Keep Your Area Rug Pristine: 4 Best Care Tips

how to keep rugs clean

A beautiful area rug can tie an entire room together, yet many homeowners never learn how to keep rugs clean. With the right rug cleaning tips under your belt, you can keep your area rug pristine for years to come, allowing you to enliven your home with the same family heirloom or rug of your choice for years to come.

Pet owners and homeowners who frequently entertain guests face unique perils that endanger the beauty and longevity of their fine rugs. Here are the four best care tips that will ensure you know how to clean an area rug no matter what kind of stain pops up!

Rug Cleaning Tips for Homeowners

We share the best area rug carpet cleaning tips to ensure your rugs stay in pristine condition. Read on to learn different methods to keep your rugs clean for the long term.

1. Vacuum and Dander Control

Pet owners, in particular, should know that area rug carpet cleaning requires regular vacuuming and dander control. Vacuuming your rug at least once a week will help keep its visual appearance in stellar shape, but it will also help you cut down on allergic reactions if pet hair and dander are trapped within the rug itself. Parents of young children should also recognize that regular vacuuming helps toddlers stay healthy, clean, and allergy-free despite their proximity to the floor.

Do you vacuum all the time but still can’t figure out why your area rug has an odor? Learning how to keep rugs clean requires that you flip the area rug over and vacuum both sides occasionally. This bolsters the overall lifespan of your rug and ensures unpleasant odors are nowhere to be found. Some homeowners sprinkle a tiny amount of baking soda a few minutes before vacuuming to ensure as much odor as possible is vacuumed up during the cleaning process.

2. Beat Your Rug On a Hot, Sunny Day

Investing in a dedicated rug-beater is essential for luxury homeowners who want their interior style to be on display at all times. Many homeowners put off rug beating because it’s more labor-intensive than simply vacuuming. What they fail to understand is that area rug carpet cleaning can’t be managed with vacuuming alone but requires the occasional beating to ensure trapped particles that cause unpleasant smells or dirty looks are eliminated.

Be soft when beating the bottom of your area rug, but ensure that your hits are swift and in rapid succession. Too much rug beating can dislodge some fibers, so ensure a gentle approach and remember that rug beating should only occur one to three times per year. Remember to do your rug beating outside so that dust, dirt, and other particles don’t descend on your luxury flooring.

Beat your rug on a hot, sunny day and lay it over a railing or exterior banister in the sunshine to ensure the best possible results. Area rug carpet cleaning that’s aided by natural sunlight often yields the best results.

3. Brush Your Rug To Ensure Deep Cleaning

Do you regularly vacuum your area rug only to find that pet hair still clings to its exterior or underbelly? Ensuring a deep clean may require a thorough brushing. Homeowners who know how to keep rugs clean understand that a hands-on approach is usually the best bet. Slowly and carefully run a stiff brush in the same direction as your rug’s fibers to ensure any lingering particles are entirely eliminated.

Brushing the underbelly can also help remove any dirt that may be building up as you step on your area rug.

4. Rotate Your Rugs Every 4-8 Months

Even the finest area rugs need to be rotated on a regular basis to ensure their quality isn’t diminished by frequent foot traffic. Area rugs that are exposed to the sun for extended periods of time –– such as those that are underneath the magnifying effect of certain windows or in a sunroom -–– may also need to be rotated even if they’re seldom stepped upon.

Many guides on how to keep rugs clean recommend rotating your rugs once per year. In reality, this is too infrequent to do much good for your elegant area rugs. Depending on how many people live in your household and whether it’s being stepped on barefoot or with heavy shoes, you may need to rotate your rug as often as every 4-8 months to guarantee its pristine beauty for years to come.

Work With Alisha Taylor To Find Your Ideal Design Style

Learning how to keep your rugs clean is far easier when you invest in high-quality rugs that last longer and dazzle every guest who walks into your home. Alisha Taylor Interiors will ensure you find an individualized rug to match your design style. If you are considering furnishing your luxury custom home or hiring an interior designer to elevate your home’s appearance, contact Alisha Taylor.

The team at Alisha Taylor Interiors specializes in creating spaces you are proud to live in. From choosing area rugs to furniture and much more, an interior designer can ensure your beautiful vision comes to life. Visit Alisha Taylor today and fill out a contact form for your next home project.

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