Rug Cleaning Guide - Shedding, Creases, Fading and more...

Rug cleaning and maintenance - First things first!

When you receive your rug from Catwalk Rugs please note the below points are common inherent traits of all area rugs regardless of material or weaving technique:

  • Shedding - All rugs will shed with use. Woollen rugs will shed more so than manmade fibres, however, the shedding will slow down and eventually be almost non-existent with use. Keep in mind the shedding process keeps the pile looking fresh as it ‘resurfaces’ itself with use.
  • Creases – Catwalk Rugs ship all our rugs tightly rolled or folded to avoid any damage while your rug is in transit. Creases should disappear after a week or two with use, however if you would like to accelerate the process, gently reverse roll the area with the most crease. This is generally the inner side of the rolled rug when you received it from us.
  • Fibre sprouts - this is common with all materials of rugs. This may occur from new or with prolonged use over time. Never pull the fibre. Use sharp scissors to trim the protruding fibres as they arise.
  • Fading - All rugs will fade slightly with use, however in direct sunlight UV rays can fade a rug much faster. Ensure you rotate your rug every 6 months in normal conditions and every 3 months in direct sunlight. This will keep the colours of your rug looking even throughout.
  • Odour - Some of our rugs spend weeks in their original packaging as they are transported to our warehouses from around the world. Once you remove the outer plastic, there may be an odour for a week or so. Allow the rug breathing time to release all trapped odours.
 

Vacuuming Your Rug

To extend the life of any rug, it’s always beneficial to keep the surface of the rug as clean and dirt free as possible. Vacuuming regularly ensures your rug looks newer for longer, especially in commercial environments or homes where shoes are worn indoors.

  • Vacuum regularly to keep loose fibres, food and dirt off the surface
  • With high powered vacuums, always use a lower suction setting. Some strong vacuums can pull the fibres off the backing and ruin your rug permanently. Think about it, if they demonstrate a vacuum picking up a bowling ball, what chance does your rug have? Turn down the setting or if your high powered vacuum doesn’t have a power setting, use an attachment which isn’t as harsh on your rug. This is especially applicable to rugs with longer piles and shag rugs which have a tendency to block the vacuum head.

Spot Cleaning your Rug

Sooner or later, we pretty much guarantee you will have a spill to clean up. Whether its spilt wine from a dinner party, or a bowl of saucy pasta knocked off your baby’s high chair, the most important tip is to tend to the spill as soon as you can to avoid permanent staining. Never rub a stain into the pile. Always blot with a damp cloth or paper towel to absorb as much liquid as possible. Repeat as many times necessary but be careful to not be too harsh on the pile as to unravel the fibres. This can leave a permanent ‘patch’ on the rug which looks inconsistent to the rest of the rug. After blotting, ensure you dry the rug completely by pressing a dry cloth or paper towel onto the affected area. If a stain is still visible, call a reputable professional to inspect the rug to see what options are possible.

Rotate your Rug

It’s important to rotate your rugs 180 degrees (or as required) every few months to ensure both sides of your rugs have even wear and traffic. Think about it this way; if your rug sits in front of a couch, the most traffic is generally where people place their feet while sitting down. If you rotate periodically, both sides will be exposed to roughly even wear keeping the rug looking newer for longer. Rotating rugs becomes even more important when the rug is exposed to direct sunlight. UV rays can fade rugs (as with any fabrics, paints or surfaces) over time and it can become quite noticeably on darker rugs. Rotating the rug keeps the fading process more consistent.

Use a Rug Pad

To extend the life of your rug, always use a rug pad. At Catwalk Rugs we offer free high quality non slip rug pads with every rug purchased because we know how important a rug pad is to maintaining the longevity of the rug and most importantly keeping your family and colleagues safe from sliding, skidding rugs.

For a detailed guide to the benefits of using a non-slip rug pad please read our guide here.

Feel free to contact our rug experts for your specific rug care advice. It’s also wise to sign up to our newsletter for more information on how to care and maintain for your beautiful rugs.

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