How to Take Care of Flokati Area Rugs

Caring for Flokati Rugs



Flokati rugs are very popular style of rug, and many times when you get a shag rug you may not have even realized that you bought a flokati style shag rug. Flokati rugs are usually Greek, made with thick wool, and goes through a unique and rigorous creation process. So we at Plaza Area Rugs get the question quite a bit about best practices in caring for these types of rugs. Below are the three main things you'll encounter during your ownership of a flokati and what to do.



When you first get the rug

When you get the rug, it's likely that it came wrapped up in a roll. If it's a smaller rug, it's possible you'll get it folded up. Either way, once you get it, you'll the hair on the rug is going to be pretty flat. That is common, and all you'll need to do to get it looking in tip top shape is brush it out. I've heard stories about how people try to brush it out... a garden rake seems to work well. So will a really thick hair brush. Whatever you choose to use you want to give your flokati rug a good, strong brushing. Some of the wool will stay in the brush, and that's to be expected. Once you are done brushing your flokati rug will be thick and soft.



Day to Day Maintenance

There isn't much to do for a flokati rug to keep it in great shape. Once in a while take it outside and shake it out hard. That should get any loose items out of the rug that have gotten caught in the wool. If something has been sitting on top of the rug, say the legs of a coffee table or sofa, all you'll want to do is comb out the flattened section. This is really similar to when you first get the rug... the hairs are just pressed down and need a good brushing to get them to be thick and fluffy once again.



Spills on the Flokati Rug

Spilling something on your rug is not the end of the world and cleaning it doesn't require anything too special. If what you spill is dry, for example a cup of flower, simply vacuum it up. Be sure you keep the vacuum on low. If you have it on full suction you will risk sucking out some of the hairs (depending on how strong your vacumm is). If you're not getting any of the substance up, then turn up the setting of the vacuum slowly. Once the bulk of it is sucked up, take the rug outside and shake it out. If you spill something wet take a moment to clean it as soon as possible. Mild soap and warm water is really all you need to clean it up. You could also use a very mild cleaning material, but we don't recommend it unless it has specifically been sold with your rug. Harsh cleaners will take some color out of the rug, and once that happens it's not likely to ever gain that color back.



If you can handle those simple things you should be able to maintain your flokati rug for many, many years. Remember, these rugs have been around for hundreds of years and are built to last. So a little effort now will go a long way in this investment!
About the Author

Andrew Ketter, Partner of Plaza Rugs offers flokati rugs and numerous other styles of area rugs.