Luxury rugs are beautiful investments that pull a home’s interior decor together. Some people build their home’s design theme around a high-end tapestry. Others use them as art.
The level of care depends on the amount of traffic the tapestry will experience.
Nonetheless, since the rug lives on the floor, they all require careful maintenance.
The following are seven important tips to follow when caring for your luxury rug.
1. Sweep Daily
The amount of traffic a tapestry receives determines how often it requires cleaning including vacuuming. Professionals advise vacuuming it weekly. Keep in mind that over-vacuuming causes the edges to fray faster.
Surfaces accumulate a layer of dust daily. After two to three days, it becomes obvious. For the floors, sweeping the debris and dust daily keeps the tapestry looking its best. It also helps keep the indoor air quality at a healthy level.
Some homes accumulate more dust and debris than others. For example, children and pets track in more debris and dust than adults into the home. Plus, pets drop their hair on the floor.
Sweeping daily provides good care results.
2. Add a Rug Pad
Luxury rugs don’t consist of adhesives that keep them in place. Instead, rug owners purchase pads and place them underneath. A rug pad serves several purposes.
It acts as an adhesive between the tapestry and floor. Therefore, you and your guests won’t slip suddenly when you walk on top of it.
Over time portions of the tapestry can bunch up. The bunching creates creases and impacts its design. Rug pads decrease the bunching.
3. Treat Stains Promptly
When food or liquids fall on a tapestry, its fibers absorb it quickly. If you blot the top fibers, you can soak up the liquids and oils. This makes the stain less noticeable.
Stains that sit longer on the fibers became more challenging to remove. If you own a vintage or antique rug, stain treatment is important for keeping the tapestry beautiful. The older and more ornate the tapestry, the more fragile the piece.
Spot clean with a mixture of water and baking soda. Blot with towels or cloth. For stubborn stains, use a mixture of vinegar and water.
4. Rotate it Regularly
A high-end rug is similar to a mattress. You think that all sides would wear down evenly, but that’s not true. Like a mattress, you must rotate the tapestry regularly.
Rotating it ensures that all sides receive the same amount of wear. Over time, colors fade. If the sun only hits a portion of the rug, it will fade faster than the rest.
Of course, fading is unfortunate. Rotating it preserves the entire tapestry longer.
5. Be Mindful of the Material Type
Some rug materials are more sturdy than others. Wool is the most used tapestry material and the sturdiest. Satin, cotton, and synthetics are other common tapestry materials.
Each material has a set of care instructions. Since silk is the most delicate, high-end rugs with higher silk content require the most delicate care. The other option is to place it in low-traffic areas.
Shaggy and hand-knotted also require special cleaning attention.
6. Schedule Professional Cleaning Services Annually
Caring for your rug also means scheduling professional cleaning services annually. The professional service uses machines that easily reach deeper into the fibers.
It’s the best method for getting rid of stubborn stains and smells. If you own a heavier tapestry, the professionals can rotate it for you too.
7. Hire Restorative Services
High-end tapestries have long lifespans. They will show their age eventually. When the tapestry shows its age, it benefits from restorative services.
Restorative services can remove the topmost layer of a rug’s fibers. It allows the less exposed fibers to become the new top layer. Restorative services refringe, rebuild and customize the tapestry.
Lawrence of La Brea offers more information on high-end rug care.
Conclusion
High-end tapestries double as works of art that require regular maintenance. Although you don’t need to vacuum it daily, you should sweep it. Sweeping gets rid of the accumulated dust, debris, and allergens. Schedule professional cleaning services annually to rotate and deep clean it for you. After several years, you can explore restorative services to bring it back to its original luster.
