“How often should I clean my rugs?”
It depends some on the level of traffic they receive. For runners in hallways, or rugs in a living or dining area that receive a good deal of traffic, I’d say at least once a year. If a rug stays in a formal living room or guest bedroom and receives less traffic, every 2-3 years is probably adequate, but periodic cleaning is still essential to remove accumulated soil, dust and allergens.
If you have a pet that has misbehaved on your wool rug, it may be possible to clean and deodorize it – but wool is very sensitive to the alkaline salts that develop from dried urine deposits, and permanent color damage may have occurred. If you have such a situation, you should have the rug cleaned as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Even so, your cleaner will probably have you sign a waiver acknowledging the pre-existing damage before they attempt to restore the rug for you.
6 Questions to ask before you trust:
# 1
How long have you been cleaning and are you certified in rug cleaning by the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (or IICRC)?
# 2
How will you clean my rugs?
# 3
Do you remove dry soil before washing? How?
# 4
Will you test them for crocking and bleeding and pre-inspect them for any damage before cleaning?
# 5
Are you insured?
# 6
Do you stand behind your work with a money-back guarantee?
“Many rugs are hand-woven & may have hundreds of hours of artisan labor invested in them. The knowledge of proper care and cleaning is essential to getting as much life as possible out of your rug.”