How to Clean Oriental Rugs Safely
Posted on 12/10/2015
While rug and carpet cleaning all look and sound the same, there are some carpets and rugs that require more attention to detail than others. An oriental rug, for instance, can be cleaned like any other carpet and very soon you will realise what a mistake you made as the rug either starts discolouring, or it starts tearing more easily or completely falling apart. But that does not mean that you should start looking for cleaning agencies. You can save yourself the price of a professional cleaner as there is a safe way to do everything even if you are not an expert in rug cleaning.
1. Vacuum the rug.
Before getting to the main part of the rug cleaning, you should first remove all the dust that has stuck to it during the days it spent on the floor. It will make the next steps much more tolerable and easy. Just do not forget to clean both sides. Just because the underside has been stuck to the floor and once lifting the rug the floor looks clean, it does not mean that the underside is just as clean.
2. Time to shampoo.
Wash the rug with a handful of shampoo – again, both sides. This will make the harder stain cleaning that much easier, and will soften up the fibres to prepare them for it. This will also remove the smaller and easier stains off the rug and will allow you to deal only with the stubborn stains that need more attention. Some shampoos and rugs do not go along well, however, so you need to be careful and make a few preliminary tests before the thorough washing starts. Add a drop of the shampoo on a small area of the rug and wait to see if any discolouration starts. If not, you can safely proceed with the rest of the cleaning.
3. Hard-wash tougher stains.
If there are some stains that would not disappear after the shampoo washing, then you will need to scrub harder and maybe use a cleaning product, depending on the type of the stain that has befallen it. Do the same test as the shampoo before starting. Alternatively, you can use baking soda or vinegar instead of labeled products.
4. Do not forget the edges.
You would be amazed at how many people forget to clean the edges of the carpet as well. The brush or cloth used go through the top and underside of the rug, but very rarely do they touch the edges unless you pay them special attention. Do so and apply the same cleaning solution with the same method.
5. Rinse the rug.
After you are done with the scrubbing, take the rug under a tap and rinse it with running water. Take a soft brush and sweep down along the trickles to get the last of the shampoo out – if anything remains, no matter how thorough you were, the smell will soon alert you that you missed a few spots. Needless to say, you should do that for both sides.
6. Dry the rug.
And all that is left is the drying part. Make sure you dry it properly as moist can ruin the surface of a rug or bring a very nasty odour that will be felt all around the room like a pair of smelly socks. You can either hang it under a sun-exposed surface, or quick-dry it with a blow dryer, just make sure that you left no moist behind.
As you can see, even oriental rugs have their knacks that will make rug cleaning that much easier without having to rely on carpet cleaners. All it requires is a bit of diligence and effort, and your oriental rug will soon be spotless.
