Oriental rugs contain elegance, luxury and beauty into any home, regardless of your flooring or wall colors. Different rug types can add a splash of refinery to older flooring, or simply bring out the best decorations in a newly furnished home. No matter what, you want to maintain your rug so it can last for years and years to come. Here in Saint Petersburg, Royal Oriental Rugs is the number one destination for a wide selection of antique, vintage, modern, Persian, oriental and contemporary style rugs. We also offer hand cleaning and repairing of your own rug, along with pet odor and stain removal. 

Maintaining Your Rugs

You may not realize but different rugs and fibers require different cleanings to keep them looking fresh and free from frays. It’s recommended to have your rugs professionally cleaned once a year, but what about all the time (and stains) in between? One simple thing like asking visitors to remove their shoes when they enter can help decrease the amount of dirty foot traffic on your rugs. Placing a welcome mat at your door’s entrance, even if people keep their shoes on, will help cut back on excess dirt before anyone walks into your home. 

Frequent vacuuming can help aid in keeping dirt down, but it’s recommended to not use the beater bar and just using suction, as the beater bar can actually damage some rugs, such as Berber, and cause excessive fuzzing. Having a few cleaning supplies and paper towels readily available in case of any sudden accidents can help blot up the liquid or solid before it sets too much into your rug.  

Rug Types & Cleaning Tips

From loop pile rugs to Oriental rugs, each rug benefits from a different cleaning upon receiving spills or dirt. Most carpet cleaners may be too toxic or chemical based and may cause more damage over time to your rug than you realize. Having a few low-ingredient cleaners handy can help keep your rug fresh accident after accident. There are four handy cleaning agents that can tackle a lot of messes on various rugs without losing the luster of your rugs. They are:

• Vinegar solution – 1/3 cup vinegar to 2/3 cup of water
• Detergent solution – One teaspoon of dishwashing liquid or detergent powder (but ensure it does not contain bleach or strong alkalines) with one cup of warm water
• Ammonia solution – One tablespoon clear household ammonia (3% solution) with 1/2 water 
• Solvent – A dry-cleaning product available at grocery, hardware and drug stores (with chemically 1.1.1 Trichloroethane preferred)

Depending on the specific stain and rug, there are multiple ways of deep cleaning it to fully maintain your rug and keeping it fresh and bright. Getting bleach, wine, lipstick, soft drinks or cooking oil on your rug will all require different cleaning techniques to get the spot fully up and your rug as clean as possible. 

Some steps involve using cold or hot water, rust remover, clear nail polish (or something similar containing acetone), absorbent powder or cleaner, and potentially one of the four cleaning solutions mentioned above. For your individual, specific rug and stain, it’s best to double check what you should use directly on that stain to ensure proper cleaning and to leave your rug with as little wear and tear as possible. 

Contact Us

Ready for your Oriental rugs to get their yearly cleaning? Having a few stains on different rug types and want to get professional assistance with cleaning them? Royal Oriental Rugs is here to help! Call or stop by our Saint Petersburg location today!