Proper rug maintenance

Maintaining your rug will preserve its integrity and increase its lifespan. This in turn will allow you to enjoy it better. There are simple steps to caring for your rug.

Regular vacuuming is important for your rug because it will extend the time period between washes. It will reduce wearing of your rug as well. Vacuuming should be done on a weekly basis. If there is heavy foot traffic consider vacuuming twice a week.

When vacuuming it is important not to use a rotating brush near the ends of your rug. The brush will damage the fringes, wefts and knot ends of the rug. Delicate rugs shouldn’t use a brush roll setting. In addition be careful with older rugs. These rugs may have loose pile that will come out with brush roll vacuuming. Be careful to note if rugs sections are thinning and if pile is seen when emptying the dust from the vacuum.

Have yours and rugs cleaned annually by professional rug cleaners. More frequent washing can weaken the structure of your rug. Before sending out your rugs consider the last time your rugs have been cleaned. Test your rug by vacuuming it then rubbing your hand on a section. If dirt comes off it should be cleaned.

In addition, assess if your rug had different shading in different areas. Check if there are any stains or smells. Also consider the amount of foot traffic your rug receives. To prevent pile being damaged, rotate your furniture at least once a year. 

Rug repair overview

There are many reasons to repair rugs. Your rug could be a family heirloom, the rug is valuable and made with quality or it could just be your favorite rug. There are different degrees of damage that can happen to your rug. The damage comes mostly from wear and tear or it could be from pests, rips, stains, warping, bleeding, flood damage, fading, holes or from age. There are a number of ways your rug could be damaged.

The first thing to do is assess if it is worth repairing your rug. Rug repair is costly because of the time and effort it takes. Find a reputable company to do the job and look for reviews before taking your rug to them. Many professional area rug cleaning companies will have this service available.

Some companies can assess your rug repair from pictures. However, it is best to bring them in for assessment so they can be a better look of the damage and quality of your rug. Once your rug is assessed they will give you the possible repair methods and an estimate of the cost. This is based on the material, quality, age and the damage of the rug.

There are a few main methods of rug repair. In general the rug can have the pile reknotted; damaged pile can be replaced with matching fiber of the same colour; the edges can be refinished; fringes can be reknotted; missing sections can be plugged and patched; ripped sections can be darned and the wrap or weft can be reconstructed.

To prevent rug damage clean your rugs with a professional rug cleaning company annually. Invest in the right under pad to prevent wearing of the pile. Properly store your rugs with rug covering to prevent pests from damaging your rug.     

Navajo Rugs

Navajo rugs are traditional made rugs from the Navajo Indian tribe. These wool rugs have been a heritage tradition that has been passed down through the ages. These rugs are made with a loom and hand weaving techniques. Many people don’t know that the tradition started off as clothing and blankets. The theme changed with the demand for items to decorate homes.

The rugs material is thin and moderately heavy. The wool material is wear resistant and has been found well in tact in archaeological digs. Many of these rugs gets passed down over the generations as well. The reason for this is the high lanolin concentration found in the wool material.

Lanolin occurs naturally in sheep wool and acts as a shock absorber to mechanical pressure. It also acts as a natural lubricant. However, the downside of this is that it makes it difficult to clean. Harsh cleaning solutions will remove the lanolin oil from the material. For regular cleaning the rug needs to be hand washed.

Professional rug cleaning services can provide lanolin oil restoration and moth prevention. It is recommended that professional rug be done once a year. This will give your rug a gentle deep cleaning and preserve its quality.

Other caring methods are to invest in a shock absorbing under pad for your rug. Your rug should be vacuumed once a week on a low suction setting. The rug shouldn’t have furniture on it to prevent wearing. The rug shouldn’t be in direct sunlight or near air ducts. Turn the rug over twice a year to stretch the rug fibers.

Caring for Hook Rugs

Many of us have heard of hook rugs but aren’t very familiar with them. This is a more recent invention that started in the 1800’s. They surfaced mostly in New England and Eastern Canada. They typically belonged to the middle class of that time and were made with the most common fabrics and material available. The underlying base material is burlap or a heavy sturdy fabric.

A design is sketched or stenciled into the burlap material. Hooking tools are then used to hook small strips of wool material into the base. Hook Rugs are either placed on walls or the floor. They can be made into a variety of shapes, designs and colours.

Caring for this type of rugs requires extra time. For weekly care vacuum the rug with low suction. Do not use a brush roll setting as it can create pulls and unravel sections of the rug. Dab stains with a damp cloth and mild soap solution. Dry the rug flat in a well vented area to prevent mold or bacterial growth.

A traditional method for hook rug cleaning is to use snow. Bring the rug outside in the winter and add lose snow to the rug. Brush away the snow on the rug. Repeat on the other side. For areas that don’t see winter or if you want the rug cleaned during the rest of the year bring your rug to a professional rug cleaner.

The reputable rug cleaning companies can provide a gentle deep cleaning for your hook rug. Hook rugs tend to be delicate because they are hand-made and can be very old. Professional rug cleaners are able to assess the fabric of your rug. This is especially handy when hook rugs are made from several materials. The rug cleaner will prevent bleeding and warping and extend the life of your rug.

Rugs for your dorm room

Rugs can add comfort to your dorm room. College and university dorms rooms are made to be functional for student living. However, the rooms tend to simple and not necessarily pleasant. Many only consist of solid flooring which can be a drag. This shouldn’t keep you from decorating your living space.

The first thing to consider is where to place your rugs. Ideal places are by your bedside and desk area. This way you won’t have to feel the cold floor when your first get up in the morning. The desk area you want to be the most comfortable to optimize study time. Other areas of interest are near tv’s, screens and where you place your gamer chair.

Measure the spaces when you intend to place your rugs and make a note of how many you will need. Then note what type of qualities you want in your rugs. Ideally you want them to be soft and maybe plushy. However, that will be a hindrance at desk space and you won’t be able to move your chair easily. For study areas it will be best to get a rug with shorter pile.

Colour is also an important factor. You won’t want anything too distracting and if possible you want to match the furniture. Another thing to consider is if you want your rugs to be the same colour and pattern. You can also be creative and get unique rugs for each area.

Lastly, you have to consider that these rugs will need to be cleaned. Weekly vacuuming or shaking the rugs outside is the best option to prevent dirt accumulation. At the end of the semester rugs should be sent out to professional rugs cleaners to be thoroughly cleaned. This way you will get the most out of having rugs you’re your dorm room.  

Preserving the colours of your rug

Rugs can lose their vibrant colours over time. But this doesn’t have to be the case. With proper care and regular maintenance this problem won’t occur. The first step of maintenance is proper cleaning.

Weekly vacuuming takes dirt and other dust fiber out of your rug. As a result, the original colours of the rug will not be masked. However, overtime dirt will accumulate and it is good to have your rug professionally cleaned by rug experts once a year. As a result your rug will be returned to you looking new with its vibrancy restored.

Another step is proper stain care. Trying to clean out a stain yourself is a bad idea. Most solutions and commercial cleaning products will damage the colour of your rug. Either they will cause rug dye to bleed or will extract it and cause the colouring to fade.

The best solution for stains is to bring your rug to a reputable rug cleaner. Mention what type of stain is on your rug and which area. They will be able to treat it effectively without damaging your rug. For even better results find a rug cleaning plant that uses eco-cleaning. This cleaning will be gentle on your rug but tough on dirt. Your rugs will look vibrant and new.

Stain care

The last thing you want to do when your favorite rug gets a stain it to make the stain worse.   The first thing we do is look online for a home remedy. Most of these are misleading and leave out very important details. There are small simple steps to maintain the integrity of your rug.

Firstly, it is important to know what “cleaners” will do to your rug. If you use soap it will cause the carpet to bleed. If you next try vinegar to manage the bleeding it will make that and the stain permanent. Just using vinegar on its own will cause the stain to stick. Other natural remedies will cause discolouration and further stains.

Commercial cleaning solutions are a bad idea as well. Most don’t take into account the rug fiber types. Many as too powerful and can discolour your rug permanently. It is also difficult to keep then in one section of your rug. The cleaning solution will spread to other sections. So what should you do?

The first step is to contain the stain by blotting out the area with a dry paper towel or white towel. Once you’ve blotted out what you can, you have to let the rug dry properly. This way the stain won’t discolour any other sections when it’s rolled up. From there the rug needs to be rolled up and taken to a rug cleaning facility. Mention to a professional experienced rug cleaning service about the stain. They will ask you about the nature of the satin so they can properly get it out.

Professional rug cleaning will preserve you rug and make sure to get out the stain. This way you won’t have to deal with any damages and repairs. Your rug will be cleaned and look good as new.    

Deciding The Best Rug Thickness

How thick or thin your rug should be is best determined by the environment it is placed in. It is also best to assess different factors such as foot traffic, rug fibers and what the room will be used for.
Thick pile rugs are usually in areas where people will walk barefoot or in socks.

Generally it feels nice on the feet especially if the pile is plush and wool. However, it is better to place a thick pile rug in an area with less foot traffic. These rugs tend to trap dust and dirt because there is more rug fiber. To get a deep area rug cleaning it is best to have these types of rugs professionally cleaned. Having your rugs cleaned annually will increase their lifespan.

In addition to nice texture on the feet, thicker rugs dampen sound from echoes or traffic noise. So it is good to place them in office or study areas. In addition, they also resist mechanical pressure from furniture or foot traffic.

Thin rugs have good qualities as well. Thin rug fibers will trap less dirt and will be easier to clean. They are generally stain resistant as well. Synthetic rugs will take less water and will dry faster. Therefore they are ideal in hallways and entrances. They are generally better in places with a lot of foot traffic. However, rugs from thin pile can’t resist mechanical pressure as well as thicker rugs. Banana silk in particular is a good natural fiber source but is better to place in an area with less foot traffic.