Why Does My New Wool Rug Smell? And How Long It Lasts

Sheep's wool contains lanolin, a natural wax that keeps the fleece dry on the animal. Washing removes most of it, but not all, and the little that stays is what you smell. It is also part of why wool resists dirt and spills better than synthetic fibres.

The smell is strongest right after delivery. A rug travels rolled and wrapped for one to two weeks, so the air inside the roll has nowhere to go. Damp weather makes it stronger too: wet wool always smells more.

Usually a few days, sometimes two or three weeks in a humid room. Once the rug is flat and the air can move through the pile, the smell fades on its own.

• Unroll the rug as soon as it arrives. Do not leave it in its wrapping.
• Open the windows, or put it outside in the shade for a few hours on a dry day.
• Vacuum it on low suction without the rotating brush, top and back.
• For a stubborn smell, sprinkle a little baking soda, leave it overnight and vacuum it off.

• Do not soak the rug or steam clean it: wool that stays wet for long smells more, not less.
• Do not cover the smell with heavy fabric spray. It only adds a second smell on top.
• Do not put it in strong sun for days on end, which can fade natural colours.

A musty or mouldy smell means the rug got wet and did not dry properly. Dry it fully, flat and with air moving around it, and have it cleaned by a wool specialist if the smell stays. A sharp chemical or plastic smell is not wool at all, and usually means a synthetic rug.