8 Easy Area Rug Care Tips

Rugs warm and add colour, pattern and texture to a room. You can easily change a room's look and feel from one season to another by simply replacing the rug. 

When storing a rug, especially a heavy winter one, have it professionally cleaned and wrapped before storing it in a climate-controlled area to avoid damage.

Rug care is determined by size, construction and material. When requesting quotes on cleaning a rug, it is important to have this information available. 

Expert Carpet Cleaning shares some care tips:

Buying a new area rug 

There are many factors that play a role in buying a new rug for your home. When picking a rug, most homeowners often consider the cost of cleaning the rug last. 

In some cases the cleaning will most likely cost more than the rug itself, this is especially true for natural fibre rugs that require dry cleaning. When considering the cost of the chemicals for dry cleaning alone, you may start to rethink buying the area rug all together. 

Homeowners that know that they will be replacing an area rug in a few years should buy synthetic rugs. 

For a longer lasting look and feel, woven wool rugs and high-quality Oriental rugs should be considered.   

Rugs that are expensive to clean 

If the rug is in a heavy traffic area, have it professionally cleaned twice a year. Rugs in other locations can be cleaned once annually.

Sea grass, sisal, jute and leather strap rugs all require dry cleaning, which in itself is not effective.  

The problem with sisal and jute, besides the fact that they feel like wicker furniture instead of a soft rug, is that they both release oil when wet. They yellow and get brittle with age.

Some even claim to be stain-resistant. Anyone who’s ever spilled on one of these rugs will tell you a different story. When a spill gets on it and oils from the plant fibres release, it creates dark patches that can be tough or impossible to get out.

Pet stains on a sisal rug are a nightmare as the rug cannot be soaked to remove the contaminants because the cloth border binding may shrink, or the rubber backing may have structural problems. 

To be on the safe side, use your sisal rug in an area where spills and pet accidents are not likely to happen. And should you have any spillages on the rug, you may have to replace it. 

Another problem with plant fibre rugs is that one layer of dirt will mask any discolouring and pre-existing conditions. You might not notice the discolouring happening when the spill occurs, but once the top layer is dry cleaned, you will notice permanent stains and marks that seem to have appeared out of nowhere. 

When you buy a new rug, keep the care tag intact, or file it in your household maintenance and furnishings file for later reference.

When jute gets wet, it turns yellow and brown quite badly. 

Chunky wool and shaggy rugs

There are many shag-type rugs out on the market today, and they are by far the most difficult rugs to clean and maintain. That’s because there is a lot of additional handwork needed to clean what gets embedded in the fibres of these rugs.

Area rug care tips 

1. Vacuum regularly on both sides of the rug. Remove the rug occasionally to vacuum the floor and, if possible, take the rug outside and gently beat it to loosen dirt trapped between the fibres.

2. If the rug is in a heavy traffic area, have it professionally cleaned twice a year. Rugs in other locations can be cleaned once annually.

3. When storing a rug, especially a heavy winter one, have it professionally cleaned and wrapped before storing it in a climate-controlled area to avoid damage.

4. When you buy a new rug, keep the care tag intact, or file it in your household maintenance and furnishings file for later reference.

When pet hair accumulates on a rug, brush the rug vigorously with a stiff clothes or utility brush. Brush with the nap until dirt and hair cease to come out. Treat pet stains as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage.

5. Care for large, room-sized rugs as you would wall to wall carpet. Fine Oriental rugs and other unusual materials, however, require special care.

6. When pet hair accumulates on a rug, brush the rug vigorously with a stiff clothes or utility brush. Brush with the nap until dirt and hair cease to come out. Treat pet stains as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage.

7. Rotate rugs to ensure even wear. Remember that direct exposure to sun will cause fading.

8. Some natural fibre rugs are constructed in squares that are sewn together. Buy a few extra squares or a smaller version of the rug. If a rug square is stained, clip the threads that hold it in place and replace it with a new square. You can then and hand stitch the piece with heavy-duty carpet thread.  

Article courtesy of www.expertcarpetcleaning.co.za.