We all love the warmth and beauty that oriental rugs add to our home décor. While they are designed to withstand all manner of treatment, including being stepped on, oriental rugs deserve proper care to maintain their beautiful colors and character. That means not waiting until you have a big stain or spot a dirty patch to consider cleaning your rug. So, after how long should you consider oriental rug cleaning? This article will help you learn how often to clean a rug.

How often should you clean your oriental rug?

The frequency of cleaning an oriental rug may vary from one home to another. One of the main factors is usage. For instance, bigger homes with more children are likely to clean their oriental rugs more often than a home with fewer children or pets. Oriental rugs are professionally woven using heavy textiles like silk, wool, and cotton. Their intricate designs may sometimes hide dirt, making you think your rug doesn’t need cleaning. With that said, oriental rug cleaning should be done every six months to one year, depending on traffic and soiling. Below are other reasons to clean your oriental rug.

If you can still feel or see dirt after vacuuming

The best method for maintaining and preserving rugs is vacuuming. We recommend using a soft-bristled beater bar in the vacuum. The beater bar can vibrate the fibers to shake the dirt off and loosen it. Once the dirt comes loose, the vacuum can suck it up effortlessly. If you vacuum your oriental rug every week, but it still feels dirty and dusty, it’s time to give it a wash. Remember, vacuuming only removes the topsoil from the surface but may not reach a million particles at the bottom of the rug.

If your rug is frequently walked on

You also want to schedule routine cleaning if many people step on your rug. For instance, rugs placed around the front door that everyone steps on when entering or leaving the house should be cleaned more often as they’re more likely to trap dirt than other rugs in the house. Rugs in the bedrooms are rarely stepped on, which means they can take longer to get dirty.

If you have children and pets in your home

If you have children, pets, or both running around your home, you may need to clean your carpet more often — maybe every three months. If your pets like to sleep on the rugs, their greasy coats may soak into the rug’s natural fibers, which leads to dirt sticking on the rugs.

After an accidental spill

Depending on the brand and material used to make your oriental rug, some simple spills may require special cleaning right away. Some stains can be easy to remove, while others require professional cleaning. For instance, spills like grape wine, ink, blood stains, and coffee can be particularly challenging to remove.

If you don’t remember the last time you professionally cleaned your oriental rug

Oriental rugs are pretty good at hiding dirt, making it difficult to track the number of times you have cleaned them.

If you don’t remember the last time you washed your rug, consider scheduling a professional cleaning with Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center. We offer a wide range of cleaning services for all types of floors, rugs and carpets in more than 20 cities in New Jersey. Ready to book for your oriental rug cleaning? Just give us a call at (732) 721-1582 anytime.

Oriental rugs are beautiful, high-quality works of art—but are they a good investment? That depends on why you’re buying the rug. If you’re buying it because you love it and want to enjoy it for years to come, then yes, oriental rugs are a good investment. However, if you’re hoping that your investment will appreciate over time, you’re unlikely to see any financial gains from the purchase.

If your only reason to buy the rug is to see a return later, you should skip it. Oriental rugs can appreciate in value, but it’s too difficult to estimate the rug’s value in a decade or two. While they typically hold their value, restoration of an old, worn rug can cost almost as much as what you paid for the rug itself. You’ll need to weigh the value of restoration against what you paid for it and what you could possibly hope to recoup. On top of that, only exceptionally high-quality rugs tend to appreciate in value.

In short, buy the rug because you love it—if it appreciates in value later, that’s just a bonus.

Here’s an overview of what constitutes an oriental rug and how to care for one.

What is an oriental rug?

An oriental rug is any carpet that’s hand-knotted in Asia. They may come from China, India, Russia, Iran, Tibet, Turkey or Pakistan. High-quality oriental rugs are hand-knotted on a loom, using a symmetrical Turkish knot.

Typically, the rugs are made from wool. The highest-quality rugs feature hand-dyed yarn and contrasting colors. You might see geometric or floral shapes in the design, but they generally use traditional designs and motifs from the area in which they were produced.

True, hand-knotted oriental rugs can cost thousands of dollars, which means you should consider this purchase carefully.

Caring for and cleaning an oriental rug

Here’s how to care for your rug:

When you need oriental rug cleaning, Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center is here to help. You can trust us with your prized oriental rugs. We’ll restore them to beautiful condition and can offer additional tips to keep them looking their best. Get in touch with us today to get started.

If you’ve invested money into an Oriental rug, you’ll want to keep it looking great for a long time. There are many ways to maintain the quality of your Oriental rug, including keeping it clean and rotating it from time to time. If you want to take proper care of your Oriental rug, it’s important to follow any directions given by the rug’s manufacturer. Be sure to also avoid any harsh materials when cleaning your rug.

Maintaining the Oriental rugs in your South Amboy, NJ home is easy when you take certain precautions. It’s also a good idea to speak with a professional Oriental rug cleaning service in your area to see what maintenance tips they offer.

Keep them clean

One of the most important aspects of taking care of any rug is keeping it clean. This is especially true for Oriental rugs. Routine vacuuming is one of the easiest ways to keep your rug clean. Vacuuming your Oriental rug at least once a week will help keep the fibers loose while removing any set-in dirt.

If you notice any stains on your Oriental rug, don’t panic. Just be sure to take care of the stain as soon as possible. You might try removing the stain by first blotting the stain, then using water. Avoid using any products, including soap, on your Oriental rug. If you’re unable to remove the stain with water and a rag, it’s usually best to contact a carpet cleaning service for assistance.

Keep them out of the sun

It’s best to always keep your Oriental rug out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight on an Oriental rug could cause fading. It might be hard to find a place in your room where sunlight won’t hit the rug, but you should try your best. Having to rearrange your room is better than dealing with a discolored Oriental rug.

Move the rug around

It’s a good idea to rotate your Oriental rug on a routine basis, especially if there is furniture placed on top of it. Furniture placed on your rug for a long period of time could cause indentations that are hard to remove. Rotating your rug every now and then could also help prevent it from fading due to sunlight. Since your rug will be walked on, rotating it will help more evenly distribute the wear and tear.

Have your rug professionally cleaned

If your Oriental rug needs to be cleaned, it’s usually best to have a professional take care of the job. A professional Oriental rug cleaning service will have all the knowledge and experience required to take proper care of your rug. Hiring a professional cleaner can help you avoid accidentally damaging your rug. They will also be more knowledgeable about the proper cleaning methods and products that should be used on an Oriental rug.

There are several precautions that should be taken when maintaining the Oriental rugs in your South Amboy, NJ home. Let the experts at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center take care of all your Oriental rug maintenance needs—call today to learn more!

Asian rugs are such a beautiful addition to any home. They make a gorgeous statement and really pull a room together. However, for pet owners, the risk of an Asian rug becoming soiled by Fido or Fluffy is all too real. Pet stains can destroy an Asian rug if you don’t know the best methods for removing them. Read on to find out the best methods for pet stain removal in South Amboy, NJ and how to prevent these accidents.

Treat the Stain ASAP

As soon as you discovered that your four-legged friend has used your Asian rug as a toilet, you want to clean the mess quickly so the smell doesn’t seep into the fibers. Use a paper towel to seep up any liquid remaining before treating the stain directly. A solution of half water and half white vinegar deters both dogs and cats. For really stubborn felines, citrus-scented cleaning agents also do the trick.

Once you’ve treated the stain, you can really eliminate the odor by pouring baking soda on the area. Then spray it with a mixture of ½ cup of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon liquid dish soap. You can also slowly pour this solution over the stain. After it has time to dry, vacuum up the remaining baking soda.

If your pet vomited on your Asian rug, lots of warm water and a towel should do the trick. Make sure you are dabbing at the vomit stain instead of rubbing, as that can cause damage to your Asian rug. Since they were not purposely marking the rug, you don’t need to worry about treating the area with something that smells bad to them. If it becomes a habit, speak with your veterinarian about why your pet is exhibiting this behavior. Also, treat your Asian rug with white vinegar or citrus-scented product.

If nothing you’ve tried seems to get the job done, explore your options for professional pet urine stain removal in South Amboy, NJ, such as Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center.

Preventing Pet Stains on Asian Rugs

If your dog or cat continually uses your Asian rug for inappropriate elimination, it’s time to consider how you can train them appropriately. For cats, adding a litter box near the Asian rug can help drastically. You also want to make sure you are cleaning their litter boxes daily.

With dogs, negative reinforcement works, whereas cats only just act out further when punished. When you catch your canine peeing or pooping on your Asian rug, make a noise that is pleasant for them, such as using a shaker that might startle them. At the same time, make sure you are rewarding your dogs when they do go to the bathroom outdoors. Provide positive reinforcement when your dog alerts you about going outside as well.

You have many options for urine and pet stain removal in South Amboy, NJ. Families and businesses trust Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center because we are the carpeting experts. From sales to care, we understand everything about carpeting and Asian rugs. Contact us today!

Cleaning your carpet, rugs and upholstery takes considerable time and care to avoid damage. Improper cleaning techniques—and worse, the use of incorrect chemicals—can lead to irreversible staining or wear. This level of care is even more important when dealing with oriental rugs, which are much more precious and sensitive.

Oriental rugs are typically hand woven from silk, cotton and rayon natural fibers, which makes them different from other types of rugs commonly seen in the average American home today. One of the biggest mistakes homeowners can make when attempting oriental rug cleaning in South Amboy, NJ is to use certain chemicals on them.

Some chemicals will discolor the beautiful, rich dyes in your rug, while others can damage the natural fibers. Be wary of using these types of chemicals on your oriental rugs

Bleach

Bleach is extremely bad for oriental rugs because it has the power to damage their delicate fibers. Additionally, even though oriental rugs are known to be resistant to fading, they stand no chance against bleach and its discoloring powers.

Many household cleaning supplies contain sneaky amounts of bleach, so be sure to check labels before applying any cleaners on stains, and stay away from those that are bleach-based.

Ammonia

Ammonia is another strong chemical that can damage your rug. This is because it has a high pH that does not bode well for natural fibers like silk, wool or cotton. Although ammonia may be used to treat other kinds of rugs, owners of oriental rugs should steer clear.

Non-neutral detergents

Any detergent or cleaner that is above an 8 or below a 6 on the pH scale is probably not ideal for your oriental rugs. Extremely acidic or extremely basic chemicals will damage the natural fibers in the rug and potentially discolor them.

Instead of choosing cleaners, find a mild detergent that is as close to neutral on the pH scale as possible.

Hot water or steam

Although it is not technically a chemical cleaner, water can be as dangerous to your oriental rugs as bleach or ammonia can. Hot water and steam have the ability to damage the natural fibers in your rug, which is why you should not steam the rug or put it in the washing machine. Cold water is the correct choice when cleaning oriental rugs.

Additionally, water can cause other damage if you don’t dry the rug thoroughly. Water sitting in an oriental rug can cause mildew to form. Use a shop vac to remove excess water after cleaning, or lay the rug outside in the sun to dry completely before putting it back inside your home.

Choose a professional cleaner for the best care

Rather than take a risk on household cleaners or detergents and attempt to clean your oriental rug on your own, trust the professional cleaners at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center. Our team of carpet cleaners is adept at oriental rug cleaning in South Amboy, NJ, so you know your precious rug will be in good hands. Trusting a professional is a safer and more convenient way to get your rug back into pristine condition.

We also offer carpet, upholstery, tile, grout and hardwood cleaning. Call today for a free estimate!