Step by Step Instructions on How to Clean an Oriental Rug
Do you need an oriental rug cleaning in Fort Wayne, Indiana? If you do, you may wish to clean your rug yourself to bring to restore its brilliance. An Oriental rug can be the perfect addition to any room. Unfortunately, foot traffic, pet accidents, spills, outside dirt, and other debris can take a toll on the fabric. When vacuuming isn’t getting the job done any longer, you may wish to know how to clean an Oriental rug on your own in Fort Wayne, Indiana. If you are worried about cleaning your rug by yourself, call the professional oriental rug cleaning crew at Carpet Masters. If not, follow these steps to watch your rug transform back to the luster it once was!
Step One-Gather everything you will need
Having all of your supplies on hand when you’re ready to tackle your Oriental rug cleaning project will make it easier to proceed. The following supplies should be on hand when the time comes:
- Vacuum
- Rug shampoo
- Bucket of warm water
- Sponge or a soft-bristled brush
- Rubber gloves, optional
- Wet/dry vacuum, optional
- Garden hose, optional
Step Two- Vacuum thoroughly
You don’t want any dirt and debris left on your rug before you clean it. You can use a quality vacuum cleaner to vacuum up all dirt and other debris from both sides of the rug. If you deal with a lot of pet hair in your house, make sure to use a brush attachment to pull the hairs off of the rug before you wash it.
Step Three- Get your cleaning solution ready
There are plenty of Oriental rug cleaning solutions to choose from when you’re ready to attack that dirty rug. You can find them in retail stores, hardware shops, and online stores. Whichever one you use, carefully follow the instructions on the bottle when you mix it up. Do not use hot water when mixing the solution, as hot water can cause the Oriental rug to shrink or fade. Instead, use warm water in the mix.
If you don’t have access to a rug cleaning solution, mild dish soap mixed in with warm water will also do the trick.
Step Four- Do a test patch
Before you get into the project, test a little corner of the rug with your cleaning solution to make sure it is safe. You don’t want to use a cleaner that damages your rug or causes the colors to fade or run. As long as the color doesn’t begin to bleed, move on to step five.
Step Five- Wash the Oriental rug
With your sponge or soft brush, gently work the cleaning concoction into a lather on your rug. Wear rubber gloves if desired. Allow the cleaning solution to sit on your rug for at least five minutes to let it set in and begin to lift away the dirt and debris deep down.
Step Six- Rinse out the rug
You can use either a bucket of clean, warm water or your garden hose to rinse all of the cleaning solution from the rug once you have scrubbed it clean. The runoff water from the rug should be 100% crystal clear to ensure you have removed all of the solution.
You’ll then want to rid the rug of as much excess water as you can. If you have a wet/dry vacuum, use it to pull up the water. You can hang the carpet over a fence or on a table and use a squeegee to carefully pull the water out of the rug. If you use a squeegee, pull in the direction of the nap.
Step Seven- Time to let the rug dry
Allow the Oriental rug to dry completely before you bring it back to your room. Putting it out in the sun will help it dry faster, or you can hang it over a clothesline in your basement. Laying it out flat will also do the job, as long as you remember to flip it over, so the bottom gets a chance to dry. If you have fans, that can speed up the drying process.
Step Eight- Add the final touch
As you clean an Oriental rug, fibers and threads often become compacted down into the rug. Use a soft brush to carefully “fluff” your newly-cleaned rug up. You may also want to quickly run the vacuum cleaner over the rug to revive the fibers.
Voila!
You now know the steps you need when it is time to clean your Oriental rug. However, you may want to also call in the professionals if you are short on time or would rather have a qualified cleaner in Fort Wayne Indiana do the job. If so, Carpet Masters is at your beck and call. They are your best choice when it comes to Oriental rug cleaning in the Fort Wayne area, so call today for a free estimate. For more tips and tricks on how to get stains out of carpets and more, click here.