Tips from the rug specialist

Have you bought the perfect rug? Naturally, you’ll want to enjoy it for as long as possible. At MOMO Rugs, we have over 40 years of expertise in rugs. We know everything there is to know about the production process, the materials, and the best ways to care for them—and we’re happy to share our tips with you.

Rug Repair

Is your rug old, worn, or damaged? We might still be able to help. We have an in-house repair workshop at our store in Hilversum. Want to know if your rug can be repaired? Feel free to bring it to our store or send us a photo of the damaged area beforehand so we can assess whether repair is worthwhile. It doesn’t matter whether you bought the rug from us or elsewhere; we repair all rugs.

How to keep your rug looking good for longer

With a few handy tips, you can enjoy your rug for much longer.

• Rotate the rug 180° every three months. This prevents uneven wear and extends the rug's lifespan.
• Vacuum the rug with the brush attachment retracted, or—even better—use a separate nozzle. We do not recommend using a robot vacuum.
• Avoid walking on the rug in rubber-soled shoes as much as possible.
  
• We recommend using an underlay with all our rugs. An underlay keeps the rug securely in place and prevents it from shifting or becoming misshapen.

Advice on treating stains on wool, cotton, or polyester rugs

A glass of red wine, a cup of coffee, a glass of lemonade, or the dog not being walked in time—don't panic! We’ll explain exactly how to properly remove most stains.

Act immediatly!
The most important thing when dealing with a stain is to act right away. Never leave a stain for a few days expecting it to simply disappear. The first step is to remove the liquid—for instance, using a white terry cloth towel or paper towels. Remember: never rub, always blot! Do not use standard household cleaning products on your rug. Once you have blotted up the bulk of the stain, treat the rug with cold water and a little cleaning vinegar. Be careful not to get the rug too wet. Blot the rug again with a clean, dry cloth to absorb any remaining moisture. Do not walk on the rug until it is completely dry.

Salt does not remove stains.
Salt absorbs moisture, but it does not remove red wine from your rug, for example.

Do not use chemical agents or bleach
This applies even to strongly colored stains, such as red wine. Chemical agents or bleach will always damage your rug's color. You might get rid of the wine or coffee stain, but you’ll end up with an unsightly light-colored patch on your rug instead.

Too late?
There is a solution for older stains, too Sometimes, it isn't possible to deal with a rug stain immediately. You might not notice a stain on the rug until a few days later, or perhaps you simply didn't have time to examine it closely before then. Don't panic. For stains that have been on your rug for a few days or even longer, the best approach is to use a spoon. Scrape across the stain, working from the outside in. Then, use a vacuum cleaner to remove any loose particles. Finally, treat the rug with cold water and a little cleaning vinegar. Avoid getting the rug too wet. Blot the rug with a clean, dry cloth to absorb any remaining moisture. Do not walk on the rug again until it is completely dry.

Taking care of a wool rug

A wool rug is easy to maintain because wool fibers do not attract dirt. Wool is a natural product. Lightly mist the wool rug with water every quarter to keep the wool looking good.

Vacuuming
It is best to vacuum your wool rug using the smooth vacuum cleaner attachment. This is important for the rug's longevity. Wool rugs tend to shed initially; depending on the amount of wool, this shedding may continue for a few months.

Fuzz and loose pile tufts
A wool rug contains at least 1,000 grams of pure new wool per square meter. New rugs with a cut or sheared pile will shed loose fibers initially. Do not be alarmed; these are simply sheared-off ends or fiber fragments left over from the manufacturing process. The higher the pile, the more fuzz you will notice at first. It is important to know that you should never pull protruding or loose tufts out of the rug; instead, you may carefully trim them off. Feel free to remove this fuzz and any loose tufts with a vacuum cleaner.

Caring for a viscose/bamboo rug

The structure of viscose can change if you use tap water, potentially causing it to lose its sheen. You can prevent this by gently dabbing the stain with a cotton cloth; ensure the cloth is damp but not wet. Viscose and bamboo rugs should not be machine-washed, as this damages the tips of the yarn fibers.

Vacuuming
Keep your carpet clean by vacuuming it every week. It is important to use a standard vacuum head rather than an electric one.

Stain on your viscose/bamboo rug
It is important to remove a stain from the rug as quickly as possible. Here is how to do it:

• First, use a spoon to remove as much of the solid matter from the stain as possible.
  
• Next, immediately dampen a white cotton terry-cloth towel with cold tap water.
• Wring out the towel and place it over the fresh stain.
  
• Leave the towel in place—without lifting it to check underneath—until it is completely dry.
  
• If the towel becomes saturated with moisture from the stain, replace it with a fresh one.
  
• Never dab or rub the stain with the towel, as this can damage the carpet's texture.
  
• Never use soap!

Maintenance of other types of rugs

Naturally, there are also rugs made from other materials—such as acrylic, polypropylene, or a blend of wool and cotton. In principle, our maintenance advice remains the same for these types of rugs.

Questions about maintaining your rug?

Unsure about how to remove stains? Or do you have another question about rug maintenance? Feel free to contact us; we’re happy to help.

Phone: 035-303 00 09

E-mail: hello@momorugs.com