas. If it is
desirable to use the same carpet throughout and
your chosen carpet is not available in different
grades, choose a carpet grade according to the
heaviest traffic area.
What is a Woolmark carpet’s
life expectancy
Subject to the correct grade being selected, it
depends on how well the carpet is looked after,
maintained and how much wear it gets. With care,
it is possible for a Woolmark carpet to last a
decade or more.
Is Pure New Wool a problem for
allergy sufferers
The Pure New Wool fibre component in products
has not been known to cause allergic reactions.
If you are concerned about potential allergic
reactions to new carpet, check with your
medical practitioner for correct diagnosis
regarding allergies.
Do Woolmark carpets need to be stain
resist treated
Pure New Wool carpet has long been
acknowledged for its unique natural ability to resist
dirt, stains and spills. Stain resist treatments for
wool have been developed recently and are
effective in enhancing wool’s proven stain
resisting properties.
However, the best advice is to remove spillages as
soon as they occur.
At this stage no textile can be treated to provide
total protection against all stains under all
conditions.
Carpet Care and
Cleaning
The following hints on carpet maintenance will add
considerably to the carpet’s life.
Vacuuming
Weekly vacuuming is recommended so that soil
does not become embedded in the pile causing
accelerated wear by finding at the base
of the tufts.
Wool is durable
Hard-wearing and long lasting
Retains its appearance
Wool is safe
Flame resistant
Reduces dryness and static
Wool is practical
Resists dirt and stains
Easy to clean
Wool is comfortable
Natural insulator
Keeps noise down
Naturally regulates air
moisture content
Wool is natural
Warm and comfortable
Renewable resource
Biodegradable
Wool is good
for your environment
®
PURE NEW WOOL
PILE
®
WOOL RICH BLEND
PILE
® The Woolmark and Woolblendmark symbols are
registered trademarks of the Woolmark Company
synthetic fibres
The Woolmark Company classifies and recognises
carpets made from a minimum of 80% new wool
with 20% nylon or other designated synthetic fibre.
These carpets carry a label identifying the fibre
content. For pure new wool it is the Woolmark
and for products containing a minimum 80% new
wool, it is the Woolblendmark. These labels must
appear on the back of the sample carpet swatch.
Which texture will wear better
and longer - loop or cut pile
As a general rule, surface pile appearance changes
may be noticed first with the cut pile rather than
the loop file construction. This relates to the style
of texture rather than the fibre or quality of the
carpet. This however, does mean that loop pile
carpet is a better overall performing carpet than a
cut pile carpet when all aspects are taken
into consideration.
Is 80/20 wool/synthetic loop pile
carpet a good idea
The Woolmark Company does not recommend a
80/20 wool/synthetic intimate fibre mix for loop pile
structures because it tends to fuzz and/or pill due
to abrasive action on the top
of the pile.
What would be a suitable
maintenance programme
Wool, by its very nature, is easy to care for and
clean. Hard, microscopic external scales on the
fibre mean that it has both natural stain and soil
resistance. Regular vacuuming with rapid attention
to stains is the key to preserving the long term
good looks and performance of your wool carpet.
Professional wet cleaning may be required from
time to time if the carpet has become
heavily soiled.
Is shading (permanent pile reversal)
more evident on wool rather than
synthetic carpet
Shading can occur with any cut pile carpet, in any
fibre and is more apparent in plain solid coloured
carpets. The cause is not known.
Will fading be a problem
Fading can occur over time with any carpet.
Fading is a character of the dye type and depth of
shade and can occur irrespective of fibre type. If
you are concerned with fading, external shading
devices provide the most benefit, but glass
treatments and interior shading devices will also
help reduce the effects of direct sunlight.
Will insects be a problem
In accordance with Woolmark and Woolblendmark
specifications, carpets labelled with either of these
Trademarks have been treated to withstand
possible insect attack. The manufacturer
guarantees protection against insect attack for the
life of the carpet.
Why is there a difference between two
carpets even thought they both have a
heavy duty grading
In any carpet grading scheme, there is a minimum
and a maximum rating for “performance” within
each grade. Therefore a range of carpet weights,
constructions and textures may fall into the same
grading category.
How do I know the carpet I am selecting
will be the one that is laid
Take all details which are available on the back of
the sample, and when signing your contract order,
make sure all these details including name of
manufacturer, name of carpet, colour and code
numbers are stated on the invoice. At the same
time, obtain a sample of the carpet for
cross reference.
There are three types of vacuum cleaners: plain
suction, beater bar, revolving bristle strip. All are
efficient for regular cleaning, particularly dense pile
carpet. For loop pile carpets, use a suction
only vacuum.
The last stroke of the vacuum cleaner should be in
the pile direction. It is important to follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for the best results.
Cleaning
If you have taken care to vacuum your carpet
regularly and remove spills, you may not need to
clean your carpet for a year or more, even it is a
light colour. However, when the carpet does start
to look soiled, you can either have it professionally
cleaned or do it yourself. If you decide to clean the
carpet yourself, make sure you use a good quality
cleaning agent and carefully follow the
manufacturer’s instructions. No matter how careful
one is, there is usually a small residue left on the
pile after drying and the residue from a poor quality
cleaning agent accelerates soiling.
Wet shampoo
It is important to use a neutral shampoo on wool
carpets - certainly not one that is alkaline, never
use household detergents, and don’t use
shampoos which smell of ammonia. To check
proprietary carpet shampoos, leave a bit in a
saucer overnight, pour off excess and allow to dry
to see if it leaves a sticky residue to which house
dust could cling.
If you use a shampooing machine, follow the
instructions carefully. Remove the furniture from
the room, if possible and vacuum thoroughly
before shampooing. Allow to dry overnight before
vacuuming and putting the furniture back in place.
It’s important not to allow the carpet to get too wet
in case the pile and backing become distorted.
Absorbent powder
There is a range of cleaning powders available
which are either solvent-saturated or detergentsaturated.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions.
© The Woolmark Company 1998