Maintaining your rugs

Vacuum Regularly…

The number one way to ensure rug integrity is vacuuming.

Vacuuming regularly helps prevent dirt on the surface of the rug from filtering down into the pile where it can accumulate and cause increased wear. Vacuum once a week for light traffic, one to three times a week for moderate traffic, and daily for heavy or pet traffic.

Occasionally, vacuum the back of the rug to remove the fine grit that may damage the foundation of the rug and remember to vacuum both sides of reversible rugs to prevent dirt from settling into the fibers.

…But Carefully

Many of today’s vacuums are high powered and standard vacuuming can pull threads through the rug backing.

Vacuums equipped with a power brush create a raking effect on the rug and can weaken the knots. Ideally, use a canister vacuum (or the handheld attachment on an upright vacuum) to clean your rug.

Remember, brooms. and manual sweepers are just as effective and often a safer maintenance option.

Beater Bars

When using an upright vacuum, disengage the beater bar as this can pull fibers from the rug and cause premature deterioration. If you are unable to manually turn off the beater bar, set the vacuum to its highest setting and gently set the vacuum on the rug.

Fringe

Avoid vacuuming the fringe on your rug. The fibers can be caught and destroyed by the rotating mechanism of the vacuum’s brush.

Continuous friction on a fringed or surged edge can deteriorate the fibers over time. Fringed edges are sensitive, and a handheld attachment is ideal for routine cleaning. Should the fringe of your rug become damaged, seek immediate assistance from a reputable rug repair workshop.

Shag Rugs

Avoid vacuuming shag rugs entirely as traditional vacuuming can severely damage the rug fibers. Instead, shag rugs should be carried outside and beaten to loosen dirt and release foreign particles.