Your New Rug Has Arrived: How to Fix Creases, Curled Corners, Dents and Other First-Week Issues

There's nothing quite like unrolling a new rug for the first time. But rugs travel rolled tightly and wrapped for protection, often over long distances, and when they arrive they don't always lie perfectly flat straight away. You might see soft creases, corners that lift, a little fluff on the surface or a faint natural smell. Almost all of these are completely normal, and most settle down on their own within days.

This guide walks you through the first week with a new hand-tufted wool rug: how to unpack it, how to flatten creases and curled corners, how to lift dents from furniture, why new wool rugs shed, what shading is, how to deal with the new-rug smell, how to stop slipping and what to check before you settle in. Keep it handy for the day your rug arrives.

Step 1: Unpacking your rug safely

Before you cut open the packaging, take a moment to set yourself up properly. Clear a large, clean area of floor, ideally the room where the rug will live. If the rug is large, ask someone to help; an 8x10 or 9x12 rug is heavy and awkward to move alone.

Open the outer wrapping carefully, using scissors or a blade only on the packaging, never close to the rug itself. Cutting along the length of a rolled package without care is the most common way rugs get nicked during unpacking. Once the wrapping is off, unroll the rug slowly, pile side up, in the spot where it will go.

Before you do anything else, check the rug in good daylight. Look over the surface, the edges and the back. If there's any damage from transit or anything that doesn't look right, photograph it straight away and contact us within 7 days of delivery so we can help. Keep the packaging until you're happy with the rug.

Step 2: Let it relax

A rug that has been tightly rolled for days or weeks has a memory of its shape. The wool fibers and the backing need a little time to relax into a flat position. In most cases, simply laying the rug flat in a room at normal temperature does the job within a day or two, and sometimes up to a week or so for larger rugs in cooler rooms.

Warmth helps. A rug relaxes faster in a warm room than a cold one. If the weather allows, letting the rug lie in a warm room, out of strong direct sunlight, speeds things up.

How to fix creases

Soft creases from rolling or folding usually disappear on their own as the rug relaxes. If one is stubborn, try these steps, from gentlest to strongest:

1. Walk on it. Normal foot traffic helps flatten creases surprisingly quickly.
2. Reverse-roll. Roll the rug the opposite way, pile side out, around the crease, and leave it rolled for a few hours. Then unroll and lay it flat again.
3. Add weight. Place heavy, flat objects, such as a stack of books on a clean board, along the crease for a day or two. Protect the pile with a clean cloth.
4. Use furniture. Positioning the legs of a sofa or table so they sit across the crease helps hold it flat.

Avoid ironing a crease directly or using strong heat. If you want to try gentle warmth, hold a steam iron several centimeters above the back of the rug (not the pile) without touching it, then weigh the area down while it cools. Skip heat entirely on areas with bamboo silk (viscose), which is heat-sensitive. Read more in what is bamboo silk?

How to fix curled corners and edges

Curled corners are the most common new-rug complaint, and also one of the most important to fix, because a lifted corner is a trip hazard.

• Reverse-roll the corner. Roll the corner diagonally toward the back of the rug, hold it for a few minutes, or secure it loosely, then release. Repeat a few times.
• Weigh it down. Place something heavy and flat on the corner for a day or two.
• Anchor it with furniture. A chair or table leg on the corner keeps it down while it settles.
• Use rug grippers or a pad. Corner grippers or a full non-slip rug pad help keep edges flat for good.

For round, oval and irregular-shaped rugs, the same techniques work along curved edges. Work around the outline a section at a time. See our guide to irregular and organic-shaped rugs.

How to lift dents from furniture

Over time, the legs of sofas, tables and beds leave dents in any pile rug. They're usually temporary, because wool fibers are naturally springy.

1. Move the furniture and let the area breathe for a day; many dents recover on their own.
2. Brush the pile up gently with your fingertips or a soft brush, working against the direction the fibers are lying.
3. Use an ice cube for stubborn dents: place it in the dent and let it melt slowly. As the fibers absorb a little moisture, they swell and lift. Blot away any excess water, let the area dry, then brush the pile up. Use this on wool areas only, not on viscose.
4. Prevent future dents with furniture coasters under heavy legs, and by shifting furniture slightly every few months.

Why your new rug is shedding

If you find tufts of fluff on the surface or a full vacuum bag after the first few cleans, don't worry. All new wool rugs shed. During tufting and shearing, short ends of fiber are left in the pile. As you walk on and vacuum the rug, these loose fibers work their way to the surface. It isn't the rug coming apart; it's the rug settling.

Vacuum regularly on a low-suction setting with the beater bar off, and the shedding gradually reduces, usually settling down over the first few months. Don't pull at loose ends; if a single tuft sticks up above the rest, trim it level with sharp scissors instead. Read more in do wool rugs shed?

What is shading?

You might notice that parts of your new rug look lighter or darker depending on where you stand, or that a path appears where people walk. This is called shading or pile reversal. In a cut-pile rug, the fibers can lean in different directions, and they reflect light differently depending on which way they lean. It's a natural characteristic of cut-pile rugs, especially those with bamboo silk highlights, which are particularly reflective, and it isn't a defect.

You can even out shading by brushing the pile gently in one direction and rotating the rug every 6 to 12 months. Many people come to enjoy how a wool rug seems to change as the light shifts through the day. Read more in our guide to cut pile, loop pile and carved rugs.

The new-rug smell

When a new wool rug is first unrolled, you may notice a faint smell. Wool is a natural fiber, and after being wrapped for shipping, it can carry a mild natural scent. It fades quickly once the rug can breathe.

• Open windows and let air circulate for a few days.
• Vacuum the rug on both sides.
• Sprinkle baking soda lightly over the surface, leave it for a few hours, then vacuum it up.

Avoid strong air fresheners and scented sprays on the rug; they mask smells rather than removing them and can leave residue.

Stopping your rug from slipping

On wood, tile and other smooth floors, a rug without a pad can slide when someone walks across it quickly. A non-slip rug pad solves the problem, keeps edges flat and adds comfort underfoot. Choose one an inch or two smaller than the rug on every side, and check that it suits your floor finish. Our guide to rug pads and rug backing explains the options.

Getting the placement right

The first week is also the best time to fine-tune where the rug sits. Take your time before you put heavy furniture back. Stand in the doorway and look at the room as a whole. Is the rug centered on the seating area, the bed or the table? Does it leave a balanced frame of floor around the edges? Does a door open freely over it?

If you're placing a rug under a sofa or bed, lift the furniture onto the rug rather than dragging it across, which can ruck up the pile and the edges. For living rooms, aim for the front legs of the sofa and chairs to sit on the rug; for bedrooms, place the rug under the lower two-thirds of the bed. Our rug sizes chart has more placement guidance.

Your first-week checklist

Setting up a care routine from day one

The habits you start in the first week will keep your rug looking its best for years. Vacuum once a week, or twice in busy rooms, on a low setting with the beater bar off. Blot spills immediately rather than rubbing. Rotate the rug every 6 to 12 months so wear and sun fading stay even. And book a professional clean every 12 to 18 months. Our complete rug care guide, rug stain guide and area rug cleaning guide cover everything in detail.

When to contact us

Most first-week issues settle down on their own, but please get in touch if you notice transit damage, a manufacturing fault, a significant size difference beyond normal handmade tolerances (finished dimensions can vary by up to about 3%), or anything else that doesn't look right. Tell us within 7 days of delivery, with photos, and we'll help. Our returns and replacement terms are explained in our refund policy.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take for a new rug to lie flat?

Usually a day or two, sometimes up to a week or so for larger rugs or in cooler rooms. Reverse-rolling and weighing down stubborn areas speeds things up.

Is it normal for a new wool rug to shed?

Yes. Loose fibers from tufting and shearing work their way out, and shedding reduces with regular vacuuming over the first months.

Can I iron a crease out of a rug?

Not directly. Reverse-rolling and weight are safer. If you use steam, hold the iron above the back of the rug without touching it, and never use heat on viscose areas.

Why does my rug look darker in some places?

That's shading, a natural feature of cut-pile rugs where fibers lean in different directions and reflect light differently.

How do I get rid of the new rug smell?

Air the room for a few days, vacuum both sides and use a light sprinkle of baking soda, vacuumed up after a few hours.

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Every rug is hand-tufted to order in New Zealand wool and wool blends and ships in 8 days. In the US, it's delivered to your door in 2 to 3 weeks, with shipping and import duties already paid.