Dusting is the most important stage in area rug cleaning! Anyone who skips this step is simply not cleaning your rug properly. There’s been one study that has shown that an 8ft x 10ft rug can hold as much as 75 pounds of soil & debris deep down in the fibers before it will even look or appear dirty! How much dirt do you think your rug is hiding?
Why is it important? Wool is a porous fiber, much like human hair. Similar to hair, pollutants from the air, dust, dirt and other grime can make a rug’s pile dull. More than this though fine sand-like particles of dirt and dust accumulate within the rug. These particles are very abrasive act as sand paper causing damage to the fibers with every step. When water is added to the mix the layer of dirt and dust become cement-like exaggerating the problem and can easily cause the foundation of the rug to become brittle and break.
What kind of particles are removed from “dusting”? The “dust” removed by rug dusting can include a mixture of many things most commonly:
- Allergens
- Dirt/Soil
- Dead Skin Cells
- Worn Rug Fibers
- Food Particles
- Pet Dander
Why isn’t just vacuuming good enough? Vacuums work great on the loose weave of your carpet, and are great for maintaining the health of your rug between professional cleanings. But vacuuming will only remove the debris that is on the surface. Even the strongest vacuums are ineffective at removing soils deep in the tight weave of Oriental and other specialty area rugs. Continue to vacuum your rug to keep it looking great, but every rug needs a good dusting and professional cleaning every couple years to keep it healthy.