Oriental rugs are decorative pieces which are used daily in our homes. After making a significant investment in it, we often neglect to invest as much in its maintenance. The truth is our rugs need to be cleaned thoroughly at least once a year to get rid of the dirt, grime, fungi, bacteria, hair, bugs and mold. Though the cleaning might not match up to the way professionals do it, we can clean the Oriental Rugs at home. Here are some tips about how the rug cleaning process can be done at home.
1. Cleaning
The first stage of cleaning an Oriental rug involves removing the dry dust and dirt particles that has settled down at the base of the rug. The right way to dust a rug is to choose a good carpet cleaning power, sprinkle it generously on the carpet and then leave it for half an hour. Leaving it overnight will be even more effective. Simply vacuum off the powder afterwards as it will have softened the stains and the odor is reduced as well. Never use a blower to dust a carpet as it will only serve to blow the dust all around the room.
2. Vacuuming
Oriental rugs kept in traffic areas of the house collect dust, dirt, mites and bugs easily hence do not wait till the rug starts to appear dirty. Again vacuuming an expensive rug is not easy as the fibers of the rug are delicate. If the vacuum is too powerful you will soon see the fur part of the rug disappearing into the vacuum bag. Use gentle suction and clean both sides of the rug.
3. The cleaning fluid
Stains are a major area of concern as they are hard to remove. Wool on its own is stain resistant but cotton absorbs stain fast. Mild shampoos and eco friendly products like baking soda and vinegar from the kitchen can be used to clean small stains on the rug. However for major stains it is always better to consult a professional carpet cleaning company instead.
4. Watering it down
This is one of the most difficult steps in the cleaning process is watering down the rug which is very tricky especially if you live in an apartment. If you have a garden or backyard, then you can lay the rug on the fence or on the drive way and hose the rug with water. Please remember that the Oriental rug is made of wool, silk and cotton, therefore make sure that the water pressure is not too much and that the water is just flowing over it like a stream. In olden days, the rugs from castles were laid on the bed of a nearby stream. The gentle force of water flowing above the rug used to clean away the dust and grime without harming the make or the colors. These rugs were then left to dry.
5. Rug Grooming
Grooming a rug is just as important as cleaning it. Every dry rug has a fringe that needs to be groomed after cleaning. Take a brush with dense bristles to fluff the fur and straighten the fringe ends gently. The cleaning personnel in royal palaces still have special brushes and combs to groom fringes and fur of dried Oriental rugs.
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