1. Place a Quality Rug Pad Under Your Rug.
A rug pad provides at least four key benefits. First, a rug pad helps prevent your rug from moving or sliding excessively over your flooring. Second, a rug pad will help protect your flooring from being damaged by dirt or other debris that tends to sneak underneath your rug and create a “sandpaper” type of effect against your flooring. Third, a rug pad will greatly extend the life of your rug because it provides a barrier that protects your rug’s pile from being crushed between your flooring and your furniture. This barrier also helps reduce wear-and-tear on the rug caused by general foot traffic. Fourth, a rug pad will provide a cushion under your rug which will make the rug feel much more comfortable to walk across barefoot or sit on. Bakersfield Rugs offers three different types of rug padding for all types of flooring.
2. Rotate Your Rug Once Per Year.
You should rotate your rug once per year in order to even out any wear-patterns from foot traffic and general usage. An annual rug rotation will also help even out any subtle fading that might occur from sunlight being cast upon the rug. Lastly, every time you rotate your rug, you are allowing extra air to reach your flooring and the underside of your rug; this airing-out process is especially beneficial during the summer months when humidity is high.
3. Vacuum Your Rug Weekly.
When you first receive your rug, you should vacuum it to help remove any “fuzzies” or extra fibers left over from the manufacturing process. After this initial vacuuming, you should continue to vacuum your rug at least once per week. This weekly vacuuming will not only prevent debris from being ground into the rug’s pile, but it will also help “bounce back” the rug’s pile and keep it plush and fluffy. But make sure to turn off the beater-bar on your vacuum for all shag-style rugs or when vacuuming the edge of any rugs that have fringe. For these types of rugs, you should use the “suction-only” function on your vacuum, which helps reduce the risk of your vacuum damaging your rug.
4. Clean Up Spills Immediately.
If you spill something on your rug, you should following these steps. First, gently scoop up as much of the spill as possible using a spoon, working from the outside of the spill to the center. Second, you should blot (not wipe) the spill with a dry paper towel or a clean cotton cloth. Third, you should mix luke warm water with a small amount of clear or white liquid dish detergent or rug shampoo. You can then blot (not wipe) the spot with a small amount of this soapy solution using a paper towel or cotton cloth. Fourth, you should use a dry paper towel or cotton cloth to pat (not wipe) the spot until it is dry. If this process does not remove the spill or stain to your satisfaction, then you should contact a professional rug cleaner.
5. Contact a Professional Rug Cleaner for Repairs or Full-Rug Cleaning.
We do not recommend that you attempt to perform a full-rug cleaning of your rug using a carpet shampoo machine or steamer. Different rugs have different types of yarn and dyes, many of which will not react well to certain cleaning processes. Likewise, we do not recommend that you attempt to sew or otherwise repair damage to your rug, as this may cause further damage to your rug’s pile. Instead, we recommend that you contact a professional rug cleaner or repair person for such services.