Quality hardwood floors are not cheap. You get what you pay for, so make sure you invest in a superior product and professional installation service. But what can you do after your floors are installed to avoid accelerating wear and tear while boosting indoor aesthetics? Invest in a well-made area rug or two! The area rug you choose should not only be attractive, matching your style and home decor, but comfortable as well. The rug should complement the hardwood flooring without causing damage to it, and laid down safely in place to avoid slipping.
When you combine area rugs with the right rug pads, your hard floors should look nice and stay in good condition for many years to come. Below is a list of the best area rugs for hardwood floors in South Amboy, NJ:
- Natural fibers: There are area rugs made from plant fibers—such as jute, seagrass, coir and sisal—that fall into the natural-fiber category. Any of these fibers form a tightly-woven mat, and most are reversible (unless the rug has a latex back, as is the case with most seagrass and coir rugs). Avoid synthetic latex backings, because they can damage hardwood floors. Get one with natural-latex instead. Rugs made from plant fibers offer a casual look suited for contemporary or Asian-inspired decor.
- Synthetic: Rayon, nylon, polypropylene, viscose and acrylic can mimic the appearance of some natural materials, but they are indeed synthetic. Choose from a variety of styles, colors and patterns.
- Silk: Silk area rugs are probably the most expensive type of rug you can buy. However, because silk rugs are more beautiful than they are practical or durable, people typically purchase them exclusively for decorative purposes, such as for hanging on a wall. Silk is often woven into wool rugs as accents to increase the price of a mostly wool area rug. Nevertheless, silk and silk-blend rugs can make attractive accent pieces for hardwood floors. Keep in mind that silk fades easily and is more fragile if used on floors in areas that see high foot traffic.
- Wool: One of the most common rug materials for hardwood floors is wool or a wool blend. It is comfortable, easy to clean, durable and available in a flat weave or a tufted wool look. For the most part, wool rugs and wool blended with fibers like cotton are readily available in a variety of styles and patterns to pair with any color hardwood floor and home decor.
- Cotton: Yes, cotton is a natural plant fiber, but it stands in a category of its own. These types of area rugs create a casual look and comfortable feel to a room, especially on hardwood floors that sport a rustic look. Choose from a variety of patterns and styles to dress up your hard flooring.
Before you even consider shopping around for the best rugs for hard floors in South Amboy, NJ, first reach out to the team at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center for information about area rug care and maintenance.
Anyone with hardwood or vinyl flooring understands the importance of area rugs. In addition to looking great and adding a sense of style to the room, a nice rug helps create a warm and cozy feeling in your home. There’s only one downside to these rugs though: they tend to get dirty very easily and eventually start to look ragged.
It’s true that calling rug cleaning services in South Amboy, NJ can eliminate these ugly stains and preserve the life of your rug. But rug cleaning isn’t always the least expensive service, and it’s certainly not something you want to pay for regularly. The good news is that you can take care of your rug by following some helpful tips. Continue reading to learn some best practices for caring for your rug:
- Vacuum often: Just like with a carpeted room, your area rug should be vacuumed on a regular basis. Vacuuming pulls up dirt and debris, helping to ensure none of it gets ground in and causes permanent staining. Vacuuming also helps stimulate the fibers in the rug, keeping your rug looking fresh and new for years to come.
- Buy the right cleaning products: Going to the store and buying the cheapest rug cleaner will certainly save you a few bucks. However, in doing so, you’re playing with fire! Those products aren’t made for every type of rug, especially precious and expensive ones. Instead, talk to a cleaning professional about which rug cleaner is best for your rugs. Additionally, always test a new cleaner on the corner or a hidden area of your rug before using it to clean the whole thing.
- Use shaving cream: A spilled glass of wine or cup of juice can ruin a rug in the blink of an eye. For that reason, you’ve always got to be vigilant and clean up stains as soon as possible. One of the best ways to treat stains—even if they’re not fresh—is to use shaving cream. Lather your rug with a bit of shaving cream and let it sit on the stain. After a few minutes, remove the shaving cream with a damp rag, and that ugly spot should be gone.
- Try white vinegar: You’ve probably heard this one before, but white vinegar is practically a cure-all when it comes to rug cleaning. It removes stains, odors and even bacteria from rugs and carpeting. Just like with cleaning products, apply a little vinegar on the corner of your rug first to see how your rug reacts to the vinegar.
- Call a professional: Last, but certainly not least, hire an expert to clean your rugs! Professional cleaning will remove all of those nasty stains and give new life to your rugs. On top of that, a professional can clean all of your carpeting, too!
When you need to hire rug cleaning services in South Amboy, NJ, look no further than Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center. In addition to fast and friendly service, we offer our services for some of the most competitive prices in town. Give us a call today to get a quote or to schedule a cleaning.
For many people, throw rugs and area rugs are not just a way to add color and beauty to your home; they can also have a lot of sentimental value. Therefore, you need to know how you can clean the rug if anything gets spilled on it. Even if you do not have children or pets, it’s essentially an inevitability that, at some point, the rug will get some sort of spill or dirt on it.
Here are some simple instructions courtesy of your trusted source for rug cleaning services in South Amboy, NJ. You will need the following materials and tools: a vacuum, rubber gloves, a mild dish detergent or special rug shampoo, a bucket, a sponge, a squeegee, a soft-bristled brush, and lots of water.
- Vacuum: Your first step whenever cleaning any rug or carpet should be to vacuum it to remove any loose dirt or debris. With an area rug, you will need to vacuum both sides, as each side could have debris on it.
- See how colorfast your rug is: This is an important step that many people skip, but doing so could lead to damage to your rug. Either follow all of the mixing instructions on your rug cleaner or shampoo, or put a couple cap-fulls of a mild dish detergent into a bucket of warm water. Never use hot water, as this could fade the color of the rug or shrink its fibers. Once you’re ready, test your solution on a small portion of the rug just to make sure it doesn’t do anything to dull or run the colors. If it looks good, you can move on.
- Wash the rug: Using either a soft-bristled brush or a sponge, begin washing the rug. Make sure to work up a lather on the surface and get it deep into the rug. Allow your cleaning solution to sit on the rug for several minutes before you proceed to rinse.
- Rinse: Depending on where you are cleaning the rug, you might have to alter how you are going to rinse it, but the most effective way is to use a garden hose and spray it off. Whatever method you use, make sure you have removed all suds before you proceed to the next step.
- Get out all excess water: Use a squeegee to get out as much excess water as you can. Just make sure you are using the squeegee in the direction of the rug’s nap so you avoid causing any damage to it.
- Dry it out: After you’ve removed as much excess water as possible, lay the rug out flat to dry. Once the top is dry, flip it over and continue the drying process. Having fans blowing on the rug can help to dry it out quicker.
- Loosen the rug’s fibers: Some of the fibers of the rug can become compacted during your washing and drying process. You can gently loosen them back up using either a vacuum or a soft-bristled brush, so it will be soft and plush once again. Then your process is complete, and you can return your rug back to where it sits in your home!
Note: You should only really wash rugs when they need it. A good test is to let a corner of the rug drop onto the floor, and if a dust cloud appears, it’s time for a cleaning.
Contact Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center today for more information about rug cleaning services in South Amboy, NJ.
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