Christmas can be a chaotic time of year, whether you’re relaxing with your nearest and dearest or hosting a party this year, it’s important to think about safeguarding your belongings. From pesky Christmas tree pine needles to spillages and being trampled on, chances are that your rug is going to go through a lot this Christmas. With that in mind, here are a few handy tips on how you can look after it during the holiday season and beyond.
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Spillages
Although spillages can happen any time of the year, the risk is particularly heightened during the Christmas period. No matter what liquid is spilt on your rug, it’s essential that you act quickly. By acting immediately, you can dramatically reduce the risk of any damage to your rug because you’ll be stopping the liquids from penetrating it more deeply. Once any liquids have penetrated the rug, cleaning can be much more difficult.
It’s recommended that you use a damp cloth, preferably one that’s white and made of cotton. Immediately place the cloth on top of the area and leave it to absorb any spillage. Be sure not to rub the area or else it may damage the surface. If you spill any non-liquids, use a spoon to scrape them off.
Pine needles
Pine needles can be a real pest over Christmas and could result in you hoovering your rug more regularly. To ensure you don’t damage the rug whilst hoovering, it’s important to use the nozzle attachment. Hoovering lightly should be enough to remove any excess pine needles as well as loose yarns and surface dust. To ensure best rug care practices are followed, avoid hoover brushes as they break up the yarns which can eventually reduce the life of your rug. If you have a smaller rug, it’s a good idea to shake it outside before hoovering, this will get rid of most of the pine needles, meaning you can use the nozzle to get rid of any unwanted dust.
Anti-slip underlay
If you’re planning on having family and friends over this Christmas, then your rug could actually pose a hazard. If your rug is on a smooth surface such as tiles, vinyl or laminated flooring, then there’s every chance your rug could end up sliding. Rugs that aren’t fully flat to the surface can also present a trip hazard, so if you want everyone to remain safe and sound this Christmas, invest in an anti-slip underlay. This will prevent slips whilst also acting as a shock absorber which can cut down on the wear your rug is likely to go through over the Christmas period.
No shoes
If your rug is fairly new, then you may have noticed it shedding quite a lot. Although this is likely to settle over time, it’s highly likely that a busy Christmas period will affect it. Foot traffic, combined with animals and even abrasive cleaning can all contribute towards your rug shedding. To help prevent against shedding this Christmas and promote good rug care, it’s advisable that you insist on no shoes in the house. Barrier mats are also recommended as they stop dirt from entering the home. Gentle hoovering using the nozzle and avoiding the hoover brush is also a good idea.
Loose strands
During heavy usage of your rug over Christmas, you’re highly likely to come across some loose strands. Rather than pull at them, you should look to trim the loose fibres level with the surface of your rug. Pulling them can result in weakening the backing of your rug. You can also hoover loose fibres, as long as you do it carefully and avoid any abrasive cleaning methods.
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