How to Clean a Handmade Rug
Owning a handmade rug is a delightful luxury. Oriental, bamboo silk and wool rugs, in particular, are considered to be valuable works of art and can make a wonderful addition to your home. However, handmade rugs need to be cleaned properly in order to keep them spotless and beautiful. Here are some tips on keeping your handmade rugs clean without damaging them.
Cleaning Wool Rugs
Wool rugs also require special treatment. They are susceptible to color bleeding, so it's important to test the rugs before using any chemicals to clean them. Sometimes certain chemicals will cause one color to bleed but not another. Try to find a cleaning product that keeps the pH range of the wool between 4.5-5.5 That’s the range it was at before it was dyed, and it’s the least likely to make colors bleed.
Look for a product with the Wool Safe label. Before cleaning, vacuum the rug a number of times on both sides to remove all dirt and dust. Test a small area at first, and then spray a fine mist of product over the entire rug. Then use a shampoo machine to clean the rug.
Cleaning Oriental and Silk Rugs
Oriental and silk rugs need routine maintenance to preserve their beauty and value. The best way to avoid serious cleaning is to treat them with care. This means taking off your shoes before walking on them and trying not to have any spills or accidents that could damage them. To keep them clean, vacuum them regularly – on both the top side and the bottom side that sits on the floor. This will help keep dust mites, dirt, and debris off.
Cleaning Rug Fringe
Many rugs have a fringe trim that can get dirty more quickly than the center of the rug. In order to clean this, combine a safe cleaning product in a bucket with warm water, and scrub the fringe while being careful not to splash the cleaner onto the rug. Rinse thoroughly with water and you should notice a difference in the brightness.
Over time, however, all rugs require professional deep cleaning. When the time comes make sure to take them to a trusted professional like LoLo Rugs & Gifts. Our experts use specialty chemicals and cleaning treatments specifically designed for cleaning Oriental and silk rugs. Other types of products can cause can damage the rug's delicate fibers.