The Differences Between Area Rug Cleaning & Carpet Cleaning

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To many people, rugs and carpets are interchangeable. Although both rugs and carpets need to be cleaned every 12-18 months, each requires a separate cleaning process, especially when it comes to stains like pet urine and odors. Knowing the difference can prevent damage to your rugs and carpets.

MATERIAL

The biggest difference between area rugs and carpet is that they are made differently. Rugs are designed to be mobile, while carpets are meant to stay put. Rugs can be made of many types of materials so not all rugs can be treated the exact same. Each requires their own, unique care.

FRINGE

Fringe is the decorative border of a rug that contains loose, hanging tassels. Fringe doesn’t exist on carpets, but is quite common on rugs. This fringe is fragile, and can be destroyed by a vacuum. Rugs with fringe need special treatment in order to preserve the fringe.

DRY SOIL

Rugs are also made with a more dense pile. This means that the individual fibers are closer together than on a standard carpet. Dirt and soil tends to get trapped near the base of the rug where a vacuum cleaner can’t always reach. Some people beat their rugs outside to release the trapped dirt. We recommend calling a professional that specializes in rug cleaning.

BLEEDING

Most carpets are a single color. If it happens that this color bleeds, it usually isn’t a problem. However, in area rugs with intricate patterns, color bleeding can completely ruin a rug by muddying the design. This is why it is incredibly important to use the correct solutions and methods to clean an area rug in order to prevent bleeding and fading from happening. For some materials, a standard carpet cleaning solution just won’t cut it.

PROPER CARE

Because rugs are an expensive investment, it’s really important that you don’t trust just anybody to clean your valuable area rugs. Be sure to hire somebody who is trained and has the background, knowledge, and experience necessary to provide your rugs with proper care.

These are a few differences between cleaning rugs and cleaning carpets. For proper cleaning, we recommend the cleaning to be done by professionals. If your carpets or rugs are in need of a good cleaning, make sure that you’re hiring a reputable cleaner such as Indy Carpet Cleaning.