Can you imagine anything more cozy than cocooning inside with a cup of tea on the sofa while those chilly fall days pass by? Rugs instantly give your home even more heat. But how can you enjoy your favorite rugs for the longest possible time? And what if that cup of tea ends up on your carpet? Find out here!

Before revealing some carpet maintenance tips and tricks, it is worth talking about the different types. Depending on the direction in which they are woven, woven rugs can be distinguished in plain and tufted carpets. For the latter, the surface is formed by the pile or warp yarn. Then there are long pile and short pile rugs. The piles are either tied to or tufted (injected) into the carrier.

Different carpets require different methods of maintenance. Manufacturers therefore usually recommend that the detailed cleaning and maintenance is done by a specialized firm. The temperature of the cleaning water, for example, is dependent on the materials used and, in the case of high and low pile carpets, the length of the piles. However, here are some tips and tricks which you can apply all by yourself.

Turning and underlays

To expose the entire surface of your rug equally to sunlight and wear, it is recommended to regularly give it a quarter or half turn. For rugs to be placed on wooden floors or natural stone floors (e.g. marble), we recommend using an underlay to prevent scratching if the rug should move.

Vacuum cleaning

Rugs will maintain their appearance and shape longer when dirt and stains are regularly removed. Light, single-colour rugs will naturally need cleaning more often than a darker, patterned rug.

The easiest and most environmentally friendly rug cleaning method is vacuuming regularly. This way, you will remove most of the dirt and dust. Furthermore, vacuum cleaning and airing are much more effective than shaking or beating your rug, which may damage it.

It is normal for long pile rugs to loose fibres when used, especially in the beginning. This will not affect the quality of your rug. If you want to get rid of the excess fibres faster, you can vacuum the rug daily for an initial period.

Never use a vacuum cleaner with a nozzle with rotating brushes for a long pile rug. You will risk ripping out the piles, thus damaging the rug.

Combing the piles regularly with a coarse toothed comb or a small plastic rake will maintain the appearance of your rug.

Stains

For best results, remove stains immediately. Dry stains can be scraped carefully from woven and low pile rugs. Begin from the edge and then work your way towards the centre. Vacuum clean the remainings afterwards.

Remove wet stains by laying some kitchen roll leaves on the stain. Use lukewarm water and a cloth or sponge. Dampen the stain, soak up the water and repeat the process until the stain is gone.

Some things to pay attention to:

• Do not rub the stain, this will make it more difficult to remove and can also damage the rug’s fibres.
• Do not wet your rug too much. Woven rugs can shrink or lose their shape and with low or high pile rugs, it will affect the glue which holds the yarns in place.

 

Air humidity

The ideal air humidity for wool rugs is around 50%. If the air humidity is lower, the wool becomes dry and its natural elasticity will decrease. This can be prevented by sprinkling your rug with water regularly.