How To Clean And Maintain Your Rugs And Carpets At Home

A question that often pops up amongst rug and carpet owners revolves around how to clean it at home or how to maintain it after purchase. We know the struggle, which is why we’ve put together a list of things you can do to clean and maintain your rug or carpet at home.

Vacuum

Just like any other investment item, you may own, rugs require maintenance to help maintain their value. When it comes to old rugs, it’s safe to vacuum them frequently based on how much traffic they get. So, a throw rug that you walk on only a couple of times a day won’t need vacuuming more than twice a month, but an entry hall rug often gets the most traffic, so you’d probably need to vacuum it on a weekly basis. While you’re vacuuming, remember to vacuum the rug or carpet on the underside as well for best results.

Clean Up Your Spillages (Immediately)

It’s crucial to soak up any liquid once accidentally spilt onto your rugs or carpets. This ensures that the liquid doesn’t penetrate into the yarns. There are various ways to soak up liquid, but we suggest you dampen a white, cotton cloth and dab the area. Repeat this until all the liquid has been soaked up, but try not to rub it as it can damage the rug or carpet’s surface.

That being said, some rugs and carpets are better at fighting off stains than others. Man-made fibres are the most repellent whereas nylon rugs can be steam cleaned.

Mixing white vinegar, washing powder and warm water should remove any tough coffee, red wine, or mud stains. However, if your rug or carpet has mud stains, it’s best to leave it to dry, vacuum it, and then clean it.

Keep Them Pet Friendly

If you have pets, choosing a pet-friendly rug or carpet goes a long way! You may find that getting a short pile rug in a dark colour makes it easier to hide scratches or chew marks.

Yearly Deep Clean

It would be worth your while to give your rugs or carpets a deep clean at least once a year to enhance their cleanliness and appearance. This can either be done professionally or at home. For a deep clean at home, we recommend you use a lot of solution water before using a brush to scrub the rug or carpet. For the best results, it’s best to repeat this process several times. Finally, rinse the rug or carpet thoroughly with clean, running water to ensure that all excess soap or dirt is washed out.

Carpets and rugs add style and character to your home. But they also become a necessity during cold weather as they keep your feet away from cold floors, which contributes to your rugs requiring maintenance throughout the year. If you struggle to keep your rugs and carpets cleaned and maintained, feel free to try out our tips. But remember, although you maintain and clean your rugs well, a deep clean once a year will do you so much justice!

Visit www.sesli.co.za to view our range of rugs and carpets that will best suit your home.