Rug Care and Maintenance
Rugs can be very hard to care for sometimes. They require a lot of maintenance, and they can also be very difficult to keep in a clean and pristine condition. Certain types of rugs are more likely to get and show dirt than others, which makes caring and maintaining them very important.
Rug cleaning is a necessary chore that many people who own rugs aren’t prepared for. The rug cleaning methods that should be used to keep these rugs in good condition are quite different from simple carpet cleaning. Regularly cleaning your rug not only helps to keep it looking its best, but it can help you avoid the need for heavy rug maintenance in the future.
Rugs are notorious for harbouring bacteria, which can lead to other problems such as mould, mildew, dust mites, carpet beetles, allergens, pathogens, and insects living and breeding within your rug. Because of this, regular rug care and maintenance are required to keep your rug in good condition so that you can have it in your home or business for a very long time.
Aside from performing regular vacuuming yourself, it is best to hire the services of a professional rug cleaning service in your area. The rug cleaning company should know how to clean a rug of many types and also offer a range of rug cleaning methods such as steam cleaning and dry cleaning.
Rug Cleaning and Maintenance at Home
Rug cleaning and maintenance at home is an aspect of rug care that many people neglect. Rug cleaning at home will not only improve the lifespan of your rug, but it can also add beauty to your home. Before getting a rug, consider how much you are going to use it. An important factor in rug care is its wear factor.
Rug wear factors are determined by many variables such as the number of people and animals who use the rug on a daily basis, the surrounding environment, heat, humidity, moisture, and traffic.
Rugs are often made from natural fibres such as cotton, hemp, silk, and wool. Natural rug types generally require higher levels of maintenance because they are more prone to show dirt and stains.
Low Maintenance Types of Rugs
Polypropylene
Nylon
Acrylic
These types of rugs are all synthetic, which means they can handle higher levels of traffic, moisture, chemicals, soilage, and exposure to elements. They are easy to vacuum and respond well to professional rug cleaning services. Synthetic rug designs have come a long way, and can often replicate the look of a natural fibre rug.
High Maintenance Types of Rugs
Viscose
This is made from wood pulp and synthesised into a fibre that does not respond well to exposure. Viscose rugs easily show dirt and stains and small amounts of moisture can cause browning and yellowing. They are horrible to clean and incredibly weak by design.
Shaggy
Shag rugs are great and comfortable, but due to the long pile it’s easy for dirt and debris to get trapped between the fibres. Thorough vacuuming is needed and should be performed multiple times a week. If flat-based furniture such as a coffee table is on the rug for extended periods of time and the fibres compact and flatten, they will never spring back up to their original state, no matter what is done to it.
Generally speaking, the shorter the pile on the rug, the easier it is to clean and care for. Woollen rugs can also show stains, dirt, and track marks, so they need to be vacuumed regularly and treated immediately if a spillage occurs.
How to Maintain Your Rug
You can maintain your rug at home with regular cleaning and greatly increase its lifespan. You should still get it professionally cleaned annually and whenever it gets a spillage that you can’t clean yourself or avoid making worse, but there are some things you could do yourself to keep it in good condition. This can help to prevent a urine stain from setting in and to keep your rugs cleaner for longer. Depending on the type of rugs you may have, you may need to perform a higher level of maintenance to keep them looking good.
Vacuum Often
This may seem fairly obvious, but it gets so overlooked by a lot of people and it’s one of the simplest and most effective things you could do to get your rug in good condition. Regular vacuuming at least once per week helps to remove dust, pollen, dust mites, dirt, particles, and debris from accumulating in the rug and staying there.
Treat Spillages Immediately
As soon as something is spilled on your rug the clock is ticking to remove it before it sets and becomes a stain. Some stains will become permanent and never be removed, so you must act immediately.
Use a white cloth to blot the affected area and do not rub. The goal is to absorb as much of the spillage as possible without spreading it. If it still remains afterwards, call the professionals to treat it.
Get Protection Treatment
Fibre protection treatment, commonly known by the brand name Scotchgard, is designed to aid in stain prevention by forming a protective layer on your rugs fibres which can keep a spillage closer to the surface, allowing you to blot it up immediately before it can set in and become a stain.
This can be extremely effective in preventing stains or making their removal a lot easier. Be sure to ask us about fibre protection treatment when you make a booking or when your technician is cleaning your rug.
Have It Professionally Cleaned
Hiring the best rug cleaners in Brisbane to service your rug can help to treat stains and problem areas while keeping it fresh and hygienically clean. We recommend that we clean your rug at least once per year to keep it in good condition and increase its lifespan.
Some rug types such as wool and shag may require more frequent cleans due to the amount of dirt particles they can hold and show. Some of these rugs can really show track marks and look extremely dirty so be sure to clean them regularly.