CARE AND CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR FLOOR RUGS
Once you have purchased your new rug you will want to keep it in the best possible condition. Following a few simple rules on care and maintenance will enable you to do this.
Depending on environmental condition and the amount of traffic, floor rugs should be regularly vacuumed, varying from daily to once a week or fortnight. Floor rugs in a commercial area will obviously need vacuuming more often than those in a private home. If you live in a clean air zone your rug will not trap as many dust particles as a rug in a more polluted area.
Vacuuming will remove dust and loose particles from floor rugs. It is the latter that damage and create wear in your rugs. Any small grit will fall between the pile and unless removed will act in an abrasive way, eventually wearing through the base of the fibres and causing them to fall out. Make sure that your vacuum cleaner is emptied as often as possible and that the suction tubes are always clear, this will ensure that strong suction is maintained at all times. The suction may occasionally lift a tuft above the pile. If this occurs you should snip off the protruding tuft level with the pile, using a pair of sharp scissors. Do not attempt to pull the tuft out.
Floor rugs should be protected from direct sunlight as even the most modern synthetic dyes can fade if subjected to the direct rays of the sun for any prolonged period.
All floor rugs in your home should be reversed every few months. This helps to distribute the wear and will help the rugs to maintain their appearance for a longer period.
If your rug becomes dull or is exceptionally dirty you may wish to have it commercially cleaned. "Yellow Pages" or similar directories will provide a number of contacts, but do check out the type of cleaning they offer, and their terms and conditions before you commit to a contract.
Should you prefer to clean the rug yourself you should choose a well-known brand of cleaner and strictly follow the manufacturer’s instructions. All cleaning solutions should be tested on a small and inconspicuous section of the rug to determine if they have any adverse effect on the fibre or colourfastness. If the test is successful you can continue with the cleaning of the whole rug, but use the minimum of solution to avoid excess wetting of the back of the rug. When cleaning of the rug is completed, try to dry the rug as quickly as possible using the heat of the room or an indirect source such as a fan heater.
If the rug has localised staining you may wish to again use a commercial brand of spot cleaner. Again, follow the manufacturer’s instructions or consult an established rug cleaner.
There are also a number of household products that can be used to clean specific soiling problems. Here is a list of some of them.
- Stain Cleaning Treatment - Alcohol Warm water & detergent
- Alcohol Warm Water & detergent
- Asphalt - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Bleach - 1/2 cup of warm water & 3% Ammonia solution
- Blood - Warm Water & detergent
- Butter - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water % detergent
- Charcoal - Vacuum then warm water & detergent
- Chewing gum - Freeze using ice, shatter gum, vacuum, warm water & detergent
- Chocolate - Warm water & detergent then white vinegar & water (1:3)
- Coffee - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Cola - Warm water & detergent
- Dye - Warm water & detergent, dry cleaning solvent
- Foundation (Makeup) - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Furniture Polish - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Grease - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Ink - Dry cleaning solvent, alcohol then warm water & detergent
- Latex Paint - Warm water & detergent, 1/2 cup of warm water & 3% Ammonia solution
- Lip stick - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Lotion (Body, Face & Hand) - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Mascara - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Milk - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Nail Polish - Acetone nail polish remover (test first)
- Oil Paint Alcohol, dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Rust - Warm water & detergent then white vinegar & water (1:3)
- Shoe Polish - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Soot - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Tar - Dry cleaning solvent then warm water & detergent
- Urine - Warm water & detergent then white vinegar & water (1:3)
- Vomit - Warm water & detergent then dry cleaning solvent
- Wax - Freeze using ice, shatter gum, vacuum, dry cleaning solvent then water & detergent
- Wine - Talcum powder then warm water & detergent
If your floor rugs show signs of fraying along the sides, or the fringe is damaged you can usually find commercial workrooms that can provide simple and inexpensive repairs. However, if the pile is damaged or more extensive restoration is required you may have to take your rug to a specialist repairer.
