Area rugs are all the rage in home interior design. They add centrality, warmth, coziness, style, and comfort to any room, and they can be used to really tie the room together and express one’s personality.
Because area rugs are so loved and important to both commercial and residential spaces, it is important to care for them correctly so they can last a lifetime. Improper maintenance and cleaning of area rugs can lead to significant damage and really hurt the rug’s quality, look, and longevity. Nobody wants that to happen to their beautiful rugs!
So, what are these rug cleaning mistakes to avoid? Keep reading to learn six San Fransico rug cleaning mistakes you should never make and how to avoid them.
Letting Your Rugs Go Without Their Annual Deep Cleaning
Just like everything else (e.g., leather cleaning), rugs should be deep cleaned at least once a year or two at a specialized rug washing plant. While regular vacuum cleaning can keep your rugs looking nice and, for the most part, clean, vacuums do not clean your rugs beyond the surface. Your rug can continue to trap dirt and microparticles deep within the fibers, beyond what you can see on the surface.
Fun fact – using our specialized dusting process we extract about a sandwich bag full of dry soils from an 8×10 rug! And this is just the first step in the cleaning process.
Over time, we become accustomed to the slight changes in our rug’s colors and appearance, because the changes happen so gradually. We actually forget what our rugs looked like we when first bought them– before they were exposed to any dirt, dust, pet hair, spills, water, or any other environmental contacts.
When you have your rug deep cleaned, it will go back to looking great with vibrant colors and a soft feel. In addition, a professional deep clean will clean the rug throughout, not just on the surface. It will remove all of the dirt, dust, and allergens stuck deep within the rug and can significantly improve the look of harsh stains or discoloring that occurred over time.
So, be sure to schedule a deep cleaning service at least once a year. This will not only fully clean your rug, but it will help you avoid making other common rug cleaning mistakes.
Using Harsh Chemicals
Many products sold at traditional supermarkets or online retailers are mass produced cheaply to be sold at low prices. Most include an array of synthetic chemicals because these chemicals are cheaply manufactured and act not only as quick and intense cleaners but also as preservatives.
Unfortunately, these harsh synthetic chemicals can do more harm than good when it comes to rug cleaning.
First, these chemicals are designed for one job – to remove stains and bacteria quickly and effectively. They are not designed to maintain the integrity or color of your rug or fabric. So, while they may indeed remove stains and allergens from the surface of your rug, they can also remove the rug’s coloring, degrade the rug’s fiber, and hinder the rug’s softness. Your rug can end up looking worse and be less durable. In some cases, rugs can be permanently damaged or develop bleach marks.
Secondly, these chemicals can be harmful to you, your family, and your pets. Synthetic chemicals stay in the environment for an indefinite amount of time. Meaning, that once they are used, they stay on your rug and in your home forever. They could continue to cause damage to your rug and continue to expose you and your household to their toxins.
Thirdly, if you use harsh chemicals that ruin your rug, you can lose your rug’s warranty. So, if your rug is damaged, you will have to find area rug repair and restoration services.
To avoid making this rug cleaning mistake, you should contact your rug manufacturer before attempting to use any cleaning product on your rug. They will know best what materials to use that will not reduce the integrity and quality of your rug. They may also recommend taking it to a professional area rug cleaning service, depending on the rug type and the issue at hand.
Using Too Much Water
It is natural to think that water is our friend when cleaning. We are accustomed to showering, taking our vehicles through car washes, mopping our floors with water, power washing our homes and driveways, and more. So, it’s understandable that it can be tempting to take your rug outside or to the garage and spray it down with a water hose or power washer.
The fact is, the more water you add to your rug, the more damage you do.
This is because rugs are made of fibers that are intertwined and woven together. In between the fibers are small spaces where things can get trapped, including water and stains.
When we drench our rugs with water, the water goes deep into those spaces and brings stains and dirt and whatever else was on the surface of your rug with it. This means stains become deeper and spread outward making them even harder to remove after the fact.
In addition, because the water goes so deep into the rug, it may not dry properly. This can lead to water stains and mold. The same concept applies to outdoor rugs and outdoor cushion cleaning.
Excessive water can also damage the glue that holds the rug together. Again, this can void your rug’s warranty and really reduce the lifespan of your beautiful rug.
Not Taking Action Quickly
One big rug cleaning mistake is not taking action quickly enough after a spill or mess happens. Sometimes these things happen without our knowledge. However, if a spill or mess occurs under your watch, it is best to get the rug cleaned as quickly as possible.
Because rugs are made of fibers, stains will quickly make their way beyond the surface and soak deep into the rug. The longer you wait, the harder the stain will be to get out. It is best to try to dab the spill or dirt/mud out of the rug right away or bring your rug to our rug cleaning plant at our San Rafael location that same day.
Scrubbing Too Hard
Scrubbing your rug too hard when cleaning has various negative consequences. First, intensive scrubbing will push stains, dirt, grime, and allergens deeper into your rug rather than remove them. This is because the scrubbing opens the spaces between the rug’s fibers and pushes whatever is on the surface into those spaces.
Next, scrubbing can damage the rug through its abrasive nature. It can pull the fibers from the bottom leading to snags. It can reduce the softness of the rug and scrub out the coloring if the rug has dye.
If you’re scrubbing with water, the scrubbing will push the water deep into the rug making it very difficult to get out later. This can lead to the issues with excess water described above.
If you’re scrubbing with harsh chemicals, the negative effects of the chemicals will be even more likely and more apparent. This is because the combination of harsh chemicals and scrubbing will wear and tear down the rug.
Trying to Use a Professional Carpet Cleaner
Let’s face it. Professional carpet cleaning machines were designed to be used by professional cleaners. When misused, they can leave your rugs looking worse than when you started.
For one, when using a carpet cleaning machine, you are skipping the most important step in cleaning rugs, dry soil removal. If you don’t remove the dry soil, you are going to just push them all down into the foundation of the rug, and overtime damage the foundation.
It also takes an experienced cleaner to know the right type of product, and the ratio of cleaner-to-water to add to the carpet cleaner. Plus, these cleaners are designed for carpets, not for delicate rugs, and especially not for hand-made rugs. So, these cleaners can harm your rugs by using the wrong chemicals, the wrong dilution, and the harsh bristles and suction of the carpet cleaning machine.
Another way carpet cleaners can ruin your rugs is because they trap dirt and grime. If the cleaner is not completely cleaned from inside out, it will spurt out that dirt and grime onto your rug when cleaning. It may immediately push the dirt into the rug so that it cannot get it back out, leaving your rug looking even dirtier and/or stained.
Don’t Make These Rug Cleaning Mistakes– Find Area Rug Cleaning Near San Francisco
To avoid making these rug cleaning mistakes, stick to the professionals. Professional rug cleaners will know the correct products to use on your rug, will know the correct techniques for cleaning your specific rug type, and will ensure your rug is deeper cleaned and restored to its best condition.
At Mother Nature’s Cleaning, we are the best area rug cleaning San Francisco business. We work with rug collectors, designers, and rug galleries. We make it so easy to have your rugs professionally cleaned that we pick up and deliver your area rugs. We use different methods of cleaning based on your rug type and needs.
We don’t use harsh chemicals that will destroy your rug’s quality and lifespan. We run on 100% renewable energy and use clean and safe products for the most delicate of rugs.
So, what are you waiting for? Schedule your area rug cleaning here.
We also offer an array of additional services for all your residential or commercial cleaning needs. We are experts in cleaning carpets, upholstery, furniture, leather, mattress, tile, grout, and vehicles. That’s right – we are your own stop shop for your cleaning needs in San Francisco Bay Area
Check out all of our services and contact us to request a quote.
