Preventative Care:
Quality Rug Pads
New flooring can be a substantial investment, so start off with a quality pad under your new carpet, especially in high traffic areas like stairs. Good carpet pads offer resiliency in the rug while providing additional comfort and slip resistance.
Rearrange Your Space
Move around your heavy furniture periodically to avoid crushing the carpet pile. You can also purchase floor protectors to place under the legs of large pieces to distribute the weight more evenly.
Reduce Direct Sunlight
You can reduce fading in your rugs by protecting them from direct sunlight with blinds, shades or awnings. You can also prevent uneven fading by rotating your rug every 3-6 months.
General Maintenance:
Clean, Clean, Clean!
It’s important to vacuum your carpet thoroughly and frequently, especially in high traffic areas. As you walk on dirty carpet, the soil particles work their way down below the surface which makes it more difficult to remove. Frequent cleaning prevents this and keeps your rugs looking nice for longer. Make sure to turn the beater bar off because it can pull fibers up and cause fuzz or sprouts to form. Avoid running the vacuum over edges and fringes, which will cause damage and deterioration.
Pet Stains
The most essential part of cleaning a pet stain is timing; get the stain out as soon as possible. First try blotting with a dry paper towel and follow up with a carpet disinfectant spray. If the stain or odor persists, you may need to call a professional cleaner. The best way to ensure spotless rugs is to take a proactive approach and keep your pet on hard surfaces until it’s trained.
Cleaning Products
Additional types of stain removers can include shampoo, steam cleaners or a homemade remover. Shampoo is a common cleaning method, just add a little water, gently blot (NEVER scrub), and wait for it to dry. Steamers can be filled with equal parts water and white vinegar, steam the problem area and then vacuum regularly once dried. For an eco-friendly cleaner, you can make a homemade remover of white vinegar, baking soda and water. Blend it into a paste, brush over the stain, and let it dry before vacuuming.
Guidelines By Material:
Wool Rugs
- Blot out stains initially with a dry paper towel or cotton rag.
- Mix a small amount of dish soap with a cup of cold water. Use this mixture with a clean sponge to gently remove the stain and then blot with a dry towel. Avoid over-saturating the rug with water.
- Avoid excessive heat or agitation because wool rugs are more prone to bleeding and staining. We recommend using a professional rug cleaner annually.
Indoor/Outdoor Rugs
- Blot out stains initially with a dry paper towel or cotton rag.
- Mix a small amount of dish soap with a cup of cold water. Use this mixture with a clean sponge to gently remove the stain and then blot with a dry towel. Avoid over-saturating the rug with water.
- For all over cleaning, spray the rug with a mixture of soap and water and rinse it off with a garden hose.
Natural Fiber Rugs (Jute, Hemp, Coir, Sisal)
- Natural fiber rugs inherently have loose fibers and knots. Regular vacuuming on a low setting, from different angles is the best way to care for these types of rugs.
- Loose threads can be trimmed with scissors and should NEVER be pulled to avoid unraveling or damaging the rug.
- DO NOT DRY CLEAN. Strong chemicals used in this process will damage or fade the rug.
- Spills should be gently blotted with a clean cloth, working from the outside edges to the center to prevent spreading of the stain.
Shag Rugs
- Shedding is normal for wool products and lessens over time. Do not pull out yarn, as it may damage the rug.
- Canister vacuums without a beater bar are the most effective method of cleaning shag rugs.
- Light disinfectant sprays may be used for stain removal.
Synthetic Fiber Rugs (Olefin, Polypropylene, Nylon)
- Blot out stains initially with a dry paper towel or cotton rag.
- Mix a small amount of dish soap with a cup of cold water. Use this mixture with a clean sponge to gently remove the stain and then blot with a dry towel. Avoid over-saturating the rug with water.
Viscose/Silk Rugs
- DO NOT SPOT CLEAN. This type of fiber will turn yellow or become discolored when wet and may remain stained after dried.
- Viscose rugs are made of wood cellulose fibers, which absorb moisture easily, so wet cleaning is not advised.
- If cleaning is needed, dry cleaning is the most preferable method for viscose rugs.
- Avoid placing viscose rugs in high traffic areas to minimize the need for cleaning. Viscose rugs have a lustrous sheen and softness that are more delicate than other materials.