Get Your Rugs Cleaned Professionally
With area rugs, you get to add to the warmth of the space, as well as a splash of colours that accentuates the ambience of the room. Whether you’ve gone for a hive style and pattern that blends into the space, or bold designs that grab one’s attention the moment they walk through the front doors, proper measures need to be taken to preserve the beauty and structural integrity of the rug. This includes everything from how it is used, to the vacuuming and rug cleaning.
A Grime Hotspot
The area rugs take it all in – the soiling that is at the soles of people’s shoes, the sweat and body oils for those walking barefoot on the rugs, mud from paws of pets that come trudging it in from the outdoors, as well as the fur and dander for the cats and dogs napping on the rugs, dust settling on the materials from the surrounding airspace, food crumbs that land on them as well as the insects that come to feed on the crumbs, dust mites and their faecal residue – those fibres carry plenty of gunk. When did you last have your area rugs washed?
Spills on the rug? Tick-tock: Every second counts
Just as with carpets, you need to act fast when there are spills on the area rugs. The absorbent nature of these furnishing items causes them to readily soak in the liquids spilled on them. When the spills are allowed to set into the material for long, it increases the difficulty of removing them later on. Even the rugs that have protective attributes doesn’t mean that one should ignore spills and let them dwell on the material. For instance, while the lanolin that is in the fibres of Persian or Oriental area rugs provides a natural barrier that keeps spills from deeply penetrating the material, this protection is only for a limited time. Blot up the liquid as soon as possible – do not rub the spot. You can then use tiny amounts of water to dilute the remaining liquid before blotting up the residue. For those cases where a stubborn stain is formed, use a stain removal product that is suitable for the particular kind of area rug. Don’t just whip up a detergent solution from the soap products in the laundry. You don’t want a case where the stains end up setting more deeply into the area rug, or the dyes in the material bleeding out.
Do you have stain problems on your area rugs? Get in touch with our rug cleaning team to discuss your situation. We have the personnel and machinery needed to deal with the different stain issues – from food and drink spills, to cosmetic products dripping onto the area rugs and pet urine stains.
Preparing For The Rug Cleaning Crew
On the day that the cleaning service is scheduled, here are measures you can take to aid the process:
– Clear the driveway
For standalone houses or apartments on the lower floors, the professionals can work with truck-mounted machinery. Having the driveway or nearby parking spots clear will enable them to pack their trucks close to the front door. Even for the cases where portable rug cleaning machinery is being used, it is still advisable to move your cars out of the parking spots that are close to the door for the crew to have an easier time moving the gear into the building.
– Securing full-length draperies
You don’t want them getting wet or interfering with the rug cleaning equipment. Tossing the draperies over the curtain rods, pinning them up or using a rubber band to hold them together will keep the fabrics a considerable distance off the ground. A similar case applies for the furniture that has skirts touching the rugs. You want to protect it from the moisture and the machinery being used during the rug
cleaning. Speaking of which, you can have the upholstered furniture being worked on as part of the cleaning process, including it in the package for an all-round job.
– Store away delicate items
Sure, the professionals will take care not to cause any damage – but you can still go the extra step and relocate them, especially the items that can be easily broken. From pricy heirlooms to those lamps that have been wobbling, move them away from the working area to take away the risk of them being knocked over.
Those books, toys and Lego sets that may have been left on the area rugs around the household should be tucked away. That way the rug cleaning crew arriving at the premises can get started on the job right away instead of taking time dealing with the clutter. It also removes the risk of the objects getting damaged, such as the toys getting sucked into the high-powered extraction machinery being used for the process.
– Make alternative arrangements for pets
For those with cats and dogs that are usually in the house, it’s advisable that you make arrangements for managing them over the course of the day when the rug cleaning will be carried out. The activities taking place in the house, from the machinery being used to the personnel moving about, may agitate the pet. Having them in the kernel, taking them to the dog park, or putting them up with your neighbour will avoid scenarios of the pets getting upset or injured. After all, a startled pup or kitty can easily run across the scrubbing or suction gear being used, putting them in harm’s way. Keeping them away from the premises will be for their own good.
In addition to these measures, it is recommended that you jot down the problematic areas of the different area rugs that are to be worked on. Taking note of the spots that have the biggest stains, and including what caused the stain in the first place, will be valuable information that the rug cleaners will need to tackle the job. Writing them down while waiting for the rug cleaning crew to arrive will ensure that nothing is skipped.
Carver Pulidek Alkaline Deck Cleaner