Kids Rugs

When you first purchase your rug, it is a good idea to get a rug pad for it. A rug pad will definitely help to maintain the liveliness of your rug in the long run. There are, however, several other steps that can and should be taken on a less frequent basis than vacuuming, that will improve the life span of your rug. One of the most important things to do, at least once a month, is airing out your rug. In airing out your rug, you are ridding the rug of all of the odors that it has obtained over the select period of time. While the rug is being aired out, it is also an excellent idea to turn the rug over several times and pat it down. This will help to release and shake loose dirt that has been building up and worked its way into the carpet loops.

Finally, it is a good idea to rotate your rug about every 6 months. Once again this is completely dependent on the amount of traffic that your rug sees. The more traffic that it endures, the more you are going to need to rotate it. This will help the rug to retain an even pile. Higher traveled areas of the rug will be compressed and more worn than others. This is why rotating the rug to move a higher walked on area of the rug away from the traffic area will help to keep it even. Along with vacuuming, this is the best way to keep up the appearance of your rug, and prevent it from getting blemishes- such as footprints, paw prints, etc.

Another hint in preserving the longevity of your rug is to place it away from constant exposure to sunlight. If the rug is constantly exposed to sunlight, then this will cause the fabric and material colors to fade. The fading could lead to an unevenness in the color scheme of the rug, which would lead to a much faster aging time and would also cause the rug to look very worn and old. This is especially important in kids rugs because of their bright and vibrant color schemes, and the importance of the evenness of colors.

While the other two stages of rug maintenance are extremely important, it is crucial not to over look long term maintenance. It is difficult to both remember and to find the time to keep up maintenance over long periods of time, so it is always a good idea to mark it off on the calendar, or make a note of it somewhere else. A good place to start is by vacuuming the back side of the rug once every year. This is the best way to alleviate the rug's built up dust and dirt within the loops.

The other long term maintenance task that should be done once every couple of years is a full cleansing of the rug. This can be a long and involved process, but it is the best way to make your aging rug nearly as good as new. There are several different ways that a rug can be cleaned thoroughly and properly:

"Oxy" Cleaners - There are many oxygen cleaners on the market that are environmentally safe, and that work well for spot cleaning on synthetic fiber area rugs. Most of these cleaners are biodegradable and form oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and soda ash when mixed with water. Soda ash is sodium carbonate and has alkaline properties, so do not use this cleaning method on wool or silk and avoid prolonged skin contact. Carefully follow the usage and dilution guidelines for all oxygen cleaning products. Rinse the cleansed area well, and be sure to test for colorfastness.

Dry Powders - We do not recommend using dry powders with plush or deep pile area rugs as the cleaning residue may be difficult to remove. For surface stains on low pile area rugs, use a dry powder to absorb dirt particles and then remove by vacuum. This is a relatively simple method that uses no water and is easy to perform without a professional. If the area rug is heavily soiled, we recommend either using a different procedure or using professional assistance. Dry Foam and Absorbent Pads - Another method that uses little water is light detergent foam that is worked into the pile, then vacuum out once dry. Use care on looped area rugs that may not tolerate heavy beater bar use or other brushing.

Steam Cleaning - This method is most effective when performed by a professional, although many rug cleaning machines may be purchased or rented. The dangers of performing this method on your own are using too much detergent or water. Some cleaning agents available with rented units leave a heavier residue, so use care or the advice of a professional when choosing a product. Test the product on a small area to check for residue or a sticky feel. Do not use if a residue exists, or if in doubt about a product. Finally, do not use laundry detergents to clean your area rug to avoid possible optical brighteners.

If you have other questions or problems that were not explicitly detailed here, then don't hesitate to call us, we are here and happy to help!