Southwestern Rugs Require Special Care

Copyright © 2008 Rugs Direct^®

All fine-quality area rugs require a certain amount of care and maintenance. Some more than others. Southwestern or Navajo rugs, because of the special intricate patterns and colors they may feature require a bit more attention than most.

There is a company in Tucson, Arizona that specializes in the cleaning and repair of high-quality southwestern rugs. The Navajo Rug Repair Company has prepared a list of 10 rules your should follow for maintaining your special Native American rug:

1. If your rug is placed on a hard-surface floor, use a high-quality area rug pad. It will not only prolong the life of the rug tremendously, it will also prevent it from slipping and provide a high measure of safety. Do not use a net-style (or waffle) pad, or one made of rubber or jute. The type of pad sold by Rugs Direct goes by the name Miracle Hold.
2. Many southwestern rugs are reversible. If yours is, periodically flip it to even out the distribution of wear and fading.
3. Inspect the rug for insect damage or infestation. If you don't know what the signs are, hire a professional to check the rug for you. At the first sign of anything unusual, treat it for moths and carpet beetles (Dermestidae).
4. Vacuum your rug regularly, but do not use motor-driven rotating brushes.
5. Clean up spill immediately. Never let anything liquid or greasy sit on the rug because it is likely the resulting stain could be permanent.
6. Keep pets away from the rug. Pet urine is just about the worst thing to which you can subject a beautiful southwestern rug. It stains, it stinks and it is impossible to completely remove. Of course it is also highly undesirable to have your pet chew of claw the rug as well.
7. Keep the rug dry. If it does get wet, dry it in as short a time as possible. Use clean towels and dab the liquid - don't rub. If you have a wet-dry vacuum (Shop-Vac), use it to pull as much of the liquid out of the rug as possible.
8. Likewise, don't allow moisture to penetrate the rug. For example, don't place a live plant on the rug because the resulting moisture can lead to mildew or rot. Wet shoes should also go someplace other than on top of your southwestern rug.
9. When the rug gets dirty - and ultimately not matter how careful you are, it will - have it cleaned by a specialist who knows the proper way to care for a Native American rug. Do not have it dry-cleaned, and under no circumstance try to steam-clean or use an automatic cleaner on your beautiful rug.
10. If you notice any tears or fraying on the rug, have it repaired immediately. Again, your best bet is to hire a professional who knows how to minimize the appearance of the damage and prevent it from getting any worse. Contact the Navajo Rug Repair Company via e-mail, by clicking here.

Rugs Direct has over 225 styles of southwestern rugs available on its website, in a variety of sizes and colors. If you would like to browse the selections, please click here.

If you properly maintain your southwestern area rug and give it the care it deserves, it will provide you with many, many years of enjoyment and beauty.