Do you have area rugs as part of your home decor? Have you caught yourself looking for tips on how to keep your rugs look their best for as long as possible? Did you know that there are a lot more ways to ruin your rugs than you may have realized? You may be well aware of what you should do to keep your rugs safe, but what about the things you shouldn’t do? In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to totally ruin your area rugs, so you’ll know exactly what to avoid and protect your rugs from in the future.
1. Moisture
Whether you’re decorating with a square area rug or something totally different in terms of shape or style, moisture is the number one most common way your rug may end up getting ruined. Keep your rug away from parts of your home where moisture may be more common for best results.
2. Food
Your 10 x 12 rugs, your accent throw rugs, and everything in between are likely to be damaged or destroyed if they suffer any food spills. But spills aren’t the only culprit—food particles that may be ground into the rug by foot traffic can also contribute to this problem.
3. Bugs
Did you know some types of area rugs are prone to getting insect infestations? If you have a problem with fleas, bed bugs, ants, or any other type of insects in your home, be sure to thoroughly clean your rug to prevent these bugs from building nests or laying eggs in the piles of the fiber.
4. Sunlight
Your bright rugs may soon become dull and drab if you use them in a part of our home where they’re regularly exposed to bright, direct sunlight. Because of this, it’s very important to buy a rug that has been UV treated for use in areas like this, or to use window treatments to prevent the sun from hitting your rug directly.
5. Kids
If you have kids, you probably know they’re one of the most common threats to your rugs. Children and rugs can mix, but it’s important to set up some boundaries about your kids and when they should and shouldn’t be spending time on the rugs in your home. Be sure they have their own area rugs to play on and spend time on, and they’ll be less likely to risk damaging yours.
6. Pets
Pets are very similar to kids in the way they can affect your rugs, but it’s harder to explain to a pet that he or she can’t sit on, roll around on, or even have an accident on your favorite area rug. If you have a very expensive rug you want to preserve, it’s best to use it in a room your pet is not allowed to enter. On the other hand, you can always decorate with inexpensive rugs and prevent the possibility of your pets causing harm to a priceless antique.
7. Cleaners
Did you know that the rug cleaner you choose may actually end up causing some harm to your rug? If you use the wrong type of cleaner on your rug, you could end up stripping it of its colors (especially if it’s hand-dyed) or otherwise causing the fibers to become damaged or even to disintegrate. It’s very important to pay close attention to the type of rug you have and ensure you’re using the correct cleaner.
8. Wine
It’s no secret that wine is another common culprit of the destruction of area rugs. Whether your home is decorated with traditional rugs or more abstract rugs, you can’t rely on the possibility that the rug’s design will hide potential wine stains. Try not to have wine around your area rug at all if possible to prevent this type of accident. If you do have a wine spill on your rug, you’ll need to check on how to clean it up depending on the type of rug fibers you’re working with.
9. Paint
Painting your living room to match your new floral area rug? If so, you might want to cover that rug first—or better yet, move it away altogether. Paint spills are almost impossible to get out of the fibers of an area rug, and this can mean certain doom for your favorite rug regardless of the type of material it’s made out of.
10. Bleach
Your green area rug may be only a bleach spill away from having a large white or yellow spot in the middle of it, so take care not to use bleach around rugs if at all possible. If you must have bleach in the area, it’s a good idea to cover the rug, or move it out of the room first altogether. Also, don’t forget that the smell of bleach can easily build up in your rug’s fibers and linger in your room for a long time, whether you want it to or not.
11. Foot Traffic
That 9 ft round rug you have decorating your family room sees a lot of foot traffic, and the longer it stays in that position, the more it’s going to become worn down and damaged just from people walking over it. Of course, if this is the purpose of your rug, you may just need to replace it every so often to keep up with your family. Otherwise, rotating your rug or redecorating without it now and then can help. Appropriately-sized rug pads are a great option for helping your rug stay in place and also reducing the impact of foot traffic on all of your favorite area rugs.
Were you able to learn a little something about how to protect your area rugs and what to do to prevent them from becoming damaged in the future? As you can see, there are a lot of things to avoid when you have an area rug in your home, but if you practice a little extra care and attention when it comes to caring for your rugs, you should be able to keep them looking wonderful and functioning well for many years to come.