Felt Ball Rugs Information & Care

© By Kath, Owner of Milk Tooth

You can find all of our beautiful children's rugs and play mats here.

How do you make a felt ball rug?

Felt Ball Rugs are made of 100% wool felt balls that each have a diameter of 2 to 2.5cm. The felt balls are tightly sewn together by hand using heavy-duty thread by small groups of Nepalese women working under ethical conditions for fair pay. Each felt ball rug contains literally thousands of balls and the work is incredibly time-consuming and detailed. Wool is naturally flame-retardant, making these rugs a safe option in your nursery or kid's room.

It also takes hard work and dedication to make the felt balls themselves. Using 100% wool from New Zealand, the women gently roll wet wool round and round on a soapy surface to form a ball. Rolling and rinsing and rolling and rinsing some more, the felt ball eventually begins to shrink and take on a spherical shape. The women then place the ball into cold water to thorougly rinse it and finally the ball is dried in the sun, ready for use.

How do you care for and clean a felt ball rug?

Caring for your felt ball rug is easy. They're naturally strong as the felted wool is springy and resists wear and tear. The protective waxy coating of 100% wool forms a naturally protective barrier against dirt and stains. Shake out your rug and vacuum it regularly using just the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner to ensure dust and dirt don't settle into the fibres of the felt balls. Be careful of using bristly vacuum cleaner heads, as you may accidentally fuzz up your felt balls. Do not use your felt ball rug in a wet area.

Generally, you can remove dirt by vacuuming your felt ball rug using just the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner. For more stubborn dirt and light stains, you can simply dab at the mark with a soft wet cloth. Mildly soapy water is useful for this purpose.

If your prized felt ball rug is accidentally stained, get onto it straightaway. Blot the stain but don't rub it, as you might rub it further into the wool. Diluted white vinegar can work for more stubborn stains but please be very careful that you don't use concentrated vinegar or leave your diluted solution on for too long, as you might inadvertently bleach the colours. If you get mud on your rug, let it dry completely and then remove the bulk of it with a blunt knife, before vacuuming the rest of the dirt away.

For a very very dirty rug, please contact a professional carpet cleaner, advising them to use low-pressure water in order to avoid any colour dilution.