wool is best. you can buy secondhand and it's not all super expensive antique rugs. there are also brands like karastan that do similar styles that are less expensive. they're easy to spot clean, and you can have then professionally cleaned on occasion if you like, but it's expensive. I have 3 cats, and they like to projectile vomit on it them the time, and I just spot clean it and go on about my life. mine are all patterned so small things don't show up on them. they really don't quickly absorb water, so you can get something up quickly if you spill.