5 Tips For Taking Care of Your Rugs This Winter!

The cold season is rough not just for you, but also for your carpets and rugs! Follow these tips to take better care of them through winter:

1. Invest in sturdy mats for entrances

Dirt and mud tracked shoes may not only stain the rugs and carpets in your home but could also lead to mould growth. Invest in a good pair of entryway mats. Place one outside the entryway for those who enter your home to stomp off their shoes. Place the second mat inside the doorway so that people can comfortably take off their shoes or boots. Keep a chair or stool handy for easy shoe removal.

It is also not offensive to request visitors to remove shoes at the door. If you’re shy to say it, hang a sign requesting them to remove their shoes.

2. Vacuum at least once a week

The best way to keep your rugs and carpets clean is by vacuuming them regularly. It is the best way to keep rugs clean of dust and dirt, especially in high traffic areas. Dust mites and mould spores increase in winter thanks to the extra humidity in the air and lack of ventilation in most homes as heating comes on. If you don’t vacuum regularly, these particles can settle deeper into the fibres of your rugs and mats, becoming harder to remove.

3. Keep a spot cleaner ready

Spills and stains are not a winter phenomenon, but something you can never ignore. Keep a stain removal product ready for the red wine spills and similar accidents.

4. Keep outside entranceway clean for a cleaner inside

Keeping the outside of your home clean tidy is as important as keeping the inside clean. If your deck or entrance is covered in leaves and dust, it is sure to be tracked in by shoes or paws! Keep the entryways as clean as possible to reduce the amount of dirt coming in.

5. Manage the dampness

Winter means wet and damp weather, perfect conditions for mould. Keep that in mind before you wash or shampoo your rugs and mats. They could take longer to dry and become mouldy. Instead, plan to have them cleaned before the cold season sets in, ideally on a nice sunny day! Our heat-set polypropylene rugs are great if you are worried about mould as they are synthetic so mould is not likely to grow on them, ask one of our friendly staff if the rug you are interested in is heatset polypropylene if this would best suit your home.

Keeping your house ventilated by opening windows, getting a dehumidifier or installing a ventilation system is not just good for you, it is also something your rugs and mats will benefit from.