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Orientals and other
hand-knotted rugs should be vacuumed only in one direction, "following the
nap', so the yarns always lie flat. This technique puts less stress on
hand-tied knots.
When anything
spills on a rug, the first step is to get it out quickly. For a liquid, like
juice, blotting is the best bet; for require special measures. For example,
if your carpet becomes indented from the pressure of furniture legs, you can
remove the depressions by holding a steam iron six inches above each spot
until the carpet is moist. (Don't touch the iron to the fibres). Then work
the fibres back and forth with a coin until they rise.
If the indentations are
particularly deep, lay a damp bath towel over the depression and press the
area lightly with an iron, using the wool or cotton heat setting. Leave the
towel in place until dry. If this doesn't work the first time, repeat the
process.
Static electricity is a
common problem for some carpets, especially during the drier winter months.
For an antistatic agent, prepare a solution made up of one part liquid
fabric softener and five parts water, apply this with a spray bottle.
Because static electricity pulls dust particles from the air, any measures
that reduce static help to keep the carpet cleaner.
Save a remnant of each
wall-to-wall carpet you install. When the carpet looks darker than the
remnant, it's time for a deep cleaning. For this, you can spray carpet
cleaner (imported, comes in a can), leave it for a while as instructed on
the carpet, then vacuum clean thoroughly, using an attachment that provides
maximum suction.
When a deeper cleaning is
needed, give the carpet to the commercial dry cleaners who usually charge
according to the area of the carpet.
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