Common Area Rug Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid

Area rugs can make or break a room! They can pull together amazing décor to look like something straight out of a magazine, or give a reading nook a cozy feel, or give a little boy’s playroom a racetrack. While we take great care to maintain the carpeting throughout our home, the tile, the hardwood, countertops, etc., area rugs are often overlooked when it comes to routine maintenance. But investing in professional area rug cleaning for your Welland home will keep your rugs looking great, and lengthen their lifespan.

Here are five very common area rug cleaning mistakes, and why it is often best to leave the deep cleaning to the pros at PCS Niagara.

Using a Harmful Cleaner

Do your research before buying a stain remover. Speak with the store or manufacturer from which you purchased the rug. Be sure whatever you choose does not void the warranty on your rug, and will clean up a stain without damaging the rug. Also, before you use a product on the center of the rug, test it on a very small, out-of-sight area to be sure it does not discolor or harm the rug.  It is understandable that you would need a stain remover to use in between professional cleanings that would cover the entire surface of the rug.

Renting & Using Faulty Cleaning Equipment

Those carpet cleaning machines you can rent at a local grocery or hardware store are not necessarily all they are cracked up to be. First of all, they could be caked with dirt, debris, and allergens from the last home in which they were used – and are now being spread throughout your home across your rugs. Secondly, they simply do not have the cleaning power and suction as a professional carpet cleaner does. It is key that as much water as possible is extracted from the rug after the cleaning process, and that an appropriate cleaner is used depending on the type of fibers making up your rug. Seriously, the rental machines can do more damage than good. Just stay away.

Never Having Rugs Professionally Cleaned

Yes, this is really a bullet point on the IICRC’s list! We are not making it up simply because it is part of what we do every day! The IICRC says just as a routine dental visit helps prolong the health of your teeth, so does the professional cleaning for your rugs. Most carpet manufacturers recommend carpets be cleaned every 12 to 18 months, and sometimes failing to do so can even void the warranty.

Using Too Much Elbow Grease

Yep, scrubbing too hard is a no-no. While you might be trying desperately to scrub out that red wine stain, you’re actually probably just doing damage to the rug’s fibers. Instead, use a blotting action – and be sure to point out any stains or areas of concern to Diamond Blue technicians the next time they are at your home so they can use the right products and techniques to try to remove any remaining stain or residue for you.

Using Too Much Cleaner

This harkens back to #4 a bit. When you’re cleaning a stain, use just what you need. Don’t overdo it.