An Oriental rug is a hand-woven masterpiece that is designed to last for decades. If maintained properly, the rug will be a fantastic and timeless addition to your living space. However, the operative phrase here—if maintained properly. People who buy such rugs often fail to research about Oriental rug cleaning methods and techniques properly.
Cleaning your Oriental rug like a common blanket and using excessive force can destroy the delicately woven knots. On the other hand, playing it safe may result in accumulation of dirt, dust, and grime, which, ultimately, will make your rug look a rag.
When In Doubt, Hire Professionals
If you have purchased the Oriental rug with an idea of disposing it off in the next three or four years, then you can clean it any way you want without any worries about the consequences of your actions. However, if you plan on bequeathing this rug as an heirloom to your child after 25 years, then you need to plan your strategy for the long-term.
You can research about various facets and aspects of cleaning the rug and become an expert at this task yourself. Or, you can simply identify a professional firm specializing in cleaning services and hand over your Oriental rug to them.
Allow for Mistakes
Cleaning of the rug again and again for a long time is not as easy as it sounds. You must provide scope for mistakes and errors as well. The smart option would be to purchase a relatively inexpensive rug as a trial purchase. You can try your hand at cleaning and maintaining the rug to the best of your abilities.
If you succeed in keeping it clean without destroying it or its value, then you can think of purchasing and really expensive Oriental rug. If you don’t succeed, you can still proceed ahead, but you will have to rely on professional Oriental rug cleaning service for keeping it in mint condition.
Consistency is the Key
A professional may certainly do a better job than an amateur and inexperienced person like you. However, you cannot expect the expert to perform miracles unless you follow certain ground rules. The rug must be stored properly when it is not in use. The placement of the rug must be finalized after analyzing the material used, strength of the rug, extent of footfall in different parts of your house and other relevant factors.
Ideally, you should know all about rug cleaning or must have at least finalized the firm for cleaning your rug at the time of purchase itself. This will ensure you can ease into the task of maintaining the rug without feeling overwhelmed by all the details.