The art of hand making or weaving fine floor coverings dates back centuries. When loomed fiber
began being used for textiles, you can assume that floor coverings were also woven for the
wealthy. The techniques used to weave fabric lent itself to tapestry for wall hanging, which soon
became floor coverings.
Many think of Persian or Oriental carpets, very broad names for many individual styles from
many places, as the fancy area rugs wealthy people use in their dining rooms and elsewhere.
Using that nomenclature is like calling all vehicles a car. Some are cars, some are trucks, some
are motorcycles. All have names and are different. The same applies to fine area rugs. Fiber
content, dye materials, tying and knotting, and finishing methods all varied between France,
Spain, Turkey, the Far East, and the Middle East. Names like Ushak, Istfan, and Savonnerie.
Wool, cotton, jute, sisal, silk, and other materials were used to create the basic fiber and pile of
the carpet. Many large carpets took years of work to complete. Even today, fine area rugs are
being produced based on artwork and other hand designs, and are quite expensive.
When you make an investment in a fine area rug, or even just a nice one to help stop damage at
the entry way for your carpet, you hope it will last. A lot of people tend to think of area rugs kind
of like furniture, something to be moved before the carpet cleaning guy arrives. In truth, your
area rugs should be cleaned as often, or more often, than your carpet if you want them to
maintain their integrity and stay clean, while also helping extend the life of your carpet. There is
a reason great-grandma had a rug beater. She knew this was a basic cleaning chore long before
you could get help with the job.
Area rugs take a beating and need to be cleaned regularly, as they are one of the items that gets
dirtier than nearly anything else in your house. Area rugs, being the catch all, literally do catch it
all. It is not just the dirty boots and wet paws, it is the dropped dinner while you are juggling the
mail, laptop case, and a kid on one hip. We often try to wipe a spill and dismiss the stain. You
should stop and treat your area rugs the same as you would a stain on your main carpet.
Remove the excess, blot it dry without spreading the stain, and apply cold water to try and get
any further residue out. If you know the fiber content of the area rug, apply an appropriate non-
bleach or other harsh chemical spotting agent and follow the directions. And make sure to get
the rug professionally cleaned as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it will be on
the carpet to get the stain out.
There is a lot of difference in area rug cleaning Colorado Springs has available. Some carpet
cleaners try and clean in place (pushing grime into your carpet below) or drag them out on the
driveway. This is hard on the carpet and backing, and also makes for a difficult drying job. The
biggest challenge with area rugs is we often do not know fiber content and dyes. Area rugs are

famous for dye running or bleaching out with chemicals that are used. If you got it at a big box
store, you probably do not have a lot invested. But if it is a fine carpet, especially an antique,
you may have thousands.
Look for an area rug cleaner that knows how to inspect and determine the type of rug, fiber
content, and hopefully dying agents. Ask if they remove the carpet to take to a professional
plant or clean in place. They need to have experience in what they are cleaning. Do they use
biodegradable chemicals that are non-toxic and will not damage the rug? These are important
questions if you have pets or children. A properly trained carpet cleaning professional will know
these things and will also know how to properly dry your carpet so it does not curl, warp, bleed
dye, or pull. Your carpet’s backing, bindings, and fringe should be in as good a condition as the
face when you get it back on your floors.
Good area rugs are not cheap, even inexpensive ones. Turn one of the highest cleaning needs in
your home over to a Colorado Springs area rug cleaning company that knows how to protect
your investment, your family’s health, and your beautiful décor.