All About Area Rugs
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.

Five Kinds of Area Rugs:

Handknotted or Handwoven – Are woven with two basic types of knots on a loom and constructed of warps (thread running lengthwise) and wefts (thread running crosswise). These are considered to be the “real thing,” and are called Oriental Rugs.

Machine Made or Reproductions – Are rugs that are woven on machines instead of being Handknotted. They have the look  and durability of Handknotted rugs, but at a reduced cost.

Handhooked – Are rugs that are injected onto a cotton foundation with a design already on it, and the loops are then linked to the back. The rug is glued or latexed to hold the loop, and then the loop is sheared. Handmade rugs have a Handwoven look at a Machine Made price.

Flatwoven – Are made the same way as Handmade rugs, but the loop is not sheared.

Handmade and Handtufted – Are usually handwoven rugs that, because of the way the yarns are tied, can be reversible. They are usually reasonably priced as well as long wearing. They come in many styles, including braids, rag, hooked, somack & lamontage, needlepoint, Dhurrie and Kilims.

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.