Quick Tips for Keeping Dirt Out of Your Rug Pile

Image: WebMD

Quick tips for rug care: the dirty truth



One key way to prolong a rug's life is to limit how much dirt gets into your rugs. Removing shoes before entering the house and cleaning off little pet paws before they track extra dirt in the door can go a long way to keep your rugs clean. Vacuuming your rugs frequently also prevents dirt from being embedded down in the pile. The more dirt finds it way into the rug pile, the more damage it can cause to the fibers.

Image: Traffic Erasers

Walking on soiled rugs cause the dirt particles to work their way below the pile causing damage to the carpet fibers. Frequent vacuuming removes the dirt and particles from the surface before get embedded under the pile.

When vacuuming, spend the most time on those areas of the rug or on those rugs that receive the most traffic. Using these simple guidelines will help when you are cleaning:

• A dozen passes within 4 feet of an exterior door
• Eight passes in very high-traffic areas
• Four passes in any other area.

Be sure to keep your hardwoods regularly clean of dirt particles, so that they don't find their way into your rug. The cleaner you keep your floors and your rug, the longer both will last.