Getting a new carpet is a huge and expensive investment. You’d want to protect it as much as possible to make sure that it lasts for many years and that you get your money’s worth.
However, with the combination of children, pets, accidents, and foot traffic, keeping carpets and area rugs clean can become a massive challenge.
It’s normal for textiles to have wear and tear as years go by, but it’s how you take care of them that determines how long they’re going to be around.
There are several ways to clean carpets and rugs, but why wait for stains and dirt to happen when you can stop in the first place?
Here are 5 simple, easy ways to protect textiles from spillage and increase their lifespan!
1. Clean regularly
Another way to prevent future stains is to vacuum your carpet before it’s visibly dirty.
A clear sign your carpet or bespoke rug needs cleaning is when its colour starts to dull, often caused by dust and dirt. Waiting until it’s really dirty can lead to dark spots that are hard to remove and may require professional cleaning.
Carpet cleaning can be tiring, but regular upkeep prevents stubborn stains and keeps dust and allergens at bay.
So, how should you best clean your rugs?
The typical rule for carpets and rugs is to use the vacuum on them at least once a week. Remove obstacles and furniture for ease of cleaning, then roll up the rug and vacuum the floor underneath. After that, unroll the rug again and vacuum it.
Make sure to vacuum along the direction of the rug. This will prevent tearing or shedding. If you notice a loose thread, use scissors to cut it carefully. Don’t pull it because that can cause more damage!
If you have allergies, use a water filter vacuum cleaner. They’re great at capturing dirt or dust in your floor coverings.
2. Clean spills immediately
Despite your best efforts to prevent stains, accidents happen. If a spill occurs, the best thing to do is to act fast and clean it as soon as possible! Whether it’s food, wine or coffee, leaving spills can create tough-to-remove stains – the quicker you clean it, the less damage it leaves on your carpet!
For households with carpets or rugs, it may be worth investing in a spot cleaning machine. These compact devices are designed to lift fresh stains quickly, before they have a chance to set. They’re especially helpful for high-traffic areas or homes with kids and pets.
When cleaning manually, always blot spills – never scrub, as scrubbing can damage fibres or leave uneven texture!
Note that most stains are water-soluble, so start with a clean cloth (that’s colour-resistant) and some warm water first.
If that doesn’t work, try simple home remedies like detergent, white vinegar with water, or even baking soda. Base the choice on what you’re trying to remove from the rug. For example, an essential oil stain is best addressed with baking soda if you want a homemade, eco-friendly cleaning solution.
Apply a small amount of your chosen solution (again, start with warm water first) to the cloth. Make small movements from the bottom to the top to try and rub the stain out gently.
If the stain persists, you might then want to try commercial carpet stain removers. Whatever cleaning product you do try to remove the stain, test it first on an inconspicuous area of the rug. That will help you check if it could damage the rug or carpet before you commit to applying it on a noticeable area.
3. Give carpets professional-grade cleaning once a year
While regular vacuuming is helpful, it only removes surface-level dirt on your carpet.
Professional carpet cleaners can extract hidden allergens, pollen, dust mites, and pet dander lodged deep in the fibres. Thought deep cleaning of carpets can get expensive, it helps to extend their lifespan and make them seem brand new.
Even if your carpets don’t appear dirty, it’s recommended to have them professionally cleaned at least once a year, because they can tackle stains and dirt that you can’t address with home remedies. They also have the equipment and specialised knowledge necessary to clean even more delicate rugs.
Common deep‑cleaning methods professional cleaners will offer include:
- Hot water extraction – Uses a steam cleaner to inject hot water and detergent into the carpet to remove dirt. It extracts the liquid afterwards with a vacuum cleaner.
- Dry carpet cleaning – Dry cleaning compounds are worked into the carpet by rotating brushes, then vacuumed up with the dirt they’ve loosened.
- Carpet shampooing – Applies a foam detergent to the rug that’s worked into the fibres before being vacuumed up.
4. Change or clean air filters regularly
The function of air filters is to gather dirt, dust, pollen, and other debris from your home.
If air filters aren’t changed or cleaned, they will not be able to function efficiently, allowing dirt and dust to float around inside your home and get stuck in your carpet.
Accumulation of dirt in carpets often leads to wear and tears, so get a new set of air filters or wash your current ones as often as possible. The rule is to wash them or get a new one every three months.
If you live with pets, though, you might need to wash or replace them every two months.
5. Keep shoes out of the house
We all know how dirty our shoes and outside slippers can get.
Make sure that everyone who comes into your home, whether part of the household or a visitor, removes their shoes before entering your home. Turn it into a household rule if you have to!
It not only protects your carpet from stains and dirt that are carried by your shoes but keeps your home clean as well.
Or place a doormat at your entryways. This can keep debris out of your home that would otherwise work its way into your rugs or carpets.
Keeping carpets and rugs spotless
Carpets are a huge additional in beautifying our homes, so we’d want to keep them clean and looking fresh for as long as possible.
A rug will fade if exposed to sunlight for prolonged periods of time. Position rugs away from direct sunlight and rotate them regularly, especially if sunlight falls on one area of the room. This should keep the fading even throughout the rug.
It’s a good thing that there are simple ways that any homeowner can do to protect their carpets from stains, from using carpet protectants to observing a “no-shoes policy” inside the home.
If you’re interested in adding a custom rug to your living, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We can design one for you and give you tips on how to decorate your room as well!
