RavishingRug Care

How to care for your RavishingRug.

Once a carpet is purchased, regular vacuuming is one of the best ways to care for it.When vacuuming, pass over each area several times from different directions, and avoid high-powered vacuum attachments that can pull threads away from the backing.Do not vacuum the fringes as they may fray or unravel.

One of the beauties of good quality, tightly woven hand knotted rugs with a high knot count is the ease of cleaning. Such carpets tend to keep soil on the surface only so that it can easily be vacuumed off.
Consider using a good quality rug pad under your cherished carpets. The use of these pads generally extends the life of your rug and also protects the floor beneath. A pad gives added cushion, softness and luxury to your rug. An additional reason to use a pad is to keep your rug firmly in place. Cut the pad approximately 2” smaller than the dimensions of your carpet.

Good quality rug gripper tape can be used to keep the edges of your rug from curling as long as the carpet is on a hard surface. Use the tape only along the edges of the carpet, applying to the back of the rug and then firmly press onto the floor in the desired location.

Spot cleaning could be done with a mild non detergent liquid. Test a small amount of the cleaner on the back of the rug to ensure that it does not bleach the color from the fibers. Place the cleaning liquid on the cloth and apply it to the soiled area and blot carefully.

Not all stains are created equal. Water-based and oil-based stains require different treatment.

Water-based stains include soft drinks, wine, fruit juice, ketchup, chocolate, vomit, urine, coffee and pet stains. Combine one liter of luke warm water with one teaspoon each of white vinegar and mild detergent. Without saturating, blot the stain.Oil-based stains include wax, glue, hair products, lipstick, butter, salad dressing and shoe polish. Never use a silicone based cleaner as this will damage the fibers of the rug. Use a powder-based rug cleaner or solvent spot cleaner using the directions on the container. Be sure to first test a small amount of the cleaner on the back of the rug or in a spot where it will not be readily seen to ensure that it does not affect the color of the carpet.

Treatment of other common stains such as blood, ink and gum requires a different approach. For gum, place an ice cube on the gum and leave it in place for approximately 15 minutes. Remove the remains of the ice cube and scrape the gum off with a table knife. Blot the area dry with a clean cloth.

Ink can be removed with a small amount of nail polish remover containing acetone(test for color fastness first) followed by a very mild mixture of water and detergent.
Blood is best removed with cold water at the outset followed by the water, vinegar and detergent mixture.

Spills should be blotted with a clean white cloth as soon as possible, working from the outside edge inward to prevent the spill from spreading. Do not rub. Change the cloth frequently. Once the spill has been lifted, spritz the area lightly with clean water to rinse. Avoid over application as excess water can seep through to the padding and damage the rug. Blot again with a clean cloth and cover the area with paper towels.Place a heavy object on top of the paper towels and leave overnight so that any remaining stain is absorbed. The next day, remove the paper towels, fl uff the pile and allow to completely dry. If necessary, repeat a second time and consider applying the cleaning liquid directly to the stain rather than the cleaning cloth.

Professional cleaning is recommended for larger areas or deep cleaning.

Additionally, rotate or reposition the rug every six months to avoid repetitive wear and balance any fading from light.