subject: Handy Tips On Caring For Your Rugs [print this page] How deep is your love to your precious rugs? The best way to make your rugs last for a longer period of time is through taking good care of them. Caring for your rugs is not a complicated job. Through executing few actions at short intervals of time, the beauty and value of rugs can be preserved for several years.
Here are some handy tips that would assist you in caring for your rugs:
Spot Cleaning
It is a must to get rid of the spot immediately. This is quite helpful in caring for your rugs. Removing stains such as coffee, juices, animal, milk, foods and dyes must be carried the soonest possible time. It is important to blot the rug stain rather than rubbing it. For hard to clean spots, you can blot with club soda or a mix of half-white vinegar and cold water. Mix one cup white vinegar with 1 cup of water. However, be careful because acids can set some other dye stains. Repeat this if necessary and blot again to remove most of the moisture. You will need an absorbent paper or cloth towel. A toothbrush can also be used to blot the area. Warm water and mild detergent might work fine as a first step. Mix the cleaning solutions according to the directions. In truth, more is not better. Don't use too much water; try to keep the carpet as dry as possible. Let the rug dry after cleaning then vacuum it to restore the pile and texture.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming an area rug is very important as it helps to get rid of all sorts of dust, debris, and other unwanted particles. However, regular vacuuming does not imply vacuuming the area rug every day. Daily vacuuming is sure to damage the area rug, so you need some vacuum bags. Unless the area rug gets dirty due to mishap, vacuum machine should not be used on the area rug for more than two times a week. Never vacuum the rug's fringes. The continued catching of the fringe in the suction of a vacuum cleaner causes the fringes to break and tear. Always vacuum your rug without the beating brush, you can either turn the brush off, or just use the attachments. Keeping your rugs clean and vacuuming them when necessary is good for them.
Dampness
Water is a rug's best friend and worst enemy. The water is the best thing to use for carpets cleaning and general stain removal for most wool that are colorfast. But leaving a rug wet is dangerous for any rug. Even the most colorfast rug may bleed colors if left wet. This does not mean that you have to be scared of using rugs in an environment where they may get wet, like the kitchen or the bathroom. Just make sure that you dry them when they get wet. You can air dry them or even use a hair dryer, on cold setting. When drying a rug that is really wet, comb the wet part in the direction of the overall pile of the rug.
Storing
When rugs are to be stored for a long period of time, use a sheet or cloth to wrap it, but do not use an airtight plastic bag. Handmade rugs need to breathe and they will sometimes rot or mildew in a plastic bag. They could also be rolled up and kept in a chest with some moth crystals, which will have to be renewed every few months. Ideally, large rugs should be rolled around poles, the protruding ends of which should rest on blocks or trestles. It is advisable to let rugs lie flat on top of one another for any length of time. DO NOT store rugs in a humid, damp, hot, or poorly ventilated room. This causes mildew, which has a musty odor, discolors fabrics, and weakens them. Never ever leave the rugs wet.
