Area Rug Cleaning & Maintenance
All textiles require regular care to keep them looking their best. Below are a few things to keep in mind to make your new rug last a lifetime.
Traffic: It is super important to use your rug evenly. Handmade rugs are made to be used and can be very durable. However, if you walk over the same area time and time again for twenty years chances are that area will look different than the rest of the rug. To avoid this just simply rotate your rug. Depending on the amount of traffic on your rug you may want to do this as often as quarterly to annually if there is not much traffic. But at the least have you rug rotated every time it is professionally cleaned.
Vacuuming: Have you heard the expression “cleanliness is next to godliness”? Well for your carpets and rugs this couldn’t be more true. Frequent vacuuming of your rugs will remove all of the damaging soil that gets embedded in the fibers. This will reduce potential damage to your fibers. Also, if you are not cleaning your rugs every year, then you should take and flip them fuzzy side down during spring cleaning and vacuum the back of the rug. This will make a lot of the dry soil fall out to the floor below – you might be surprised by what you see. Don’t forget to watch the fringe.
Spots & Spills: Clean you rug as soon as something spills on it. To spot clean, blot the spot with clean white paper or terry towel to absorb as much of the liquid as possible. You can then apply salt or baking soda to the spot for a few minutes to absorb the rest of the moisture. When dry, vacuum off the salt or baking soda. Be very, very careful when using store bought spot cleaners, they can do more damage than good sometimes. But if you totally feel the need to use one of them test it first in a small area to make sure the rug is colorfast and it will not damage the fiber. If there is any doubt when spot cleaning your rug call Professional Carpet Systems first and they can help to guide you through the process.
The best piece of advice with cleaning your handmade rug is let the professionals handle it. Cleaning Specialists like the ones you know at Professional Carpet Systems have been through tons of training to learn how to clean your rug properly and prevent damage from cleaning. Uneducated and uninformed cleaners can cause irreversible damage to your rug… believe me, we have seen what happens with inexperienced cleaners and rug owners.
Padding: You should most definitely consult with your retailer about padding at the time of purchase. If you did not and now realize that you need padding, Professional Carpet Systems has a variety of padding options of which one will be just right for your rug. Padding will help your carpet wear better and be cushier under foot.
Storage: If you are going to be storing your rug for a period of time you should definitely give it a thorough vacuuming before you put it away. Then roll the rug up, never fold, and place in a dark and dry location. You may even consider putting some mothballs in with your rug while it is being stored. Above all, having your rug professionally cleaned before storage is recommended. After cleaning a reputable cleaning shop will be able to prep your rug for storage with proper wrapping material and insect repellents for your rug.