A beautiful area rug can ground a room, be a focal point, provide comfort and serve as art underfoot. A rug can define a conversation space, provide a splash of color and be the unifying element that ties design elements together.
Because so much is expected of these woven fibers that allow us to walk on them, a few acts of kindness in return will help your area rug live a long, healthy and beautiful life!
A high-quality rug pad will protect your hardwood flooring and lengthen a rug’s life span. Just as important, the right rug pad can help to prevent falls by keeping the rug in place and unwrinkled.
The mantra of the area rug is “vacuum, vacuum and vacuum.” This helps to reduce fiber wear and keeps dirt particles from being compressed deeper into the pile. The frequency of cleaning varies according to the traffic the rug receives. Caked-on dirt is difficult to remove, so remove as much soil as possible while it’s still damp to prevent this from happening.
When first taken out of the packaging and unrolled, a rug may present bulges that will prevent it from lying flat. This happens when a rug is tightly rolled for shipment. The lumps should disappear in a day or two. If the problem persists, simply place a heavy flat object on top of it overnight. Really persistent wrinkles and bulges might require a bit of steaming to relax.
Initially, there will be some shedding of a hand-tufted wool rug. This is normal, expected and not a defect! The shedding is simply the rug ridding itself of the loose fibers left behind in the manufacturing process. This is common and does not reflect on the rug’s durability.
Rotate your rug 180 degrees four times a year so that wear is even and fading from sunlight is minimized.
Stains and spills are a fact of life. Resist the immediate urge to rub them; blotting with a clean towel is the preferred rescue method. Rubbing forces the stain to penetrate deeper into the rug and breaks down the fibers with the friction.
If all else fails and you are tempted to break out a chemical cleaner to clean your area rug, consider your fiber before you even open the bottle. A wool rug requires different handling from a synthetic or other natural fiber rug. Keep your manufacturer’s care information handy!
Professional cleaning is always the gold standard of rug care. I have known of situations where a good professional was actually a miracle worker. Timing is critical whether it is a DIY cleaning job or professional one. The longer the stain sets, the more comfortable it becomes residing in your rug.
