7 Professional Tips to Maintain your Rugs
You can transform an average living room into an attractive place, by just adding a beautiful rug. Over a concrete, hard tile or wood floor, rugs provide comfort and warmth. It is necessary you manage this prized investment over time, as your rug can degrade or may fade due to the accumulation of dust and poor care.
Here are few simple tips you ought to follow to keep your rug looking good for years to come.
1. Rotate Frequently
Rotating is one of the simplest, but the most overlooked things by house owners while cleaning their rugs. Rotating gives rug an even wear. A rug sitting under a window or door exposed to sunlight at certain angles will have uneven fading. The same is true for the moisture level.
Every part of the house has different moisture level. By rotating your rug frequently, you will avoid the uneven damage caused by the exposure to different moisture level. Also, you need to keep an eye on the amount of traffic your rug is receiving in one particular area. If you have furniture sitting on your rug, then you have to rotate it frequently so the material is not permanently left with indentations.
2. Vacuum on Regular Basis
Rugs under exits, near doors, or any place where the foot traffic is high; should be vacuumed on a weekly basis.
Avoid fringes and bindings. Start with both the sides of the rug and vacuum the floor underneath. If you have a heavy pile, then brush or dust in the direction of the pile. For best results, you can even vacuum perpendicularly to the pile direction and effectively remove any dirt that is sticking. Additionally, you can sprinkle baking soda before you vacuuming as this will leave your carpet smelling fresh.
Deep cleaning at least once a year is worthwhile as it increases the lifespan of your rug.
3. Spot Clean
No matter how careful you are in protecting your precious rug, accidental spills can happen. These little accidents on carpets and rugs, when left untreated, can create permanent stains, spoiling the appearance.
It’s important you take care of the spills right away. Do not clean the entire rug. Just fix the mess by spot cleaning diligently –it’s much easier and effective.
Avoid using bleach or soap, because you have to be gentle with your rug as the fiber will be sensitive. Make use of a dry cloth to blot up the stain and use only water to remove the mark. If you are not happy with the results, you can call in professional cleaners to make things right.
4. Make Use of a Rug Pad
Heavy foot traffic will eventually wear your rug. By placing a pad under the rug, you will create a cushion between the rug and hard surface. This prevents the enormous friction from damaging the fibers, extending the life of our rug.
5. Keep Away from the Sun
Rug under direct sunlight experience premature fading. Fading happens over an extended period of time, so move your rug to the center of the room, away from the large windows.
You can even use protective window treatments, draperies, shades, or blinds and minimize the impact as much as possible.
6. Protect from Furniture Legs
It’s not just large depressions, but furniture legs placed on rugs can even leave heavy stains. You can use coaster cups and protect your rug from such damages. These coaster cups are designed to prevent deep dents. Set each one under the furniture leg and see the results.
Other options include furniture foot pads and memory foam pad that you can use and prevent your weighty furniture from doing any damage to your rug.
7. Get Expert Cleaners
Over time, your rug houses a huge amount of dust, allergens, and even mites. Once airborne they will impact indoor air quality, creating serious health problems. Normal vacuum cleaning is not sufficient; you need to perform a deep cleaning process. Letting a professional rug cleaners do the job, your rug will have proper care and extended life.
