Whenever you are the owner of a rug, you might try to take additional measures to ensure its preservation. No matter the precautions you might install, the truth is that accidents will happen. Rather than having your world fall down when there is a spill on your favorite area rug, you can be calm and ready to handle the problem by being prepared beforehand.
One of the critical things that every rug owner should remember is that rugs require special care and attention. They don’t tend to receive anywhere near the same care as carpets or upholstery, mainly because they are crafted with fibers and dyes that may be more delicate. Because of this, you can’t just employ traditional cleaning techniques to remedy a mishap on a rug. As a matter of fact, accidentally using the wrong rug cleaning method can end up making the problem worse. In some cases, you might have to get rid of the rug altogether.
We want to share with you some tips when it comes to maintaining your home’s area rugs, no matter how old or new they might be. For years, we have been helping people in Columbia and Camden with professional area rug cleaning and have learned a thing or two about what it takes to ensure the quality of your area rugs remains top-notch for years to come. In this month’s blog, we’ve collected a few of our experienced technicians’ most trusted tips for stain removal and rug cleaning to avoid having a common accident ruin your treasured rug.
Tip #1: Don’t procrastinate when dealing with stains.
While you shouldn’t worry too much about future mishaps on your area rug, (unless you were somebody who didn’t check out these tips beforehand) our first step might just be the most important. When you have a spill on your area rug, get to work on it immediately. The quicker you get after trying to clean up a spill, the greater the chance you have of it not becoming a more difficult stain to get out. The longer a spill sits on your rug, the longer it settles in the backing of the rug’s fibers and forges a difficult bond to break up.
Tip #2: Avoid scrubbing or rubbing at all costs.
You might feel tempted to scrub or rub away at the stain in an attempt to get it out. But what if we told you that this only exacerbates the issue? Scrubbing at the stain can push it further into the rug and may even cause it to spread to initially untouched areas. Rather than rubbing, carefully dab or press a cloth onto the stain to soak up as much pigment as possible.
Tip #3: Don’t dab with just any cloth.
Using any type of cloth to dab the stain, just like using any type of cleaning method for your area rug, won’t quite cut it. Using a colored rug can sometimes result in the transfer of dyes from your cloth to the rug, resulting in further damage. For the best results, use a clean white cotton cloth that has no colored dyes or patterns on it. This will help to ensure that no additional staining occurs on the rug during the clean-up process.
Tip #4: Know how to remedy burn stains.
We are shifting gears here a little bit to talk about burn stains. Unlike spills and other common mishaps on your area rug, you won’t be using a clean white cloth to dab away the damaged area. Our technicians in Columbia and Camden recommend taking a close look at the rug and you’ll notice that the burn is likely only affecting the very top portion of the carpet fibers. If this is indeed the case, you’re in luck. Just trim away the burnt bit of each fiber with cosmetic scissors and carefully brush the unaffected fibers around the shorter pieces.
Tip #5: Book regular rug cleaning appointments.
If you’re like a lot of other homeowners in Columbia and Camden, you might be noticing some spots on your area rugs that might not be the result of accidents or other types of spills. This could be a telltale sign that your rug is due for a professional cleaning. This doesn’t mean throwing your rug in the washer only to have the spots reappear shortly after, rather it means looking into booking an appointment with a company like Grace Chem-Dry. Our team of professional rug cleaners can gently remove deep-set dirt and grime to completely revitalize the look of your area rugs.
Tip #6: Call Grace Chem-Dry
There are many types of accidents that could occur on your area rug, and we’ve seen and treated quite a few of them. When you’re unsure of what to do to best clean your area rug after one of these mishaps, give us a call. We’d be happy to walk you through the best plan of action to salvage your rugs and prevent a permanent stain from settling in. We’ll even give you a free price quote for our highly effective area rug cleaning service in the Midlands of South Carolina in Kershaw County, Lexington County, Richland County, Sumter County, and Lee County. Call (803) 828-0338 today to get in touch with a rug cleaning expert near you!