With the wide range of furniture and other decoration pieces, it is hard to stay indifferent and not wake up the designer in you. When decorating your home, it is important to ensure you choose all pieces wisely, because even the smallest piece of décor can have a huge impact on the whole appearance of the room. So, think about area rugs. They may look small to you and not so important, but believe me, they can break the whole atmosphere in your home if you do not choose them wisely. Okay, I know that buying the right floor rugs can be time-consuming and tricky because of the wide range available. But, once you make the final decision and place them in your home, you will realize that all the effort was worth it.
As we mentioned above, investing in the right floor rugs is important, but to keep them clean is even more important. A clean area rug can make your home beautiful and any room an inviting and cozy. Area rugs are pieces that are highly exposed to extreme wear and tear on a daily basis. They easily trap mud, dirt, dust due to heavy traffic, spills, pets and smoking. So, if you want to prolong the life span of your new area rugs, make sure you follow these few cleaning tips.
Before start with anything, make sure you stay away from carpet shampoos. This is mistake number one that many homeowners make. Cleaning your area rug with carpet detergents and shampoos is nonsense. Why? Because these harsh cleaners are specifically made for wall-to-wall carpeting made of synthetic fibers. And because most of the area rugs are made of natural fibers, using these cleaners is simply unappropriated. Area rugs are usually designed with a bunch of colours that may easily discolour if not maintained properly.
To clean your area rug properly you need: vacuum, rubber gloves, rug shampoo, sponge, bucket, soft brush, squeegee and lots of water. When you arm yourself with all these cleaning tools you can start with the project:
- The first step is preparing your area rug for cleaning. This means you need to vacuum the rug thoroughly from both sides, so any dirt will be removed.
- Before add the cleaning solution to the rug, make sure you test it. Apply a small amount from the cleaner to the corner of the rug. This way you can see how the cleaner work and will your rug start loosing its colours. If it doesn't it means the detergent is safe and you can continue to the next step.
- Use a brush or sponge to apply the detergent or shampoo deep into the rug. Let the cleaner stay for a couple of minutes so it can start working.
- The next step is rinsing the area rug. For this purpose, you will need a water, but make sure there are no any soap suds.
- If there is still plenty of water on your area rug, use the squeegee and remove all excess water. Be careful when doing this and make sure you work in the direction of the rug's nap.
- Make sure the area rug is fully dry before place it again on the floor of your home. Once the rug is dry on the top side, flip it over and let it dry the other side as well.
