subject: How To Maintain Oriental Rugs [print this page] Oriental rugs are pricey...for a good reasonOriental rugs are pricey...for a good reason. This kind is known and sought for its excellent quality and beauty. Truly, an Oriental rug is a valuable possession. Taking good care of it is not just getting your money's worth but also allowing your home to be graced with such an attractive home decoration. By caring for your Oriental rug, you can bet that you will have it for a long time.
Wear and tear is the major culprit of rugs. For something as special as an Oriental rug, wear and tear should be avoided. Floor coverings are vulnerable especially those positioned in high-traffic areas. The good news - it's not impossible to remedy.
Maintaining the good quality of an Oriental rug is actually stress-free. Preventing the common problems of wear and tear, dirt, faded colors, stains and such can be easily done. Putting one in a room frequented by people makes it even more important to care for an Oriental rug.
Cleaning can be done at home or at a cleaning service. The method differs depending on the kind of rug. Oriental rugs are better left in the hands of professionals to ensure that no damage will be done. For simple cotton-made rugs for instance, washing them at home will do.
The cleaning products are also important. You can't just apply any product on just about any rug. Some are more sensitive to certain chemicals that utmost care is vital. Professionals are trained on how to clean using specific cleaning goods. Oriental rugs are usually washed with a company's own mix although gentle detergents are still the safest and most recommended. Ingredients like denatured vinegar and conditioner are added to preserve the color and fabric of the rug.
If your schedule doesn't permit you to regularly bring your Oriental rug to the cleaners, you can still do simple maintenance at home, just to ascertain that your rug is taken care of. Using a broom or vacuum cleaner to clean off the dirt, dust and debris is effective and one that you can easily do for a few minutes every other day. Because vinegar is an effective cleaning agent, you can go the natural way by getting some from your kitchen and applying to your area rug with a sponge. This can help maintain the fabric and color too.
Soapy water can be used for cleaning, but only for the fringe. Even then, you have to use gentler soaps so as not the bleach the fabric. When vacuuming, skip the machine over the fringe part because that could get damaged by the force coming from the vacuum. A lot of care must be taken when cleaning Oriental rugs because they're so easy to damage.
Although they're quite hard to clean and maintain, it's still worth keeping an Oriental rug because of its exotic and unique beauty. Diligence and a little elbow grease are all it takes to get a decor piece that will last for decades.
