Home Care

How to Take Care of your Rugs

Whether you have an oriental rug that’s a family heirloom or an area rug that you bought from Pier 1, it can be a little overwhelming to properly take care of it. Rugs can be susceptible to mold, mildew, and dirt, especially those rugs that are in high-traffic areas of the home.

So how exactly do you care for your rugs? Today, I’m going to give you a few pointers.

• Make sure your rugs are placed on smooth, flat surfaces. If there are any lumps and bumps on the floor, make sure you take care of it so your rug doesn’t get permanently bent.

• Vacuum your rug once or twice a week to prevent dust and dirt from settling in, just be sure to avoid fringes or any other special decorative tassels.

• Try not to place heavy furniture directly on the rugs, as it wears them down very easily.

• If you spill on your rug, be sure to always blot or dab the spot, never rub or scrub.

• Rotate rugs regularly to ensure that they’re being worn evenly. (I would suggest rotating them 90° every six months.)

• Never pull on loose strings or fibers. ALWAYS hire a professional to do rug repair work.

• Keep your rug in a dry place where there will be little to no moisture around. I would always avoid putting a rug in the kitchen or bathroom because it will soak up that moisture.

• Don’t put plants near or on top of rugs. You never know when you’ll have a broken pot and then soil, water, and a huge mess is on top of the rug.

• Try to keep your rug out of the sunlight as much as possible.

• Every month or so, lift your rug up off the floor for about an hour. Set it on top of some chairs and give it a chance to breathe, so to speak.

• Keep cleaning sprays, disinfectants, and powders away from your rugs.The chemicals could affect the coloring of the rug and distort the way it looks.

• House train your pets to ensure that there are no accidents on top of your rug. Use a stiff brush to sweep animal hair off of the rug.

• Schedule a professional rug cleaning about once every six months to ensure that your rug stays beautiful.

Do you have any tips to keep your rug clean? I would love to read about them in the comment section below.