how to clean a rug?

Carpets are one of the most significant elements in home decoration. Rugs add a unique spirit and visual beauty to your room and are equally essential and undeniable in any decoration style, both modern and classic. But these beautiful carpets may need to be washed and cleaned due to foot traffic, pets, food spills, stains, dirt, and water.

According to its material, each carpet should be washed and cleaned properly to prevent damage to its fabric and texture. In this article, we refer to the principles of washing and cleaning different types of carpets and mention how to clean rugs at home.

How to clean handmade wool rugs at home

The best thing you can do is vacuum your hand-woven rug at least once a week and do more if the carpet is in a busy place. To do this, it's better to use the appropriate vacuum cleaner settings for your carpet and Vacuum the carpet point by point ( from the width, not longitudinally). Vacuum the back of the wool rug at least once a year. Handmade wool rugs should be thoroughly washed every 12 to 18 months. Steam washing is an effective and efficient way to clean it. If a particular method for washing your carpet is written on its care label, follow it; otherwise, follow the steps below.

 Steps of washing handmade wool rugs

1. If your handmade rug has a tear, rot, or any other defect, you should fix this defect before washing it.
2. Before cleaning your handmade carpet, take it out of the house and shake it or tap on the back to remove the loose dust and dirt.
3. Now, spread the rug on a clean part of the floor, patio, or yard on a sunny day.
4. Before you start washing the handmade carpet, first wet white cloth and apply it on the bold parts of the carpet, this is to make sure that your rug does not bleed the main color.
5. Wet the rug with a garden hose.
6. At this stage, mix the cold water with a suitable detergent. Do not dilute the detergent more than the usual amount. The carpet care label may suggest a special detergent for washing it, which is better to use.
7. Then use a sponge to rub foamy water on all parts of your handmade wool rug and increase your hand pressure on the dirtiest areas of the carpet.
8. Rinse the entire rug.
9. Now squeeze the wool rug, roll it, and use a dry towel to get as much moisture as possible.

How to clean exquisite silk rugs

Silk carpets are among the most exquisite and expensive Persian hand-woven rugs that must be maintained in particular principles to prevent any damage to these valuable carpets.

Due to the high sensitivity to maintaining silk carpets, we suggest that you leave the washing of these carpets to professionals and don’t do this at home.

However, we point out tips for cleaning and washing silk carpets to help you clean these beautiful carpets at home.

What materials should not be used to clean silk carpets?

• Alkaline chemicals can damage the texture of silk carpets.
• Hot water destroys the strength of silk thread.
• Due to the high sensitivity of silk carpets, even to use natural materials to wash them, you must first test a part of the carpet to make sure that the detergent used does not cause the carpet to fade the color.

 Steps of washing exquisite silk rugs at home

1. Silk carpets are much more sensitive than machine-made or other hand-woven rugs, so it is better not to set the cleaner settings to the maximum in the first step. Vacuum the carpet carefully to remove the surface and deep dust from the silk carpet.
2. Check the silk rug. If you see stains on any part, you can first mix some water and vinegar evenly, pour it on a white cloth and wipe the stained part with a cloth soaked in the solution. For more information on how to remove stains from carpets, you can refer to the related article on the CyrusCrafts magazine page.
3. If your carpet smells bad, you can pour some baking soda on it and clean it after an hour to eliminate the bad smell.
4. To wash a silk carpet, you need lukewarm water (too hot water damages the carpet texture, and cold water has little cleaning power)
5. Along with water, you can use weak detergents such as carpet shampoo, soap powder, etc. After washing with plenty of water, wipe the detergent off the carpet thoroughly by hand.
6. Do not roll the silk carpet after washing, this will damage the texture of the silk carpet.
7. Wipe the lint of the rug with a cotton swab or towel and allow the carpet to remain flat on the floor to slightly reduce moisture.
8. After a few hours, spread the carpet on the back in front of the sun to dry completely (if you don't spread the rug on the back, direct sunlight may cause color fading)
9. After the carpet is completely dry, spread it on the floor and arrange the carpet lint to one side with a soft brush.

How to clean machine-woven rugs

Keeping machine-woven carpets clean can significantly increase the carpet's life. The remaining dirt and dust in the carpet fibers will eventually change the carpet's color and loosen the carpet fibers.

The most common method is to use carpet shampoo. There are different types of carpet shampoo. The more acidic and salt properties they have, the more cleansing power they have, and of course, the more damage they will cause to the carpet. The choice of carpet shampoo depends on the degree of dirtiness and the rug's material. Mix the carpet shampoo with lukewarm water and stir until it foams; pour the resulting foam on the carpet and brush it with a soft brush, and after cleaning with a clean towel or cloth, collect the foam.

What damage does non-professional carpet washing cause to the carpet?

• Rippling and Buckling
• Yellowing of carpets and fringes
• The roughness of the carpet
• Carpet rot

how to clean a rug with a carpet cleaner

A carpet cleaner cleans by forcing soapy water into the rug and then removing the dirty water immediately. There are various sizes of carpet cleaners, which can be rented or purchased. Portable handheld carpet cleaners are great for small jobs and spot cleaning. Large carpets should be cleaned with a carpet cleaner designed for larger jobs.

how to clean a rug with a steam cleaner

Steam cleaning uses hot steam and pressure, and when applied to a rug or carpet, it can help break down dirt, grease, and grime. It can also kill dust and sanitize your rug too.

1. Make sure your rug isn't obstructed by furniture or other items.
2. Vacuum your rug
3. Steam clean your rug to sanitize and deep clean it.

If your carpets are not so dirty that you want to wash them for carpet cleaning services or you don’t want to pay much money, you can use the said contents and clean your carpets at home.

How to keep your expensive and original Persian carpets without damage for many years depends on two main factors;

• The principles of care, washing, transportation, and proper use of carpets, which we mentioned in this article, can effectively prevent possible damage to the rug.
•  Originality, quality of weaving, material, yarn, and precision in weaving the carpet's pattern guarantee its durability for several years.

CyrusCrafts has always kept its customers satisfied by providing the highest quality Persian hand-woven and machine-woven carpets, using the best raw materials in carpet weaving, and proud cooperation with the most prominent traditional Iranian carpet weavers. You can order your favorite carpet from us and get it delivered in the fastest time in Canada and USA.