How to Clean Oriental Rugs
These elaborately designed rugs are still very popular today.
When properly maintained oriental rugs can be great heirlooms.
Of course to keep these in good condition they will need to be cleaned from time to time.
The best way to keep an oriental rug clean is to not get it dirty.
But that kind of goes unsaid.
Naturally they are bound to get dirty and need cleaning.
A good way to preserve a rug is to have all people that enter your home take their shoes off.
Not wearing shoes will cut down the amount of dirt that is tracked in form the outside.
Taking off your shoes is only part of what should be done to help them remain clean.
It is a good idea to wear socks rather than going barefoot.
Human skin contains oils and these natural oils can be placed onto rugs via naked feet.
You want to clean your rugs regularly but it is not a good idea to overdo it.
Cleaning too often can break down the particles that hold rugs together.
So it is a delicate balance between how often to clean a rug and how often is too much.
A good rule is to check the rug if it shows signs of dirt that a vacuum cannot pick up then it needs to be cleaned.
The best way to check and see if a rug has dirt that is deeper than the vacuum can remove is to lift a corner of the rug and tap it on the back.
If you get surrounded in a cloud of dust chances are it needs attention.
You can also kneel down on the rug and rub your hand over it vigorously then check your hand for signs of dirt.
Regular vacuuming will help limit the deep dirt that works its way into the nap of the carpet.
Once or week a so is a good idea, more than that can break the material down.
Small rugs can be taken outside and patted on the back of the rug with a broom or old style carpet cleaner.
You can hire a professional to clean your oriental rugs or you can do it yourself.
The process is really not that difficult.
All you need to do is take the rug to the garage or out to the driveway and lay it on the ground.
Laying your rugs on a sheet of plastic will prevent them from lying on the ground.
You should vacuum the rug on both sides before cleaning it with a gentle soap.
To clean your rugs you will need a bucket and some gentle soap.
Carpet cleaning soap is a good idea but dish detergent will work as well.
You will want cool or room temperature water rather than hot water.
Hot water can damage the rug by affecting the fibers of the carpet.
You also want to make sure you never use bleach or ammonia.
Also make sure that the bucket you are using does not have any traces of these solutions in them.
It will ruin the carpet.
You want to make sure the color want run.
This can be done with a damp cloth in a small spot of the carpet.
If you are able to apply the soap without any color come off the carpet onto the rug then you will be OK to go ahead and clean the rug.
You actually want to use the soap suds more than just the water.
Water will soak the rug but by applying sudsy water to the carpets surface you are actually getting more of the soap involved in the cleaning.
You want to thoroughly wet the carpet but you do not need to soak it.
After washing the main areas of the rug you should clean the fringes as well.
Improperly cleaned fringe can make an otherwise good looking rug look awful.
You will need to rinse the rug off.
This can be done with running water or clean wet towels.
You can also use a squeegee to rinse it off.
Once the top surface has been completed the other side should be done as well.
Let both sides dry and then vacuum the rug again with a wet/dry vac.
This will help remove the last bit of moisture.
Let it further air dry.
Many real wool rugs will emit an odor when they are wet, for this reason you want to do this outside or in the garage.
When treated properly and cleaned regularly oriental rugs can provide years of use.
Top quality oriental rugs make a great family heirloom when properly taken care of.
Be sure to follow these directions and the cleaning of your rugs can be made simple.