DIY Rug Cleaning Guide

Vacuuming

Your rug will shed no matter the material and a new wool rug will shed constantly. We recommend vacuuming your rug new rug 4-5 times within the first month and at least once a month after that. When vacuuming, set the brushes on the vacuum to high or avoid using the brushes (beater or roller) entirely, as this can damage the pile of the rug. Also, avoid vacuuming the fringe of the rug, which can lead to pulling and damaging the fringe.

Note: Wool rugs will shed a lot within the first few months of purcahse. Don't worry, this is completely natural and after a few months, the amount of shedding will be limited.

General Care Tips

ROTATING: To even out soiling and wear, rotate rugs every 6 months to a year when possible

PADDING: Appropriate padding extends the life of a rug and prevents a rug from slipping or buckling.

RESTORATION: Prompt attention to frayed and damaged areas can protect the value and beauty of your rug for generations.

WASHING: Professional hand washing every 2-4 years is recommended. A desirable attribute of densely patterned rugs is their ability to hide soiling and often look cleaner than they really are.

STORAGE: Area rugs should never be stored dirty. Soils can oxidize making them difficult or impossible to remove. All rugs should be stored in paper or other breathable material, never plastic.

Furniture Dents

Another common occurrence during the holiday season is moving furniture or adding more chairs to accommodate guests. This usually leaves horrible dents in the carpet and a quick vacuum never does the job. Instead, place an ice cube on the dent.

“Ice Cube Dent Image”

The size of the dent will determine how many cubes you need. Place cubes right on top of the divot about 2 inches apart and let the carpet soak up the melted water. Once the carpet completely dries, give the area a vacuum and the dents will disappear. If there are still pieces of carpet that have not popped up, you can use your fingers or a table fork to gently fluff those pieces. It works every time!

Common Spills

First and most important, always remember the golden rule of rug cleaning. Blot, Never Scrub!This seems basic but always worth a mention. Work from the outer edges of a spot to the center.

Match the Solutions to the Spill

ADHESIVES -------------- D, A,E

BEER -------------- A, B, E

BERRIES -------------- C, E

BLOOD -------------- C, E

BUTTER -------------- D, A, E

CANDLE WAX (Scrape off excess, cover area with paper & iron on lowest setting)

CATSUP -------------- A, C, E

CHOCOLATE -------------- D, A, E

COFFEE -------------- A, E

CRAYON -------------- D, A, E

EGG -------------- A, E

EXCREMENT -------------- A, E, B

NAIL POLISH -------------- D

FRUIT, JAM -------------- A, E

GREASE -------------- D, A, E

GUM (Scrape off excess) -------- D, A, E

ICE CREAM -------------- A,E,D

INK -------------- D, A, E

MILK -------------- A, B, E

MUD -------------- A

PAINT -------------- D, A, E

SOFT DRINKS -------------- A, E

SOOT -------------- A, E, D

TEA -------------- A, E

URINE -------------- A, B, E

VOMIT -------------- A, B, E

WHITE WINE -------------- A, E

RED WINE -------------- E, A, E

CLEANING SOLUTIONS

A: MILD DETERGENT SOLUTION:

2-4 drops to a cup of cold water. We recommended: Soil Away, Bioclean all purpose cleaner, Planet detergent, or Folex.

B: VINEGAR SOLUTION:

1-2 tablespoons to a cup of cold water.

C: AMMONIA SOLUTION::

1 teaspoon to a cup of cold water

D: DRY CLEANING SOLVENT:

Energene or rubbing alcohol available at most grocery stores. Use straight out of the bottle, apply to towel and blot spots.

E: RINSE WITH WATER, BLOT DRY:

Some spots are best handled by professionals, such as pet urine stains, ink or dry wine.