Take a look down, below your feet. There is your Oriental carpet, finely woven, grasping the room with the art and beauty it brings. This rug captivates your room and has become a staple of your house. Yet it lays on the floor and gets walked on day in and day out. With the children spilling juice on it, the dog having accidents on it and the cats clawing it when nobody is around; how can you keep your carpet clean and looking new?
Here at Curtain and Carpet Concepts we have the guide, tips and tricks you need to keep your rug fresh!
For cleaning at home here is the guide on what you will need…
Materials and Tools:
• Vacuum cleaner
• Rug shampoo or any mild liquid soap
• Soft long-bristled brush or non-shedding sponge
• Ordinary laundry brush
• Rubber squeegee
• Cool running water
Step 1 ~ Clean Both Sides of the Rug
Before you start attacking stubborn dirt on your rug, it is important to ensure that both sides of the rug are free from dust and other particles. Use your vacuum cleaner to remove any dirt, dust, and pet dander from on top and underneath the rug.
Step 2 ~ Shampoo the Rug
A thorough oriental rug cleaning is not possible without proper shampooing. This step is necessary for removing stains and other spots on your rug. First, wet the rug with running water. Then, apply specially-made rug shampoo or simply use mild liquid soap. Beware of using harsh detergents or ammonia as these materials can ruin the color and fabric of your rug.
To ensure that you are using a safe shampoo for oriental rug cleaning, you can test the solution on a small portion of your rug or carpet. When the color in that area does not run, you can proceed with shampooing your rug. For the center portion of your oriental rug, use a soft long-bristled brush or non-shedding sponge. Do not apply too much force when brushing and, as much as possible, brush in a straight-line motion following the rug pile direction.
Step 3 ~ Wash the Edges of the Rug
The edges of the rug also need proper cleaning. Here, you can use ordinary laundry brush with the same cleaning solution that you have used for the inner or center portions of the rug. This time try to brush away from the direction of the pile.
Step 4 ~ Rinse the Rug Thoroughly
After brushing and shampooing, wash rug with running water. While rinsing, you can lightly sweep the rug with a soft brush to take out remaining shampoo or soap.
Step 5 ~ Dry Completely
When doing oriental rug cleaning, it is easy to overlook the drying phase. But actually, this is one of the most important steps. Moisture can ruin your rug’s appearance and colors. To speed up drying, use rubber squeegee to force out excess water. Again, make sure to use straight line strokes following the rug pile direction.
When all water is gone, place the rug flat on a surface or, if it is small, hang it on a thick bar of wood. After the top surface has dried, turn the rug over for the other side to dry as well. Proper amounts of heat and air circulation are the best ways to dry your rug. But throughout your oriental rug cleaning, always keep your rug away from direct sunlight.
Be aware, hand washing is not appropriate for all rugs. Silk rugs must be dry cleaned, since they cannot get wet.
Tips and Tricks to keep you rug looking new!
Tip 1 ~ The No. 1 way to keep your rugs cleaner is to remove shoes before walking on it.
Tip 2 ~ Proper padding is essential to prevent skidding and reduce wear. A good pad protects your rug. It allows the carpet to breathe and lets the dust fall to the floor.
Tip 3~ Vacuum both sides of the rug as often as possible. While vacuuming it is crucial to vacuum in the direction of the pile.
Tip 4 ~ Turn the entire rug upside down once a year, vacuuming the back, and then leaving it for a few days. This will allow for the dust to fall out.
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