Best Vacuum For Wool Carpet And Rugs

You want your wool carpet looks beautiful and also lasts longer. Therefore, you must take care of it to protect your investment. The good news is, wool carpets are more durable and require lower maintenance than most carpet types.

However, Don’t let “low maintenance” fool you. Cleaning your wool carpet can be a nightmare if you don’t have the right cleaning tools for ex. a vacuum cleaner. You must not use any random household vacuum cleaner to clean your wool carpet, as it may ruin its fibers.

This guide will help you find the best vacuum for wool carpet and rugs. We’ll also includes a buyers guide so that, you can select the most appropriate vacuum for wool loop carpets.

Best Vacuum For Wool Loop Carpet & Rugs: Top Picks

Buying Guide For The Best Vacuum For Wool Carpet And Rugs:

Suction Power:

The first thing you’ll be looking out for is obviously suction power. If your vacuum doesn’t have much suction power, it simply won’t be able to do its job. In most cases, you must go for a unit with the highest suction power, but this isn’t the case for wool carpets. 

If the suction is too powerful, you’ll end up pulling strands of wool from your carpet. As such, make sure that the suction is adequate and not too aggressive. It’s best that you opt for a vacuum with variable speed settings.

Adjustable Height:

With vacuums, you can’t use the same height for all sorts of surfaces. For the best results, you’ll need different height adjustments. A low setting will enable the brush to have close contact with the carpet, but there must be sufficient space between the roller brush and surface for adequate suction. 

Similarly, a high setting might not be able to pull in the dirt effectively. You must opt for a vacuum that comes with adjustable height so that you can tune it according to your requirements.

Unit Size And Portability:

A heavy unit is completely not desirable for vacuuming. If it’s heavy and large, it’ll be tasking for you to move it around your floor surface. Especially if your home has multiple floors, you’ll have to carry it up and down, and that’s why you must opt for a portable unit. 

For people with back pain, a heavy unit is a complete no. To ensure portability and maneuverability, ensure that your unit features an ergonomic design and also pay attention to the weight. If it’s more than 10lbs, you might consider another unit.

Wheel Size For High Pile Wool Carpet:

For such carpets, the wheel size of your vacuum is also essential. If the wheels are too low, it can be tough to push, and it can even harm your carpet fibers. Additionally, the wheels might leave behind track marks spoiling the appearance of your carpets. Keeping this factor in mind, larger wheels are more suitable for high pile wool carpet.

Attachments:

Most vacuums come with a lot of attachments, but many times, they are of sub-par quality. Attachments can make your vacuuming session convenient and precise. For vacuuming wool carpets, look out for brushes with sturdy but soft bristles as they can remove all the dirt and debris without harming your carpet. 

Additionally, a flat hose is also desirable as it can eliminate dust and dander, which is often tricky for vacuums.

HEPA Filtration System:

Nowadays, vacuums are capable of doing so much more than just vacuuming. Some high-end units are fitted with a filtration system that can purify the air and eliminate all sorts of allergens and unwanted particles. 

In vacuums, the HEPA filtration system is the gold standard, and you must look out for this feature if you want the best filtration. A high quality Hepa Filter can remove 99.99% of all allergens and any airborne particles ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment.

Cord And Hose Length:

If you’re going to buy a corded vacuum, a huge drawback is that you won’t receive the flexibility as you would with a cordless unit. The longer the cord, the better your reach. As a general rule of thumb, go for a unit with at least a 25ft cord, and it’s even better if it comes with tangle free feature. Similarly, ensure that your vacuum hose length isn’t too short so that you’ll have ample reach.

Best Vacuums For Wool carpet Reviews:

1. Best Overall: Kenmore Elite 81714 Pet Friendly Ultra Plush Vacuum

Confidently clean your wool rugs and other carpeted areas of your home with the Kenmore Elite 81714 Bagged Canister Vacuum. This upgraded version is very efficient and offers some great features those were absent in previous models.

It has a very unique Ultra plush floor nozzle that works with powerful airflow to deep clean your soft carpet and delicate rugs. This nozzle also helps you seamlessly navigate on various type of carpet pile for an efficient cleanup.

In fact, its powerful suction efficiently remove pet hair and fine debris on both low and high pile carpet.

With the variable suction control, you can vacuum your wool rugs in lower setting to avoid any possible damage. We also like its manual pile adjustment feature that allows the cleaner head to properly engage with the various heights of carpet fiber for a better clean up.

Furthermore, the 4 height level adjustment allow you select the most appropriate setting based on the carpet pile types. However, few users have noted that, you need some muscle power to move it on low pile carpet when selecting the extra-low adjustment with higher suction.

It has an onboard storage system for easy access of 3 included tools. This canister models also comes with a bare floor attachments for cleaning hard floors.

2. Runners Up: Hoover WindTunnel Max UH30600

The Hoover WindTunnel UH30301 is one of the  most popular household bagged vacuum with 7 manual height adjustments. Therefore, it’s quiet versatile and also suitable for a variety of carpeting and delicate rugs. The Consumer Reports has rated this one pretty well.

The main brush roller is wider than other models twice its price. It’s very fast and also efficient at picking up small sized debris from various surfaces including wool rugs. However, on soft pile carpet, it needs several passes to completely pickup breakfast cereal and cat litter.

This upright model includes a high quality Hepa filter which captures pollen and allergens to a good extent. The bag is relatively easy to change when needed. All these things make it a great vacuum  for allergy sufferers.

Cleaning carpeted stairs is a big challenge for many upright vacuums, however, this unit has an impressive 17 feet long hose attachments that allow you to effortlessly clean your stairs. In addition, the low profile cleaning head can easily reach under lower height upholstery for a deep clean up.

3. Best Upright: Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner

In our quest for the best vacuum for wool carpet, we were really impressed with the Soniclean Soft Carpet Upright Vacuum Cleaner. We love its sleek and classy design, and weighing in at just 10 lbs, it’s a lightweight unit.

Not only that but the addition of large front wheels allows it to glide through carpets seamlessly. It’s a corded unit, so you don’t have to worry about the battery running out, and on top of that, the super long 35 feet power cord ensures ample reach even for large homes.

We’ve found the suction powerful, and is very efficient at picking up ultra fine particles from all kinds of carpet. The ultra-soft brush roll performs efficiently and safely on wool loop carpets. On top of that, it features a beater bar that vibrates to loosen the dust from your wool rugs and carpet. This feature also makes it the best vacuum for oriental rugs, and soft area rugs.

However, the most innovative feature of this bagged vacuum is the adjustable vent system that allows it to easily switched from low pile carpet to bare floor for suction only cleaning.

Another advantage of this upright vacuum cleaner over other upright models is that, the low frame enables it to effortlessly clean under bed and furniture.

Many reviewers praised the H13 HEPA filtration system’s inclusion which is very effective for capturing small dust, and particles. However, some were disappointed with the lack of attachments.

4. Best Canister Vacuum: Miele Complete C3

Miele is a well-known vacuum brand, and the Complete C3  is one of the best vacuums for wool area rugs we’ve tested. 

With a compact design and sturdy built, you’ll be vacuuming with this unit for years. It houses three onboard accessories, including the crevice tool, upholstery tool, and dusting brush, making your cleaning sessions easier and convenient.

We were also happy to see that it came with HEPA filters, which is capable of removing 99.99% of all pollutants and allergens.

The Miele Complete C3  sports an impressive 6-speed setting, and we were particularly impressed with the soft carpet setting, which provided a thorough vacuuming without causing any harm to the carpet fibers. 

Furthermore, it includes a special floor head designed to clean soft carpet. You can easily adjust the height level of this head which is really helpful to clean carpets of various height.

The parquet twister head can rotate up to 180 degrees and is perfect for vacuuming those tight corners. However, some customers may be disappointed with the high price tag.

5. Best For Pet Hair: Shark Navigator Professional NV356E

The Shark Navigator Professional NV356E sports a clean and modern look. It has a small frame and is sturdy; we are sure you won’t have to worry about broken bits and parts for a long time.

The canister is easy to detach and you can use it as a handheld vacuum. This feature is really useful to clean the edges of the carpet. You can even use this device to clean carpeted stairs in your home. The vacuum is very powerful and, in our testing, it removed all kinds of grit and sand from the wool rug without sucking it in.

Talking about versatility, this unit works pretty well on all types of surfaces. However, It’s particularly suitable for vacuuming wool barber carpet. The suction power is adjustable. If you’ve deep pile carpet, you can easily suction down to the lower settings to avoid any damage.

One of the best features of this unit, is the swivel steering, which makes it easy to reach tight corners and edges. Unlike its competitors, it has a large 2.2 quarts dust cup capacity allowing you to clean for more extended periods without having to clean the dust cup. 

Customer reviews raved about the design and the included accessories, especially the crevice tool. On the other hand, some complained about the heaviness.

What we like:

• Adjustable suction power

• Power cord is longer than average

• Very effective for removing grit and sand from the carpet

• The brush roll can be turned off when cleaning hard floor

• Includes Hepa filter that capture dust and allergens for safety

Take Notes:

• It’s a heavy vacuum; not suitable for people with backpain

• The hose length is shorter than its counterparts in this range

6. Best Cordless Stick: Dyson V8 Absolute

If portability is a major concern for you, you can’t go wrong with the Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Stick Vacuum. It has a super slim and ergonomic design and weighs just 5.75 pounds making it seamless to move it around or carry it up and down the stairs. 

This unit is great for pet owners. It features a direct drive cleaner head that drive deeper into the carpet to remove pet hair and other tiny particles. You can even use it to clean debris of all sizes from all kinds of hard surfaces.  Thanks to the soft roller cleaner head.

You can even convert it into a handheld unit, which is perfect for vacuuming hard to reach spots. Despite its lightweight design, it has stronger suction power than its classic version Dyson V7. It’s one of the best vacuum for wool carpet and rug fibers we’ve come across.

We were also impressed by the battery life as it was able to run for 25 minutes on carpets with the attached motorized tool. The Dyson V8 also fitted with a HEPA filtration system, which does a fantastic job of eliminating allergens and pollutants.

User reviews and testimonials lauded the docking station’s inclusion, but a few were unhappy with the small dust bin.

What we like:

• Extremely portable and lightweight design

• You can easily convert it into a handheld unit

• The mini motorized tool works surprisingly well to remove pet hair from medium to high pile carpet and rugs

• Easy to use in tricky corners and under cabinet

• You can easily eject the dust canister by a single push

Take Note:

• There is no option for continuous vacuuming, the trigger must be held down continuously

• Certainly, it’s an expensive vacuum, but it definitely going to last longer than most stick vacuums

7. Best Budget: BISSELL Cleanview

The BISSELL Cleanview Swivel Pet Upright Bagless Vacuum is a great pick if you’re looking for a easy to use and well priced unit. This full sized vacuum cleaner has some unique features worth a look.

It has a triple action brush roll mechanism for deep cleaning your carpet or large wool area rugs. It’s also very effective to remove debris and tough messes on various surfaces.

This unit even comes with extra brushes on the side of the main brush roll which is really helpful to clean edges and corners. The specialized pet tool is another best things of this unit. It works pretty well to pull out stubborn pet stains, odor and pet hair without scattering.

This unit also includes washable filter making maintenance easier than other vacuums in this range.

We also loved the inclusion of the swivel steering as it made it much easier to vacuum tight corners. On the other hand, we were disappointed with the bulky design.

What we like:

• Easy to assemble and maneuver under furniture

• Prevents scattering of dirt

• The pet hair tool is very effective for pet hair

• Impressive suction power

• Affordable price

Take Note:

• The extension hose is shorter than its rivals

• No auto cord rewind feature available

8. Shark HV382 DuoClean: Best Vacuum For Wool Berber Carpet

Shark is known for offering premium quality vacuums, and the HV382 Rocket DuoClean is another fantastic product for carpet and hard floor. It has some cool things that worth considering.

The first thing you’ll notice about this unit is the super slim profile, and you’ll have no trouble moving it from one room to another. You can even convert it into a handheld unit, perfect for targeting those tight corners and challenging to reach areas.

On top of that, it has a 30 feet power cord providing ample reach for most vacuuming needs. The dirt cup capacity is 0.91 quarts which is more than other hand vacuums in this range.

Fitted with a unique dual brush roll system, the Shark Rocket DuoClean does an excellent job of eliminating dust and debris. The pet multi-tool effectively removes all sorts of pet hair from wool carpets. The powerful bristle brush roll provide deep cleaning of carpet and rugs. However, this hand vacuum is particularly useful for large particles. 

Unlike similar units, this vacuum is fitted with LED lights on the floor nozzle, making it much easier to spot which areas need vacuuming. However, this unit can’t stand on its own, which might disappoint some customers.

What we like:

• Slim and compact design

• Pet tool effectively removes pet hair

• Long power cord

• The bin capacity is more than average

• Comes with led lights for hard-to-see dirt

Take Note:

• Unable to stand on its own

• No on board storage

9. Best Multi-surface: Bissell Zing Bagged Canister Vacuum 4122

The Bissell Zing Bagged Canister Vacuum 4122 comes with many features to make your vacuuming sessions more efficient. It’s effortless to assemble, and the instruction manual certainly makes things easier. It’s quite lightweight, and the inclusion of a carry handle makes it easier to carry it around.

Despite the compact frame, the suction is quite powerful, and it effortlessly picked up dirt, debris, and pet hair in our testing. The 17 feet long power cord provided sufficient reach but might not be adequate for larger homes.

The adjustable suction also makes the Bissell Zing Bagged Canister Vacuum 4122 perfect for vacuuming wool carpets as you can ensure that the suction isn’t aggressive enough to damage the wool fiber. 

This vacuum also features an automatic cord rewind feature allowing you to quickly store the cord after usage, which is absent in most of its competitors. This vacuum, however, doesn’t come with HEPA filters.

What we like:

• Lightweight and portable

• Good at picking up pet hair

• Powerful suction

Take Note:

• Doesn’t come with HEPA filters

Expert Tips To Maintain Wool Carpets And Rugs

Wool carpets and rugs are certainly high-maintenance, and if you don’t take care of them properly, they’ll start to ruin really soon. With our expert tips detailed below, you’ll be able to prolong the lifespan of your wool carpets and rugs:

• Firstly, you must get a vacuum that’s compatible with wool carpets and rugs. For that, the suction power mustn’t be too aggressive. If it is, it’ll damage the wool fibers and reduce the lifespan of your carpet. Additionally, make sure that the vacuum cleaner has soft-bristled brush.

• To ensure tip-top condition, vacuum your rugs and carpets regularly, especially if they’re placed in high-traffic areas. You should vacuum on the both sides of your wool rugs. However, don’t over vacuum them.

• Never use any random cleaning shampoo or solution on your wool rugs. Only use recommended product like- this one. Before applying, follow the directions strictly that comes with the cleaning product.

• To prevent fading, cover your windows to limit sunlight exposure.

• Whenever possible, have your food and drinks in a non-carpeted area.

FAQ’s About best vacuum for wool loop pile carpet:

Q1: Should you vacuum a wool rug?

Ans: Definitely, you should vacuum your wool rugs regularly (at least once a week) to ensure its longevity. However, make sure you use a vacuum cleaner with soft bristles for avoiding any damage of the fibers and an adjustable height control system (NOT self adjusting) so that the cleaner head can reach into the carpet fiber.

It’s also recommended that you deep clean your wool carpet by a professional once in a year.

Q2: Can you use a Dyson on a wool carpet?

Ans: Yes, you can use a vacuum cleaner from Dyson on your wool carpet. However, many wool carpet manufacturer discourage the user not to use vacuum cleaner from Dyson, Bissell, shark on a wool loop carpet. Because, most of them feature beater bar which has a tendency of causing excessive fuzzing of your wool carpet.

Therefore, we recommend that you get a Dyson vacuum cleaner without a beater bar. Also make sure that, it has soft brush roll and adjustable suction power. Use it correctly on your carpet with lowest setting.

Q3: Can You Use A Carpet Cleaner On A Wool Carpet?

Ans: It depends on the carpet cleaner. For best results, buy a product that’s specifically dedicated to wool carpets. Also make sure, that the carpet cleaner has adjustable height setting so that it can be used on low to high pile carpet.

Final Words:

With the units mentioned above, you can provide a thorough vacuuming of your wool carpets without causing any damage. If you don’t want to purchase carpets every now and then, you must clean them regularly. All of them are fantastic units, and they’ll defiantly not let you down. 

With variable suction and 4 manual height level adjustment, the Kenmore Elite 81714 is our top pick for the best vacuum for wool carpet. If you’re under a budget, the BISSELL Cleanview Swivel Pet Upright Bagless Vacuum is a complete value for money.

Few Resources:

1. How to Clean Your Wool Rug, According to a Pro

2. Cleaning A Wool Rug: 12 Do’s And Don’ts From Rugknots