There is beauty in having oriental rugs in the home but it can also be a pain to care for and maintain. There are always professional cleaners as an option but they can be quite expensive, too.
But, if you want to make sure that you oriental rugs look beautiful and last longer, it is important to always keep in mind that little things can go a long way.
So how do you clean and care for your oriental rug?
Before you go out and haul your rugs outside for some shampooing and deep cleaning, you can follow our basic cleaning and caring tips.
Step By Step Instructions to Clean Your Oriental Rug Correctly
Step 1: Avoid bringing food and liquids near your rug
They say that prevention is better than cure and it is true even for your oriental rugs.
If you do not want to have to deal with major problems such as huge stains and foul smell on your beautiful – and expensive – rugs, then why not avoid the possibility of it at the beginning?
Try not to bring your food and other liquids near the rug to avoid having the hassle of having to vacuum it more often than you already do.
If you can train your pets to keep off the rug then that would be a huge advantage as well.
Step 2: Do some light cleaning everyday
The little things that you do everyday can make a huge impact the beauty and lifetime of your oriental rugs.
Do some quick and gentle sweeping on the surface of the rug but don’t push too hard on the fabric.
This helps to lessen the accumulation of dirt and debris on your rug so you won’t have to do some deep cleaning methods as much as you should.
Step 3: Only work on the affected area
If an accident happens and food spills or even pet urine made their way into your precious rug, don’t panic. It’s not yet the end of your beautiful rug.
For these types of accidents, it is best to do some quick and prompt action on the spill before it dries up. Blot up as much liquid as possible using paper towels or a clean cloth and rinse it well.
You can use a cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water to rinse out the spill. These helps in prevent the colors in your rug from running and it also neutralizes the odor from the urine.
Remember to only work on the surface that was affected to minimize the spread of the “damage”.
Step 4: Deep cleaning your oriental rug inside the house
Of course, it is also very important to do some regular deep cleaning on your rugs to keep it in its cleanest and most beautiful shape.
To check if your rug needs cleaning, pick up a corner and kick it back. If a cloud of dirt flies out then clearly it needs some deep vacuuming already.
All you need to do is thoroughly vacuum your rug and shake it a little to see if dirt still continues to fly out.
Then, use plain cold water in the deep cleaning machine and follow directions. Simply spray the water and extract it, working on one small area at a time.
Lay the rug to completely dry and use a fan to help speed up the drying process.
Step 5: Deep cleaning your oriental rug outside the house
Basically, you can follow the same steps as you did in step four, starting out with a vacuum cleaner to remove the dirt and debris on the rug.
Once done, you can take out the rug and lay it out flat ready for some deep washing. The process will become simpler when a garden hose is used to spray water onto the rug.
The cleaning solution used can be a diluted commercial rug shampoo or a mixture of three teaspoons of mild dishwashing soap for every gallon of water.
Test out the solution first to see if the carpet is not colorfast. Then, use a soft brush to clean the carpet by following the direction of the nap (the direction with the lighter color when you rub your hands against it).
Rinse the rug, lay it flat to dry and then use a vacuum cleaner afterwards.
Conclusion
Rugs are beautiful but they can also get extremely dirty pretty fast. Fortunately, they are just super easy to clean as long as you know what to do and how to do it.
Last Updated on February 14, 2021 by Gemma Tyler
Gemma Tyler is a freelance journalist with 15 years of experience writing for consumer publications. She has tested and reviewed a wide range of household items from vacuum cleaners to washing machines and dehumidifiers to steam irons. Her attention to detail and exhaustive testing certainly makes her an expert in her field.
