They come in countless models, colors, thicknesses and textures. Round, square or rectangular. Large, medium and small. Rugs are an essential item in homes when temperatures start to drop. In addition to being decorative – some handmade are authentic hand-woven jewelry – they are a very good option to give warmth to our rooms and have a warm surface on which to walk without slippers in some areas of the house. Carpets are a perfect insulator, but they are also a magnet for all kinds of dirt.
They are ideal for the hall, living room, in long corridors and in bedrooms, where they can be a perfect solution to create a play, rest or reading space on the ground floor for the cooler months . Except for the doormats that we usually have at the entrances to our homes, we generally use the rest of the rugs only in autumn and winter. Especially the thicker ones.
Therefore, at the end of the cold season we will have to do a deep cleaning of our carpets and tapestries, roll them up so that they do not get damaged and store them properly so that when we want to reuse them they are still perfect. .
If you are one of those who collect rugs and like to use them at home, you will already know that they are one of the household items that concentrate the most dust on their fabrics. If you have pets, you must have gone crazy on occasion trying to remove all the hairs that are trapped inside.
It is very important to clean our carpets daily, especially if you live with someone in the house with allergies and respiratory problems. But it will also be necessary to carry out a deep cleaning from time to time to remove the dirt that accumulates and the stains that can occur on a daily basis.
Obviously, the most efficient and quickest thing is to have a good vacuum cleaner that will do the hard work of removing dust virtually effortlessly. The traditional method is much more expensive and involves taking our rugs out to the window, patio or terrace of the house so that they can air out and shake off the dust they have accumulated with a broom handle or other device similar. So if we have a vacuum cleaner, the task will be much more bearable.
Baking soda, talcum powder or vinegar
Although it is always possible to leave them in the hands of professionals for dry cleaning and complete disinfection, with a little time and patience at home we can also achieve magnificent results. We explain to you how:
- To eliminate mites, certain stains and the bad odor that accumulates in carpets, a good tip is to use baking soda, which will be distributed over the surface of the carpet. We recommend doing this with a strainer or similar, to water it as finely as possible. Once the carpet is covered, we will also spray with cleaning vinegar. We will let the baking soda act with the vinegar for at least half an hour. After this time, and making sure that the carpet is dry, we will vacuum up the remains of baking soda.
- If we really need to get rid of a more localized stain, we will act differently depending on its origin. For example, if the stain in question is grease, you can use talcum powder. Here the reaction capacity we have will be essential to eliminate the dirt. The sooner we realize that the stain has occurred, the more effective we will be. What we will do is cover the stain with talcum powder, let it sit for a while and then, as we did with the baking soda, vacuum up the remains.
- If the stain is from tomato or a similar sauce, we can apply hairspray or hydrogen peroxide. And if they are soda stains or other types of more persistent stains, we will rub gently with a cloth soaked in a mixture of water and ammonia. What we are going to do is dilute 20 ml of ammonia per 100 ml of water. Remember to protect your hands from this product with gloves. If the rug is small and thin, we can put it in a basin with this solution and rinse it well in a brief machine wash for delicate fabrics.
- Another method is to use vinegar and lemon. To do this, we will mix the juice of a lemon, a cup of white vinegar, a few cups of very hot water and a few drops of neutral soap. Using a sprayer, we will cover the carpet stains with this liquid. Let it sit for five to ten minutes and start scrubbing the stain well.
- If we specifically want to eliminate the bad smell from the rug or carpet, we can sprinkle table salt on its surface and let it sit for between 15 and 30 minutes, then vacuum it. It can be thin or thick.
How to store our rugs
Before you start using any of these methods, you should take into account the fabric of your carpet and carry out a test in a corner beforehand to avoid unpleasant surprises and damage.
If after applying these methods your carpets still have a stain that is very difficult to remove or if a lot of dirt has accumulated that you do not easily see the results, you can resort to some specific products that are found in small and department stores and neighborhood stores for cleaning carpets. Or, take your tapestries to a dry cleaner to have them thoroughly dry cleaned by a professional.
With the arrival of spring, you will need to ensure that the rugs are very clean before rolling them up again for storage. The pile part is rolled inward, while the base of the rug should be outward. If possible, it is best to wrap them in some way to protect them from dust. And to store them, the right position is horizontal to prevent them from deforming and without putting pressure on them.
