Oriental and fine rugs bring elegance to any room.
Oriental Rugs and Area Rugs need regular maintenance and often require special attention. ProCare Nashville offers these Rug Cleaning Tips for your treasured textiles.

Basic Rug Maintenance

Rugs deserve the same care as wall-to-wall carpet and, in some cases, require special attention.

  • Washing rugs — If your rug is small and the label says “machine washable,” shake the rug outside first and then put it in the washing machine at the recommended temperature. Use warm water (90 to 105 degrees) and a mild detergent. Tumble your rug dry at the lowest heat setting.
  • Beating larger rugs — If your larger rug is easy to pick up, shake it outside first; then put it over a clothesline and beat it. Next, take the rug inside and vacuum it. If the label says dry clean only, then roll it up and take it to a professional rug cleaner. Save time and aggravation by calling first to see if the cleaner does rug cleaning — many do not.
  • Vacuuming area rugs — Area rugs with fringe require special technique. Use gentle suction and start from the center of the carpet, vacuuming toward the fringe and being careful not to catch the strands in the beater bar. Lift the carpet edge to vacuum beneath the fringe.

It is best to use a simple suction vacuum when maintaining rugs. Beater bars can cause damage.


How to Care for your Oriental Rugs

  • Oriental, Turkish or Persian rugs — Clean imported rugs according to your carpet manufacturer’s specifications or contact a professional cleaning service like Pro-Care. Be gentle with fringe. For heirloom-type rugs, you need professionals.
  • Rotation – To insure even wear, your rug should be rotated once a year. Depending on the traffic, the rotation may vary from six months to two years.
  • Vacuuming – Oriental rugs, like most carpeting, should be vacuumed on a regular basis to remove dirt and restore life to the fibers. Be sure not to vacuum the fringe with your beater bar! Use the end of a vacuum hose from a canister vacuum.
  • Padding – A quality pad used under your rug helps protect it from dirt, wear and slippage.

Gold and blue oriental rug partially unrolled.


Spot and Spill Procedures

Make sure that you safely and immediately clean up spots and spills before they set.

    • First, soak up the excess liquid by blotting with a clean absorbent material. Do not brush or rub the stain.
    • Then spot-clean with a mild detergent-white vinegar-water solution. Do not over wet.
    • Rinse area thoroughly with water and a small amount of vinegar. Avoid wetting the rug’s backing
    • Blot dry until most of the moisture has been absorbed
    • Allow to air dry. A fan or cool hair dryer can be used to hasten the drying process.
    • For stains that do not come out using these methods, ask our cleaning specialists.

For more detailed information on a specific spots and spills, check out our Individual Spot Removal Tips.

Close-up of water over lingering wine stain.