Wool Rug Repair | Moth Damage, Pet Damage, Reweaving

145+

Years of Repair

Repairing wool rugs continuously since 1881.

4

Generations

Same family, same standards, four generations of craft.

Top 8

Nationally Recognized

Listed by the Oriental Rug Buyers Guide as one of the country's top rug authorities.

BBB

Accredited

Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, Memphis chapter.

Wool is the most common fiber in fine rugs — and also one of the most vulnerable. Wool is a natural protein fiber, which means it's a target for moths, susceptible to damage from acidic pet urine, and prone to dye loss when exposed to inappropriate cleaning chemistry. Most of the rug repair work that comes through our workshop involves wool, and most of it falls into a small set of common categories: moth damage, pet damage, foot-traffic wear, and the standard structural concerns (selvage, fringe, foundation) that affect every rug type.

Fred Remmers Rug Cleaners has been repairing wool rugs since 1881. Four generations of family training. Our wool repair work covers every construction — hand-knotted oriental rugs (Persian, Turkish, Caucasian, Tibetan, Indian, Chinese), hand-tufted modern designer rugs, machine-made wool, flat-weaves like kilims, and specialty wools (handspun, New Zealand, merino, Tibetan highland). Each repair starts with identifying the wool type and construction, because the repair technique has to match the rug's original characteristics — wool gauge, twist, fiber length, and aged color all matter.

The wool repair work we perform most often: hand reweaving of moth-damaged areas (the most common single repair we do), pet damage restoration including color matching and odor remediation, color touch-up for faded or worn areas, foundation repair when warps or wefts have weakened with age, edge and selvage rebuilding, and fringe restoration. Every wool repair is paired with a lanolin-preserving cleaning so the new work integrates with the existing rug — wool that has been cleaned with aggressive chemistry has lost the protective lanolin coating that gives it durability and luster.

Need cleaning instead? See our wool rug cleaning page. Need mothproofing for storage? See our mothproofing page. For a written valuation, see our wool rug appraisal page.

Wool-Specific Repair Concerns

The damage we see most often.

Wool rugs develop characteristic damage patterns. These are the ones we repair most frequently.

Moth damage

The most common wool repair work. Moth larvae eat wool fibers, leaving holes or thinned areas. We require all eggs and larvae to be eliminated through cleaning before repair, then hand-reweave damaged areas with matched wool.

Pet urine damage

Acidic pet urine attacks both wool fibers and dyes, often creating yellow or pink discoloration plus odor that persists in the foundation. Repair includes color restoration, foundation work, and specialized cleaning to neutralize odor.

Lanolin loss

Wool cleaned with aggressive alkaline chemistry permanently loses its protective lanolin coating, becoming dull and more vulnerable to soiling. Lanolin-preserving cleaning paired with repair restores wool durability going forward.

Color matching aged wool

Wool that has aged decades has specific color characteristics fresh wool cannot match. We hand-dye matched wool to the rug's existing aged color, not to original color — critical for invisible repair.

Pile distortion & matting

High-traffic areas, improper cleaning, or heavy furniture compress wool pile permanently. Pile can sometimes be partially restored through specialized brushing and steaming; severe matting requires reweaving.

Foundation deterioration

Cotton or wool foundations weaken with age, especially in handmade rugs. Foundation repair must precede any pile work — re-knotting onto a damaged foundation is not durable.

Our Process

Wool repair, step by step.

1. Identification & assessment

Identify wool type (handspun, New Zealand, merino, Tibetan), construction, damage, and any pre-existing repair history. Document with photographs.

2. Pre-repair cleaning

Lanolin-preserving wash before repair work begins. Critical for moth-damaged rugs (eliminate larvae and eggs) and pet-damaged rugs (neutralize odor).

3. Hand-dyed wool matching

Source or hand-dye matched wool — same gauge, same twist, same aged color. Foundation materials matched to original cotton or wool.

4. Foundation work

Repair warps and wefts first if compromised. Without sound foundation, repaired pile won't last.

5. Hand reweaving

Re-knot pile with matched wool, matched knot type, matched density. Color integration to surrounding pile.

6. Final inspection & finishing

Final inspection by a senior craftsperson. Edge and fringe touch-up to complete the work.

Where We Serve

Wool rug repair across 5 metros.

Hand reweaving and restoration for wool rugs in every market we serve. Free pick-up, free delivery.

Tennessee · HQ Memphis Mid-South's oldest rug specialist Middle Tennessee Nashville Belle Meade, Brentwood, Franklin OKC Metro Oklahoma City Edmond to Norman, rare expertise Northeast Oklahoma Tulsa Maple Ridge, Brookside antique specialty DFW Metroplex Dallas Highland Park to Frisco, high-value collections

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions.

Can wool rug moth damage be repaired?

Yes, almost always — though the first step is making sure all moth larvae and eggs have been eliminated, which requires thorough cleaning before repair. Once the rug is moth-free, damaged areas can be hand-rewoven with matched wool. Small isolated damage repairs invisibly; larger areas may show a slight visual difference depending on how the original wool has aged. We provide an honest assessment of expected results.

What does pet urine do to a wool rug, and can it be repaired?

Pet urine is acidic and attacks both wool fibers and dyes. The damage commonly includes color bleeding, dye loss creating yellow or pink spots, fiber weakening, and odor that persists in the foundation. Repair involves color restoration with hand-dyed wool, foundation work where fibers have weakened, and odor neutralization through specialized cleaning. Caught early, the repair can be invisible; old or repeated incidents are harder to fully restore.

How is wool rug repair different from synthetic rug repair?

Wool rugs almost always benefit from hand repair using matched wool, because wool fibers have specific characteristics — lanolin content, twist, fiber length — that need to match for an invisible result. Synthetic rugs can sometimes be repaired with adhesive and matched fibers, but the techniques are completely different. Wool also requires lanolin-preserving cleaning methods after repair, where synthetics tolerate more aggressive chemistry.

Can you match aged wool colors?

Yes — color matching is a routine part of wool repair work. Wool that has aged for decades develops specific color characteristics that fresh wool cannot match exactly. We hand-dye matching wool to the rug's existing aged color, not to its original color, so repair work integrates with the surrounding pile invisibly. For very old or unusual color tones, full match isn't always possible, but we get close in nearly every case.

How much does wool rug repair cost?

Pricing depends on the type, size, and complexity of the work. Small moth damage repairs typically run $200–$600. Pet damage repair varies widely depending on size and color match difficulty, often $300–$1,200. Larger reweaving or restoration work runs higher. We always provide a written estimate before any work begins, with options when appropriate.

Service Area

Available across five metros.

Free pick-up and delivery in every city we serve. Tap a city for local details and your nearest phone number.

Tennessee Memphis (901) 278-3704 Tennessee Nashville (615) 730-8515 Oklahoma Oklahoma City (405) 972-3150 Oklahoma Tulsa (918) 973-5460 Texas Dallas (972) 532-8940

Wool Rug Repair since 1881.