Any rug made in Iran, Turkey, China or India is commonly known as an oriental rug. It is a thing to treasure because of the work that has gone into making it. Genuine oriental rugs are hand knotted and are created using wool, silk or cotton, all of which are natural materials.
Each rug tells a unique story through its design, a story which speaks of the history of the region. Because each country has a common style, those who are knowledgeable in this area can identify where a rug was made just by looking at the motif.
Oriental rugs are more delicate than machine-made carpets and need extra care. It is recommended to take your rug for a professional clean at least every one to five years. There are carpet cleaners who know how to rejuvenate your carpet so that it can look as clean, attractive and in as good condition as it did when you first got it. Home cleaning is good but does not get deep into the carpet fibres.
Knowing how to clean your rug yourself will greatly help preserve it and there are a number of things you can do to prolong the life of your rug. The first 5 tips will be on how to maintain the rug while the remaining will tell you how to clean the rug.
Shake It Up
Take your rug outside and, if it is small, shake it about so that you can dislodge any bits of dirt and dust. If your rug is much bigger, you can hang it on the clothesline and beat it with your hands.
Rotate Your Rug
It is common knowledge that your carpet wears out faster in areas of high traffic. By rotating your rug every 2 to 6 months, you ensure the heavy traffic is not concentrated in just one place. This will distribute the level of wear and tear, giving your rug an even look.
Protect From Direct Sunlight
Direct sunlight and your rug are not best friends. The sun will cause your rug to fade over time as it dries out the dye. As much as possible, you should avoid your rug being in direct sunshine. If shielding the rug from direct sun is not possible, then rotate the rug at least once a month so that the fading happens evenly.
Vacuum It
Regular vacuuming of your rug will keep it free of the dust that gathers every day and will stop the fibres from matting together. The secret here is not to wait until your rug looks dirty. A study that was done showed that a 9×12 foot oriental carpet is capable of hiding dry soil amounting to 87 pounds without showing any signs of dirt.
Soft Padding
There are two main benefits of placing soft padding under your rug. When people walk on the rug, it is cushioned by the padding, lessening the impact. In this way, the rug enjoys a gentle life, helping it look good for longer.
The second benefit of padding is that anyone walking on the rug will enjoy how soft it feels making the walk comfortable.
The rest of the tips refer to actually cleaning the rug.
Spot Cleaning
If anything spills on your rug, it is important to clean it immediately before the spill causes a stain. You can blot it with a paper towel or clean cloth. You should wipe the spill in one direction because when you go back and forth, you risk pushing dirt deeper into the carpet. The back and forth movement can also permanently spoil the fibre of the rug.
Once you have blotted up as much of the spill as you can, dampen a clean cloth with cold water and go over the spill again until it is clean.
Talcum Powder
If you have pets in the house, you will find that talcum powder takes away pet odour. First vacuum your rug and then sprinkle some talcum powder all over it and allow it to sit overnight. Vacuum your rug and it will be smelling fresh.
Vinegar, Water & Detergent
When you clean your rug with a vinegar, water and liquid dishwashing soap solution, you will be able to remove stains from the rug. The vinegar in the solution will prevent the colour of your rug from running. It will also get rid of any bad odour.
Air It
Every 6 months or every time your rug gets into contact with water, it should be aired. This helps to dry up any moisture residue which, if not attended to can turn to mould or mildew.
If you take proper care of your rug, you will find that it will remain looking attractive and smelling fresh for many years.
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