Taking Care Of Your Area Rugs
Dealing with area rugs is not exactly the same as carpet cleaning. The different constructions of the material, and amount of attention that goes into it due to the different rates of soiling build-up – these all need to be factored into their care and maintenance program.
How Are Area Rugs Different From Carpets?
Area rugs are designed to be positioned on those sections of the room that are bound to have higher levels of soiling, especially from footfall. This ranges from the entrance of the premises, to next to the furniture and at the dining tables. They are also mobile, to be moved as desired. Due to their functionality, the area rungs also typically have more denser piles compared to carpets. Here, the individual fibres of the material get woven tightly together. This translates to more dirt and grime getting trapped near the base of the area rug, and the ordinary vacuuming is not enough to get this out. People usually beat the rugs outside the house in order to release the dirt that is trapped in them – but this is also not an effective mode.
Area rugs usually have fringes. This is that ornamental border that comes with the unit, featuring loose and hanging tassels. You won’t find this on carpets. Note that the fringe is actually fragile, and can be easily destroyed by the wrong approach, including simply using a vacuum. The area rugs that come with fringes will require these sections to be specially treated in order to clean them appropriately without damaging them. Getting a rug and carpet cleaning professional who is well versed with the different situations will enable you to ensure that the appropriate action is taken for your situation.
Problems that are encountered during DIY carpet cleaning also feature when it comes to area rungs. Take colour bleeding for instance. This can be caused by issues ranging from using harsh chemicals to soaking the rug in too much water. Note that while you can get away with some slight colour bleeding in carpets due to their large size and few colours, area rugs that are definitely smaller, and usually have intricate colour patterns, means that the colour bleeding will outrightly ruin the rug’s design. It’s vital that the specific solutions required for your particular area rug are used, to protect the unit from fading or colour bleeding. Note that it should be a product that is developed for the rug, and not just picking any similar carpet cleaning solution to use for the task.
The Antiquing Factor
This is just for some of the rugs. With antiquing, a layer “tea dye” is applied, or the unit is treated with an acidic wash, making the rug to look older – and they tend to be more expensive compared to the standard rugs. This treatment can wash away when thorough rug cleaning processes are used. Fortunately, the situation can be reversed when a professional reapplies the layer.
Get In Touch With The Area Rug And Carpet Cleaning Professionals
In today’s busy world, you likely have your hands full already. Dealing with the demands from the workplace and your social life, those pending files that need to be worked through and dates that need to be made with friends and family, carrying out those chores at home and helping your kids with your homeowner – you barely have enough for yourself to simply relax and unwind. Adding a strenuous carpet cleaning chore to your to-do list can put a strain on you. Calling in the professionals to handle the task will take a load off your back. Here are tips on how to ensure that you’re dealing with the right company:
- Know where you stand – What is your particular situation? The type of carpet and area rugs involved, the kinds of stain that are to be removed, the age of the units – knowing your needs will enable the cleaner to determine the mode of approach for your carpets and area rugs. You will also find them inquiring about the presence of pets and children in the household, and cases of allergies.
- Types of methods used – These range from dry cleaning which while faster, leaves behind residue in the carpet, to wet carpet cleaning methods like hot water extraction. Determine from the company crew which methods they intend to use while working on your carpets or rugs. Even the cleaning products used matter. Are they eco-friendly? You also want products that will be safe to use around your kids and pets.
- Licensing and insurance – As a bare minimum, you should be dealing with a carpet cleaning company that is legally recognised, not some fly-by-night crew whose offices you can’t even trace. Insurance also comes into focus, since there is the ever-present risk of accidents occurring, and you don’t want to find yourself facing costly liabilities. Sure, the firm should also put in place safety measures that will protect the carpet and those on the premises. The insurance coverage simply ensures that you’re covered in case of any unfortunate incident.
- Pricing – When it comes to the cost, the focus is to ensure that you’re getting value for what you’re paying for. Given that there are different factors that come into play – such as the type and size of the carpets being worked on, the time at which the cleaning session is being scheduled, to the level of soiling involved, the final quotation provided will differ from other clients. However, you can compare the general rate to expect by checking out different carpet cleaning companies in your locality. They usually have ranges of fees per square footage of carpet, while others charge per room. This will give you an estimate, after which you can get in touch with the particular company to work out the nitty-gritties of the job. Be wary of the firms whose rates are far below their competitors, as this is a red flag that something is amiss about the particular firm.
