How to Clean Your Area Rugs With Snow

How to clean your area rugs with snow is an easy step by step guide showing you how snow can be used to clean your area rugs. We have had more than our share of snow this winter season, so why not take advantage and make the best of it? Stay away from chemical detergents to clean your area rugs by using nature’s own cleanser, snow! This process works really well on smaller handmade, and antique wool rugs. It can be somewhat difficult to do with large or heavy rugs unless you have a few extra helpers to lift the rugs and carry them outside. We want you to get the best results possible so make sure you try this in dry, powdery snow and not the wet heavy type of snow. You will be amazed at how snow-cleaning actually intensifies the colors in your area rug, making them look newer.

Step 1. Grab a broom and one of your area rugs and head outside into the snow.

Step 2. Shake the rug well in order to release any dust or loose dirt. Next, hang the area rug outside and let it acclimate to the temperature for at least a half hour.

Step 3. Lay the rug down in about 3″-5″ of snow, giving yourself a fairly large area to work in. With the broom, sweep a good amount of snow across the entire surface. Don’t be afraid to cover the surface.

Step 4. Beat the snow all around the rug with the flat side of the broom. The trace amounts of ammonia in the snow will react with the cold air temperature and cause any dirt to solidify and fall out of the rug.

Step 5. It is best to let the snow remain on the rug for approximately 15-20 minutes before flipping it over and repeating steps 3-4 on the other side.

Step 6. Lastly, shake as much excess snow off the area rug as you possibly can before hanging it over a railing or clothesline. Leave it to hang for approximately 20-30 minutes to allow the snow to sublimate. The snow will go from it’s solid phase to vapor without actually getting the rug wet.

Be sure to take the rug back inside the house and let it return to room temperature before you place it back on your floor.

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How can you tell a hand knotted rug from other types?

How can you tell a hand knotted rug from other types? Easy. Take a look at the back. Go to the rug, flip a corner and check out the back of the rug, it should show the same clear pattern as the front. Another way to tell is to trust the store or online site you are purchasing from. There are several reasons why a hand knotted rug is typically more expensive than other hand made rugs. Hand knotted area rug designs are more intricate and use the most labor intensive rug weaving process today. Typically, hand knotted area rugs have a more defined and distinctive design than a hand tufted or machine made area rug because of the way they are made. Let me help you understand. 1. First, an artist draws the rug's full-scale design on a special graph paper. 2. Each square on the paper represents a "knot" of the rug. 3. Once the design is drafted, the rug is placed on a frame, called a "loom". 4. Columns of thread are stretched vertically (referred to

Don't let the dirt settle in your rug.

If you plan on investing or have already invested in a handmade decorative area rug, it is important to learn how to care for one. The beauty and quality of your area rugs can be maintained for years to come with proper care and cleaning. Most types of vacuums are fine to use on your area rugs. Be extra careful with a vacuum equipped with a power brush, as this type of brush can create a raking effect on the rug pile and weaken the knots. Vacuuming helps prevent dirt on the surface of the rug from filtering down into the pile where it can accumulate and cause increased wear. Your area rugs should be vacuumed regularly to remove dirt and grit that can settle into your rug and may damage the fibers and foundation of the rug. You may not actually see dirt on the face of your rug but trust me the dirt falls and settles into the base of the rug over time. If your area rug is in a high traffic area such as the kitchen or family room, you should be vacuuming it at least once a week.

Rotate and Enjoy!

While there are a few recommendations for maintaining your area rug, the very first rule I like to tell my customers is to ENJOY it! Since many area rugs are used in rooms that can have a specific traffic pattern, it's a good idea to rotate your rug twice a year. Rotation will equalize sunlight exposure and will also ensure that the rug wears evenly. It is also a good idea to occasionally rearrange the layout of your room to change traffic patterns across your area rug. If your area rug has been in the same room for years you most likely have one side that is much more worn than the other. Although some experts claim that you only need to rotate your rug every one to two years, we believe you should make sure to rotate your rug twice a year to ensure more uniform wear and fading on all sides. Simply fold over each corner of the rug and then rotate the rug 180 degrees.

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