4 Easy Rug Cleaning And Maintenance Techniques

Just as we weekly vacuum our carpets we have to pay attention to area rugs and mats because they accumulate a lot of dust and dirt. Entrance mats trap most of the soil and dirt we bring back each day so we have to clean them more often. They're considered high traffic areas therefore weekly vacuum isn't enough. You also have to occasionally beat them and deep clean them often in order to increase their useful lifespan.

Mats are easily replaced because they're relatively cheap and don't last long but when it comes to your handmade Oriental rug things are quite different. I used to be a carpet lover until I removed it and install hard flooring. I still have one area rug and some entrance mats but everything else is gone for good. I would like to give you some basic guidance and advise on how to properly maintain and clean different types of rugs.

General Rug Maintenance

The main advantage of area rugs is their flexibility cleaning is much more easy compared to wall-to-wall carpets. Most people don't vacuum both sides and underneath the mats although they should because the fine soil particles go down. Next time you vacuum your area rug I recommend you do it both sides and underneath. That way you'll protect the textile form wearing out faster and you'll improve air quality.

Sometimes no matter how often you vacuum the rugs they still are dirty but you can easily resolve this problem using a stiff brush. If you have a pet at home you'll certainly need it because fur gets embedded in the fibres. The only way to remove it except for hiring professional carpet cleaning company is with a brush. Remember to always go in one direction – along the nap of the rug, that way you won't damage the piles or the fabric.

Deep Rug Cleaning

Due to foot traffic and sunlight rugs get discoloured and matted therefore it is a good idea to turn them at least once a year, that way they'll wear out evenly. We talked about the occasional beating and shaking – doing it will loosen up build in dust and dirt so you can vacuum it easier. This was the easy part, now we move on to something more complex like cleaning. There are basically two types of fabrics – moisture sensitive and tolerant.

Determining which type you posses is very important because for example if you apply water based cleaning solvent on moisture sensitive rug will cause permanent damage. In most cases when you purchase a carpet or rug you receive a users manual where you can see which cleaning method is appropriate for it. If you're not sure or there isn't any sign to show I recommend you contact a professional carpet cleaner or the manufacturer for more information and advice. You can also check out some valuable tips provided by NCCA.

Rugs made form natural fibres such as seagrass, coir, sisal, etc. are woven in a way which allows dust and dirt to fall down. All you have to do is regularly vacuum both sides as well as shake them every once in a while. When it comes to cleaning stains it is best to use as little water as possible. Once you're done with spot cleaning and rinsing use a towel to soak up the excess moisture and place a fan in order to speed up the drying process.

If you have sheepskin or fur rug professionals suggest dry cleaning method but you can use water based cleaning agents. The important thing is that you also have to use some sort of absorbent powder such talcum. Apply the powder as many times as needed until fully dry otherwise you risk mould and mildew development. The most important thing when cleaning a stain is fast action, the sooner you deal with the stain the better. If for some reason you don't think you can handle the situation better hire professional rug cleaners.