No Shampoo Zone: Expert Tips for Cleaning Hand-Tufted Carpets
All of us at The Floorist highly value our vast online inventory of hand-tufted rugs, and we know just how important these types of home décor investments are to families all over the world.
It’s crucial to acknowledge the diverse range of hand-tufted rugs, including various types of Oriental rugs that fall into this category. Regardless of the specific rug you own, regular washing and cleaning are essential for preserving its value and ensuring long-term durability.
This type of rug cleaning can be a lot easier said than done, so below we’ve provided tips to help you when it comes to properly taking care of your hand-tufted rugs:
• Regular Vacuuming
Regular vacuuming is paramount for maintaining all your area rugs, especially for antique ones showing signs of aging. Often, sand and other grit can become lodged in the pile’s foundation, potentially causing damage over time.
This is why you should only be utilizing a suction attachment when vacuuming your hand-tufted rugs (not a beater brush), because beater brushes can actually harm a rug’s pile and fringe.
• Dealing With Spills
It’s crucial to promptly clean any spills on your hand-tufted rugs. Begin by blotting out excess liquid, then use soapy water or club soda with a towel to remove the remainder of the stain.
Avoid using cleaning agents as they can harm the rug’s dyes and cause permanent color changes.
Ensure both the rug pad and undersurfaces are dry before placing the rug back on the floor to prevent mildew/mold growth and potential damage.
• Pet Accidents
There’s no denying the potential damage that pet accidents can inflict on hand-tufted rugs, not to mention the unpleasant odors they leave behind. Beyond the smells, these accidents can cause permanent stains and fade the natural dyes of the rug.
Therefore, swift action is necessary whenever a pet accident occurs on your rug or carpet. Begin by thoroughly flushing the stained area with clean water and/or club soda. You may need to elevate the affected area of the rug above a bucket and rinse water through it until it’s thoroughly cleaned.
• Knowing When To Hire A Professional
The criteria for making this hiring decision will vary from person to person, with key considerations including the foot traffic patterns in your home and the specific placement of the hand-tufted rug.
Numerous indicators signal when it’s time to enlist professional cleaning services for your area rug. If your rug shows significant dirt or stains, it’s likely a good time to contact professionals for cleaning.
• How Should Hand-Tufted Rugs Be Cleaned?
Avoid dry cleaning hand-tufted rugs with powders as they leave gritty residues and merely address surface cleaning needs. Steam cleaning is also ill-advised as it can lead to potential bleeding of natural dyes and damage wool fibers.
Instead, the cleaning process for hand-tufted rugs typically involves thorough dusting to remove excess dirt before washing. Washing requires the use of a formulated detergent to ensure effective cleaning. Additionally, thorough washing and rinsing of both sides of the rug are essential to completely remove the cleaning agent.
• The Importance Of Rug Pads
Each hand-tufted rug necessitates a rug pad for ensuring longevity, often requiring homeowners to invest in thick pads to prevent accidents and secure the rug in position effectively.
Rug pads play a significant role in minimizing wrinkles and preventing floor scratches, especially on tiled or hardwood surfaces where stability is paramount.
• Moth Damages
Moth damage can occur anywhere in a residential space, but it’s more likely to happen in dark, neglected areas beneath furniture where regular vacuuming doesn’t reach. Magnesium/zinc fluorosilicate is often the sole effective method for moth-proofing area rugs, ensuring protection until the rug undergoes thorough cleaning.
Therefore, it’s essential to treat hidden sections of hand-tufted rugs, particularly those concealed by furniture, to safeguard against moth damage.
• Regular Rotation
An additional crucial tip for maintaining area rugs is to periodically rotate them by at least 180 degrees. This practice significantly reduces foot traffic wear on specific areas of the rug and helps prevent uneven sun fading.
• Why does shampoo damage carpet?
Shampoos use chemicals like Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) that create a foam to lift and suspend dirt particles.
SLS is a surfactant that has an anionic nature, which means that it carries a negative charge when ionized. It’s commonly added to shampoo due to it’s high foaming action in water.
Yet, anionic variants are very difficult to remove from your carpet fibers. Unlike washing your hair, when you can run large amounts of water to rid your hair of these residues… carpet extractors do not under current operational procedures, get all the SLS residues out.
As a result, your carpet fibers are “glued” together once the water has evaporated.
Reach out to the specialists, at The Floorist to learn more about our inventory of Hand-Tufted Rugs
The Floorist has become an up-and-coming area rug provider throughout the entire United Arab Emirates because of our ability to provide very high-quality rugs at much more affordable prices.
Our team of experts is always here to help guide you through every step of the rug shopping process, so always feel free to reach out to us online or call us at +971 4 2276 712 or email us at info@thefloorist.com today to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you find your next hand-tufted rug!
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