The results of the first time dusting this rug. Quite often, it’s necessary to dust multiple times.
Day in, day out…your rug gets walked on, run on, spilled on, and tracked on. It takes the abuse, and doesn’t complain. Mostly because it’s a rug, and this isn’t a Disney movie. Rugs will look less vibrant over time, as they get dirtier, but the good news is, that’s fixable! Did you know that wool fibers, on a molecular level, have little “pockets” that can hide dirt, dust, and grime? That means that by the time your wool rug actually LOOKS dirty, that it’s going to have a LOT of soiling packed into it. One square yard of a wool rug can easily hold several pounds of dirt before it even looks starts to look bad!
One of my favorite parts of the cleaning process is the dusting phase. Some of you might call it beating the rug. Anyone ever seen someone hang a rug over their clothesline, and wail on it with a baseball bat or something similar? That’s what dusting is. Try it sometime…I bet you’re going to be amazed at how much comes out..
Dusting is one of the most important steps in the cleaning process. By removing as much dry soiling as possible, you pave the way for a quicker, better, “wet” cleaning phase. I have always enjoyed it because of the tangible results you get when you flip the rug over after beating it.
It’s recommended that you vacuum your rug(s) at least once a week. If you REALLY want to do a good job, you can even turn it over, and vacuum the back of the rug. If you do this, I recommend moving the vacuum along the width of the rug, rather than along the length. This will help you avoid sucking the fringe into the vacuum, which can actually break the fringe fibers off of the rug. Regular vacuuming can increase the amount of time between professionall cleanings, but it’s still a good idea to have them cleaned every 12 to 18 months.
Good rugs can last for hundreds of years with proper care. If you view a rug as an investment, and take the time to maintain them properly, they’ll remain looking great for years to come.