General Rugs Care
If you give it minimal care, a good quality rug will last for generations. Caring for your carpet is easy and, with the right tools, effective. All you should need to keep your carpet looking beautiful daily is a vacuum, a good stain remover, and a pair of scissors.
Besides, it would be best if you used protectors on the feet of any tables or chairs resting on top of the rug, which will prevent indentations and wear.
Vacuuming
Vacuum weekly. Try to vacuum at least once a week to keep dirt and debris from becoming embedded in the carpet fibers. If the area sees a lot of foot traffic, you may need to vacuum more often, which is a good habit that improves the air quality in your home and ensures the durability of your carpet.
-Using doormats at entrances
A good option is to have a simple walk-off mat or entrance mat that prevents dirt from getting
transferred all over the building and into the fiber of your tufted carpet. Make sure to clean these mats
often not to become a source of dust and dirt themselves.
Removing Spills & Stains
Address spills immediately. The longer a stain sits on carpeting, the harder it is to get out. Remove the spill much as possible by scooping or blotting, and then add a small amount of water and blot with a towel. Only use a stain remover if necessary, and use one that's approved for use with your type of carpeting.
Always avoid scrubbing the fibers. If you scrub too hard or too often, that may break the fibers and dull the colors in that area.
Stain Removal
Spills and stains don’t have to be a problem. Always act quickly and follow these guidelines for effective and correct stain removal:
Grease Stains:
Use a product specifically designed to treat grease stains. Warm water alone won’t remove the grease. Never apply these types of products directly to the carpet fiber or yarn. It could be a good idea to test the product on a small area of the tufted carpet first to see if it causes any decolorization.
- Use a piece of cotton wool and apply to the edges of the stain, working inwards.
- Blot with absorbent tissue or paper towel. The carpet may darken during this process, but this should disappear afterward.
- Dampen the area with a diluted soap solution to remove any cleaning product residue.
- Blot with tissue or paper towel.
- Dry the area with a hair-dryer, moving continuously over the stain, to avoid watermarking.
- Repeat this process if the stain is not entirely gone.
Water-based stains:
- Soak up the spill immediately with absorbent tissue or paper towel.
- Re-wet the stained area with lukewarm water on a sponge or piece of cotton wool to dilute the spilled liquid.
- Blot with tissue or paper towel.
- Dry the area with a hair-dryer, moving continuously over the stain, to avoid watermarking. 5. Repeat this process if the stain is not entirely removed
Dried-in (water-based) stains:
- Scrape off excess spill with a spoon from the edges of the stain to the center.
- Apply a diluted soap solution to a piece of cotton wool and dampen the stained area.
- Blot with tissue or paper towel.
- Dry the area with a hair-dryer, moving continuously over the stain, to avoid watermarking.
- Repeat this process if the stain is not entirely removed.
Never rub the tufted carpet, this could damage the carpet fibres or yarns and change the carpet structure. Never soak a carpet with water through to the backing.
Whichever method you choose, make sure that all detergents are properly removed from the carpet afterwards and that the carpet is dry before walking on it again.
Methods for Cleaning Various Area Rug Fibers
Natural fibers may require additional consideration before cleaning. Do not use oxygen cleaners on wool or silk.
Wool :
Avoid excessive agitation and heat. Generally wool fibers may be cleaned by most cleaning methods. Wool should be cleaned with neutral detergents and dried quickly. Use special care when using household cleaning products, as bleaches and other alkaline products such as bathroom cleaners easily damage wool.
Viscose/Banana Silk/Bamboo Silk/Rayon:
These are cellulose fibers and may be cleaned using a very gentle soap, blot with a fine cloth in the direction of the pile. To avoid shrinking and possible browning, avoid excessive drying and agitation. As with wool, take care with alkaline products.
Cotton :
Do not use harsh chemicals on cotton. When stain initially happens blot it, do not apply water or any other cleaning solvents which would allow the stain to spread. Professional cleaning is recommended where they will use soft soap on both sides. The area rug will be rinsed, and then put in the temperature room for drying.
Silk:
Clean silk using a dry cleaning process. These fibers may be damaged by natural and synthetic acids (e.g. lemon juice), and sunlight. Consult a rug cleaning specialist for additional information about cleaning silk.
