Proper Rug Cleaning Technique
Owning a rug comes with a lot of responsibility. A rug must be properly maintained. If the rug is not looked after over time it will deteriorate. The best way to care for a rug is to hire professional rug cleaners every couple of months (or once a year) to come and meticulously clean and repair your rug. Some people feel that they cant afford such a service. Even though professional rug cleaners do a great job, there are a few ways one can care for their own rug, without the aid of professionals.
One of the best preventive measures a person can take to keep their rug clean is to not wear shoes while walking on it. In many cultures it is a common practice for people to remove their shoes before entering or walking on to a room with a rug. If you adopt this mannerism you will not only keep your rug cleaner for longer periods of time but your rug will sustain less damage. Certain shoes like heels, boots, and cleats can damage a rug a great deal. While those shoes can damage a rug anyone can accidentally drag in dirt from outside if they do not remove their shoes before entering.
If you arent sure if your rug is dirty or not there are a few ways to test your rug. First you can go to any one of the corners. Then pick up one of the corners with your hands, walk around the rug and kick the back/bottom of it. If nothing happens then the rug is clean, but if a cloud of smoke whooshes out then your rug is dirty. Another way to test your rug for dirt is by rubbing your hand across it. After a few seconds lift your hand and inspect it. If it is covered in dirt and dust your rug is dirty.
If you decide to clean your rug yourself first remove it from the room and place it outside or in a well ventilated area. Sweep and mop up the floor to remove any excess dust and dirt left behind by the rug. Now to begin rug cleaning, vacuum both sides carefully. Take your time and move carefully across the rug. You dont want to pull any lose threads off. Then shampoo the rug with a mixture of cool water and rug shampoo. If you dont have any rug shampoo available a mild soap will work as well. Before scrubbing make sure you hang up the rug on a close line of some sort. Test a small corner of the rug first to see if your soap will cause the color to run. If it does switch to a different soap or buy rug shampoo. Using a long hair brush with soft bristles scrub the rug. Make sure you follow the weave with your motion. Dont scrub against the grain as it will pull threads out. Then rinse the rug with a hose or running water. If you dont have a hose available continually pour water over the rug. Remove any excess water and lay the rug flat to dry. Turn it over to thoroughly dry both sides. After the rug is dry carefully vacuum it to make it soft again.
For best results in rug cleaning it is good to regularly clean your rug. With proper care you can efficiently keep your rug looking its finest for years. But if you feel that you dont have the proper tools or knowledge for such a task it is best to hire professionals.
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