Wool or polypropylene carpets?

[MissM]

We're about to move into a new house and need to re-carpet. Now my mum always said wool is the best fibre as it cleans and wears well. But in Carpetright the guy rubbished that theory and suggested polypropylene. I just don't believe him - surely natural fibres are best? So can anyone help me out with advice/personal experiences? We need to carpet the kids rooms, the hallway and stairs and the playroom (converted cellar).

We recarpeted in 2001 (not carpetright - local firm that used much better underlay everywhere and were cheaper for better carpet).

Hall - tiled. This still looks the same (except for a bit of grout where DH broke a bottle of olive oil bringing the shopping in). This is where all the shoe stay as it acts as a buffer from the gravel drive.

Living rooms - wool - the most tufts per inch we could afford. Still looks fine - acana moth sachets under the cupboards and knitting basket. There are a couple of small stains and DH managed to make a few burn holes by putting unsuitable exploding wood on the fire .

Bedroom - a corded textured wool carpet - still fine.

Childrens rooms- polypropelene - need replacing - tufts blown and all have things spilled on them

Diningroom/garden room - a manmade bleachable commercial carpet - melted in the sun and disintegrating

As I said on the other thread, we've just taken up our wool carpets and replaced them with polypropylene. If you'd told me 10yrs ago that I'd do that I'd have though you mad but I had no idea how they'd improved. It's def softer than the old wool and I've already needed to scrub a stain.

I wouldn't say it was cheaper though at still close to £40 psm. So came to about 6k for lounge, den and bedrooms. Oh and the stairs and landing. I think we paid £32psm for our last wool mix. Although you can get much cheaper poly, the guy we bought it from in the local independent carpet shop said they weren't great. So if you opt for poly make sure you get a good quality one.

Wood is not less expensive in a flood, OP. Do you know what happens to wood when it gets wet? (Whether or not carpet works in a playroom for other reasons I can't say.)