Spot cleaning advice for your Oriental Rugs

Oh What a Night!

Most of us like to celebrate the holidays and New Year with parties and dining.  While they can be great fun for the participants, they might not be as good for your Oriental rugs.

In case you had a little spill at your holiday party, below are some instructions for cleaning up some common spills, including wine, beer and soft drinks.  If you find you don’t want to clean it yourself, we are happy to help you out by cleaning your rug in our dedicated facility.

The Five Solutions for Stain Removal

Most rug stains can be removed with a combination of the following items.  Which are applied and what order depends on what kind of stain you have.

1. 1)  Commercial dry cleaning solvent.  This is available at drug, grocery and hardware stores.  [Do not substitute gasoline, lighter fluid or other flammables]
2. 2)  Mild Detergent.  Use 1 teaspoon of detergent (such as dishwashing liquid) in one cup of lukewarm water.
3. 3) Ammonia. Use 1 tablespoon of ammonia mixed with 1/2 cup of water [Warning NEVER mix ammonia and bleach]
4. 4) Vinegar.  Mix 1/3 of a cup of white vinegar with 2/3 cup of water.
5. 5) Enzyme Laundry Detergent.  Mix a solution according to the directions on the label or box and leave on for the length of time they recommend.

To clean various stains, you simply apply these cleaners in the proper order.

Before you start to spot clean your Oriental Rug

Removing spots and stains from your rugs is not difficult, but it is important to do it correctly.  Make a mistake and it’s possible to create indelible stains that even professionals like Grillo can’t remove.  Below are some recommendations from the Association of Specialists in cleaning and restoration, which Grillo Oriental Rug Outl and Care is a member of.

If you have any concerns or doubts about the procedures or prefer to have the spot or stain treated professional, just contact us.

• Act quickly.
• Blot up as much stain as possible.
  • Scoop or sop up as much of the spill as you can.
  • Remember to blot – not rub, which could work the stain in further.
  • The more you can remove before applying stain removal techniques, the better.  Bloot up liquids with white paper towels or clean absorbent cloth, working from the edges in to keep the stain from spreading.
• Test in an inconspicuous spot.
  • Pretest each solution on an inconspicuous area of the rug by putting a few drops on each color in the rug, and blotting for 10 seconds.  If the dye bleeds into your cloth – STOP RIGHT THERE.  Your rug will need to be professionally cleaned.

Party Central Rug Cleaning Solutions

• For Wine apply 2, 4, 3 (Mild detergent, then vinegar, then ammonia).
• For Beer, apply 2, 4 (Mild detergent, then vinegar).
• For Cocktails, apply 2, 4, 5, 1 (Mild detergent, then vinegar, then enzyme detergent, then dry cleaning solvent if necessary).
• For Soft Drinks, apply 2, 3, 4  (Mild detergent, then ammonia, then vinegar).

How to Clean

• Using paper towels or clean white cloth, apply small amounts of the appropriate solution in the order given above to the stain area until the stain is removed.  Don’t rub vigorously!
• Don’t overwet the rug.
• Blot frequently and continue applying solution until your towel or cloth is not longer picking up the staining liquid.  Some stains respond slowly so be patient.
• The final step is to blot up any remaining moisture or cleaning solution by pressing or patting the are with additional absorbent cloth.
• Brush the nap of the rug lightly in the proper direction so it will dry that way.
• Allow to air dry.  (If you use a hair dryer, don’t hold it too close to the rug).

You can download our free Rug Care guide for more on how to care for your rugs and treat other stains.