Area rugs have been used as practical
objects to cover floors for hundreds
of years. But today they're more
than just practical and now can also
be beautiful works of art that help
you to express your special style.
Area Rug Care
Let's start by saying that the most
important thing you can do to prolong
the life of your new carpet or rug
is to vacuum it. Regular vacuuming
removes those nasty dirt particles
that leave it looking dingy over
time and abrade the fiber, which
shortens its lifespan. Use a vacuum
that has a rotating brush or beater
bar, which stimulates the carpet
tufts and loosens the dirt and soil.
(Plus, schedule regular professional
cleanings to remove soil accumulation
that your regular vacuum can't reach.)
If your area rug has a fringe, make
sure it's sewn on well, and use the
vacuum carefully.
If you have a thick carpet and want
to remove any tracks the vacuum makes
(it's called shading), you might
try vacuuming in one direction, and
then smoothing the carpet surface
by hand.
You can help to reduce wear in your
carpet by occasionally alternating
your furniture placement to change
the "traffic lanes" and
allow the carpet to wear more uniformly.
Be sure to vacuum these specific
areas more often to reduce dirt particles,
which can lead to matting too.
Area Rug First Aid
Just in case of spills on your beautiful
carpet, the best way to remove any
liquid stains is, generally, to first
remove the excess liquid with several
layers of clean, dry paper towels.
Then apply a diluted hand washing
detergent to a clean cloth and gently
blot the stain until it's removed.
