Synthetic fibre carpet

[Bellyrub1980]

Lots of people have tevommended this for our house. We have a sicky toddler and we've been told this stuff is a dream to clean (you can even bleach it) but you can't feel the difference from wool.

Is this true? I'd planned to get wool carpet but starting to feel swayed

[Miniminimus]

Lots of carpet shops recommended synthetic to us when we were looking. Prices for good quality synthetic vs wool were about the same. I thought some of the synthetics were a bit glisteny compared to wool.

We were told synthetic was easy to clean but also that it got flattened more easily and if you move furniture around the pile doesn't recover in the same way as wool does. Also I think wool retains overall looks for longer. We went for wool as I wanted longevity and happy so far (2 years on).

But we didn't have a sicky toddler!

[Sophie38]

It depends on your cleaning preferences really.

I have had several wool rugs, I mean the old, Oriental type, and tbh nothing goes into them - if you clean in the direction of the pile, it all just comes off. I assume it's because of the wool, being a natural material and so on, maybe it doesn't absorb stains very easily?

I don't know.

I don't use bleach very much, in fact hardly ever - if one of mine is sick, I will clean it with water and disinfectant spray.

We have polypropylene carpets. They look OK but they flatten very quickly, and one of ours is being replaced after a few weeks of use as it broke down at the edges. The backing is horrible, I think we must have got a bad quality one as they aren't charging us to replace it.

We are going for a wool mix as we can't afford all wool.

[Sophie38]

Oh and a lot depends on the colour - get something fairly dark and hardly anything will show up.

I would hesitate at a light coloured wool carpet with children and/or pets.

[Bellyrub1980]

Thank you. It's such a difficult decision. May go for a wool carpet but a huge synthetic rug for sick catching purposes.....?

[Fourarmsv2]

We went with the huge rug option in lounge, kids rooms and play room.

It does mean that we have a clean patch and a dirty looking surround though. Must get round to going over them with the carpet cleaner!

[livingthegoodlife]

we have wool carpets and have just forked out to do a bedroom and hall/stairs/landing in wool too.

we considered synthetic especially because of the price but in the end the slight shininess and the fact it flattens easily put us off. I had all the samples layed out together and there was just no comparison.

i have 3 kids under three, we have plenty of puking and 'accidents' on the carpet (sorry tmi) but wool carpet cleans up fine. I use Vanish mousse cleaning spray and a damp cloth. I have never damaged the carpet and it keeps clean. we have a dog too.

plus, i dropped a hot iron on a polyester carpet and melted a hole in it!! that doesnt happen with wool! i used a heat gun on some wood work and the worst that happened was the wool carpet smouldered a little bit, no real damage.

BUY WOOL!!

[Frostycake]

Well, you won't get carpet beetles with a synthetic rug, that's one plus point.

On the negative side though, it won't wear as well as wool as others have stated already.