How To Clean A Braided Rug To Keep It To Keep It Spanking Clean

by: Joe Matcheck

So you are the proud owner of braided rugs and you really feel to display those to your friends and guests who frequent your house. In fact even when nobody is due to come in the evening for a sumptuous dinner, you still spread those out because you really love them. Actually you are so much attached to them that unless they are spread out you don’t think that the house really becomes home!

Well, I have got nothing against your love for the braided rugs. Indeed they do emit an old world charm and grace and some of the contemporary designs are so attractive that an ordinary room gets converted into a plush royal suite the moment you spread them out neatly on the floor. Some of these rugs become the focal point of attraction in the entire room, especially if they are the products of Thorndike Mills or Colonial Country, just to name a few. And, frankly speaking, you have spent a decent sum of money on them, so why shouldn’t you enjoy them to the fullest?

So, these rugs are spread at the entryway, maybe at the patio or even the kitchen and definitely one in the dining room and that large grand wool area rug which you had purchased after so many visits to various websites and retail stores, resides majestically right in the middle of the drawing room, am I right? Well, I may be slightly off the mark! During winter the wool area rug actually goes into the bedroom to give you that snug and cozy feeling and a good night’s sleep.

So far so good! But you must be realizing what I am hinting at. All these rugs need to be cleaned regularly so that they actually improve the ambience of the room.

Cleaning The Rugs

Let us first discuss the details of cleaning the wool rug.

You begin by thoroughly vacuuming both the sides of the rug. Then lay it on a large sheet of plastic to protect the floor underneath. Use a carpet cleaning machine that sends out jets of water and then suck it up. I would like to add a word of caution here. Don’t use carpet cleaners that have rotating brushes. They will ruin your rug. Use a mild rug cleaner and warm water to clean both sides of the rug. Continue using warm water till the soap is completely removed. Then suck out as much water as you possibly can.

Then leave the carpet to dry flat on the plastic. It may have to be turned over quite a few times to ensure that it is completely dry. Remember a wet wool rug becomes as heavy as an elephant! Never try to handle it alone.

Ensure that the rug has dried completely; otherwise it will start giving off a sour smell! Also you need to be careful that rug retains its shape. So, keep it flat on the plastic for as long as required and after you are absolutely sure that it has indeed become dry, sling it over a sturdy railing to air it from both sides. Very soon you will get back the gleaming carpet which you had originally brought home proudly from the shopping mall!

You have to follow similar steps while cleaning cotton based rugs but you may need to use more water as dirt and grime tend to stick more firmly to cotton than wool.