The key to looking after your valuable rugs is regular rug cleaning by a professional carpet and rug cleaning company, plus effective rug protection. A lot can be done to protect your rugs on a day to day basis – removing spills as soon as possible after they happen to prevent stains is essential, for example. The pile texture of any carpet or rug will suffer from having heavy furniture placed on it for a long time without occasionally moving the furniture or placing carpet protectors under table or chair legs. It’s just as important to protect rugs when anything is being moved across them; a lot of damage can be done by trying to drag a piano or something equally heavy into place.
For moving purposes even a piece of strategically placed cardboard will help to avoid unsightly marks on the rug. Persian rugs are probably best located in areas where they will be looked at more than walked on; they should also be ensured rug protection by being out of range of direct sunlight. A very sunny room is probably better served by a pale-colored rug that will not fade noticeably.
Rug cleaning is not complete without treatment with a product that completes any carpet and rug cleaning by providing a stain resistant shield. Many rugs are given rug protection at the time they are manufactured, but this wears away in time and needs redoing after each professional deep rug cleaning. In the intervals between professional carpet and rug cleaning sessions, it is possible to treat stains on rugs at home yourself.
Rather than risk the possibly harmful detergents or chemicals present in some commercial rug cleaning solutions, you can use baking soda as a cheap and effective alternative. This is especially to be recommended if your rugs are made of natural fibers such as wool and if they have been produced with plant-based dyes. If it is just a question of a small spot, you can put a small amount of baking soda on the stain, add a little water and let it dry. Once dried you can hoover up the residue of powder and the spot should have disappeared. If it’s a more serious stain, it can be scrubbed with a paste of baking soda and water and left to dry and then hovered as before.
Caution should be used in home rug cleaning so that a lot of water doesn’t go through to the back of the rug; if in doubt a small section of rug can be tested first. Persian carpets are usually best cleaned and restored by a reputable carpet and rug cleaning company, but certain guidelines for keeping them clean can also be followed.
The pile on a Persian carpet is not usually very deep, so ordinary hovering can work very well, provided you always hoover with the nap and not across the carpet. The reason for this is that incorrect hovering will eventually loosen the knots, and pull the carpet out of shape. If the carpet needs some spot cleaning, it shouldn’t be hung up to dry because that can cause colors to run. A damp cloth rubbed on the rug in the direction of the nap will ensure the safest and most effective rug cleaning that can be attempted at home.
Important Rug Cleaning Tips
Our rugs help provide our homes with a sense of grandeur. This is why we must do all we can to take care of them because rugs need to be properly maintained. If you fail to properly care for your rugs, then you can expect its value to diminish over the years. There are a lot of things that can affect your rug and this article is going to help you deal with them like a pro.
Here are some important rug cleaning tips that you can use to help you keep your rugs spotless and prolong their life span.
Dark Sherry or Red Wine spills –
Even though this is a rare occurrence, stuff like this can still happen. In this case, the first thing that you should do is to keep the stain moist. If the spill happens to be on a light colored rug, then you should try to spray it with water. However, if water is not available then you can use some club soda or white wine as alternatives. After you are done spraying, you should blot the rug from the edges of where the stain is in order to prevent it from spreading. This method is best used for polyester and blends.
Coffee Stains –
Our favorite drink during the morning can also be our rug’s worst nightmare. If you happen to spill your coffee, you should mop it up immediately. Don’t forget to rub the area with some warm water containing wash up liquid or carpet shampoo. You can also rub the area with a sponge using cold water with baking soda. Once the stain becomes dry, you should immediately dab it with a half part warm water and half part glycerin.
Ink Stains –
Ink from ball point pens can sometimes squirt and land on your rug. Should this happen, you should rub a bit of rubbing alcohol on the stain using a white pad. Remember to sponge the area with warm water multiple times and blot it dry.
Grease Stains –
Oh boy, I bet a lot of women are going to go crazy should this ever happen to them. To remove grease marks from your rug, pour a generous amount of corn starch or baking soda on the affected area. Brush it lightly, leave it overnight, and vacuum it the next day.
Chewing Gum –
This is another nightmare for people who own rugs. If chewing gum gets stuck on your carpet, you should get some ice and apply it on the gum to harden it. Use white spirit on the gum residue and rinse with cold water.
In addition to these rug cleaning tips, you should also have your rugs checked up by a professional rug restoration service at least once every two years. Rug repair and rug restoration is something that is best left to the pros to handle. As for you though, you should remember these tips whenever your rug runs into an accident. These tips can help you keep your rug looking good for a long time, so don’t forget to follow them.