How Do You Clean A Silk Rug? (A Comprehensive Guide!)

Silk is a stunning and expensive natural fiber which is produced by silkworms. The traditional associations of this fabric with royalty make it desirable to possess. If you wish to make your room look more lavish, all you have to do is get a delicate silk rug. There is absolutely no way you can deny how mesmerizing it is visually!. Unfortunately, once it is stained, there is little you can do. Cleaning it will be tough. At most, you can prepare for such a mishap by learning how to deal with silk!

To clean a silk rug you have to follow these steps: First, eliminate the dust by vacuuming, using a soft broom and beating it lightly. Second, blot the stains with a dry cloth and baking soda. Finally, use a water and vinegar mixture to eliminate stains and remove odor. This is a short summary of what you have to do. But keep reading to know exactly how it should be done! You have to be extremely careful because any exposure to chlorine could result in permanent yellowing. And if you’re stil unsure, it doesn’t hurt to hire an expert for a deep rug cleaning session once a year.

Are you looking for more reasons to consider professional carpet cleaning? Then I would highly advise you to visit this post.

Let’s take a look at how you can preserve your precious rug made with silk!!

Overview of Silk Rugs

People throughout the world have fancied silk for centuries.

According to legends, a Chinese Empress called ‘Leizu’ deserves the credit for finding out about silk back in 3000 BC. For centuries China had an effective monopoly over this luscious material. They achieved this by banning the export of any sort of silkworm or eggs to foreign lands. Think about that; the fabric was so sacred to this Asian country that they refused to share it with the world.

When it comes to rug materials, silk is the most coveted in the market. It has a heavenly luster and a delicate finish that can beautify any room. There are some downsides, as it is quite low on durability and can easily be damaged. Furthermore, it is a very tricky material to clean because of its fragile nature.

You don’t want your rug to be dirty. Silk is prone to abrasion, which makes it vital for you to keep it clean! Otherwise, be prepared to witness the deterioration of your rug in no time.

The Steps of Cleaning a Silk Rug

To clean your silk rug, you need patience and determination.

Cleaning the silk rug is a simple process. However, you must be as gentle as possible to the rug since it is made of a delicate natural fiber.

What you will need:

1. A vacuum
2. A soft broom
3. Some gentle dry cloths
4. Club soda
5. Water and vinegar

Here is the gist of the entire cleaning process of silk rugs! Read ahead.

Step 1: Use a vacuum to eradicate all dust and dirt particles from the rug.

Step 2: Use the soft broom to sweep the rug; this will ensure that any debris stuck in fibers are also released.

Step 3: Try to hang your silk rug and beat it lightly to dust off any remaining dust.

Step 4: As soon as a spill occurs, blot the spill with a dry cloth to soak the liquid. If it is a solid spill, remove it by gently scooping it out with a spoon.

Step 5: Drip club soda on the affected area and blot the area using a dry cloth.

Step 6: Use a water and vinegar mixture to eliminate the stain and odor from the carpet. This step is a repetition of the previous one with club soda being replaced with a water-vinegar solution

Now that you have a holistic view of the cleaning process, let’s learn about some essential guidelines!

Guidelines to Preserve and Clean Silk Rugs

The longevity of your silk rug is dependent on how well you maintain it.

Aren’t you mesmerized by high-quality silk? When compared to other floor coverings, a rug made of silk is always thinner, more vibrant, and agile. Due to its delicate fibers, this fabric is weaved intricately into stunning carpets. If it weren’t for the detailed designs, people would not cherish silk as they do now.

Silk has a hygroscopic nature, which means it absorbs moisture present in the surroundings. Shockingly, it can soak water vapors up to a third of its weight. While this may be good for the indoor air quality, it isn’t that good for the rug itself. Such absorption could weaken the fibers and encourage the growth of mold and mildew. Preserving the material is crucial for its longevity!

Never be careless towards silk; otherwise, you’ll regret it! A rug made of it is a meaningful investment that demands your attention and care. Given that cleaning the material is tough, experts recommend a proactive approach for the upkeep of the rug. You should probably set up a maintenance schedule for them that helps you stay on track.

1. Place it in Low Traffic Areas

Since silk is not a sturdy material, placing it in an area with high footfall is foolish.

There are no two ways about it; silk rugs boast intricate designs, alluring colors, and a bold presence. After spending so much to acquire them, homeowners want to flaunt them in their homes. However, placing a silk rug in a high traffic area makes little sense. This floor covering is deficient in the ability to withstand wear and tear. So why would you expose it to excessive footfall?

Skilled weavers come together and spend hours crafting a single silk rug. When you find their work at a store, you willingly pay a hefty sum to get a hold of one. You are responsible for its maintenance. Protecting the integrity of their intricate designs and preventing deterioration is the least you can do. It is crystal clear that the placement of the carpet must dodge high footfall!

2. Prevent Stains and Spills

The prevention of stains and spills is crucial for your silk rug!

Would you want your gorgeous silk rug to be stained? Of course not! To prevent such harm from befalling on your floor covering, take a proactive approach. Seriously question your placement of the rug in your home. Think about the risk of facing spills and the wear and tear occurring. Make changes that protect your decor and keep it clean. The last thing you need to be is foolish!

These are a few things you have to keep away from the rug at any cost:

1. Red Wine
2. Pet Urine
3. Chloric Solutions
4. Acidic Solutions

Ensure you keep your silk rug away from spots where food or drinks are served. You never know when a mishap can happen! Moreover, consider establishing house rules that forbid people from stepping over the floor covering unless they are barefooted.

3. Vacuum Regularly

You must vacuum your silk rugs once every one or two weeks.

You’ve asked everyone to refrain from stepping over the silk with their shoes on. But that is not enough. You must also ensure vacuuming is done consistently. If you fail to do so, the rug will lose its sheen as dirt embeds into the fibers. Now you wouldn’t want that to happen to such a gorgeous masterpiece, would you?

If you think you are too careless to vacuum a silk rug consistently, don’t buy one. The fabric is high maintenance, and the quicker you accept this fact, the better it is.

4. Eliminate Dirt Buildup

Gently sweep the silk rug with a broom every week to eliminate the buildup of dirt.

In addition to consistent vacuuming, you must also remove dirt buildup. You could use a broom to brush off the particles gently. Whatever you do, don’t go overboard with the pressure. The fibers are too delicate to endure torture.

You could also opt for a traditional way to free your rug from foreign substances. All you have to do is take it outside and shake it. This fool-proof method doesn’t harm the fibers and simultaneously removes unwanted odors.

5. Clean Stains

A silk rug of inferior quality will inevitably face pile distortion.

When a spill occurs, you take action. Speed is crucial as there is no time to waste. If you take too long, the spill may embed itself into the fiber! Now you won’t want that, would you?

When a spill occurs, you take action. Speed is crucial as there is no time to waste. If you take too long, the spill may embed itself into the fiber! Now you won’t want that, would you?

The tensile strength of silk fiber enables weavers to push the knot count up to about 1500 knots per square. Without this high tensile strength, weavers can’t produce such delicate and intricate floor coverings. Isn’t that interesting? The only downside is that this silk trait makes it incredibly easy to damage the fibers if you’re not careful.

Since this wondrous material is pretty expensive, you need to take some extra precautions in dealing with them. When attempting to clean stains present on the silk rug, avoid using:

1. Heat
2. Dampness
3. Chemical Agents

I recommend that you sweep the silk rug gently with a broom now and then. Brushing off the dust particles like this will prevent them from getting grounded in the fibers.

6. Deal with Spills

Regardless of whether it is a solid spill or a liquid spill, you must deal with it.

Any rug placed in your home is bound to face a spill or two in its lifetime. Be careful and do your best to free the fibers from whatever fell over it. If it is something solid, find a tool that allows you to scoop away the debris. You need to be mindful while doing so as you can’t risk scraping the rug.

Silk absorbs liquid content due to its hygroscopic nature. So if any liquid spills over your rug, use a soft clean fabric to press over it. Any excess liquid will be soaked up by the material, making it easier to deal with the stains.

Tackling stains is possible with the following materials:

1. Club soda
2. A mixture of vinegar and water

You can use club soda to eliminate stains from the silk rug. Take a clean cloth and use it to blot the stained areas with club soda. Any excess can be soaked up using a dry cloth. Once you do this, leave the rug to air dry. Don’t try to dry it with some external source of heat as silk fibers can’t withstand it.

A solution made of vinegar and water can also come in handy to remove stains. All you have to do is repeat the same procedure as mentioned above for club soda. Just use the solution instead of club soda, and you’re good to go. Another good thing about using this solution is that it will eradicate unwanted odors.

7. Remove Odors

No one wants their silk rug to have a weird smell.

Are you worried about the musky odor coming from your silk rug? Lucky for you that a common household item can come to your rescue. Search for some baking soda and sprinkle a generous amount of it on top of the rug. Don’t miss out on areas that smell odd. After an hour or two passes, use the brushless suction head of the vacuum cleaner to such out the residue.

Baking soda acts as a deodorizer and freshens up the silk rug. If you want, you can gently rub the particles in with a scrub. This solution is easy and safe to use for fragile silk fibers. However, if you still have an odd smell emanating from the rug after it, seek out professional assistance.

Consider Professional Cleaning

The safest route to a clean silk rug involves a professional carpet cleaner. You don’t have to jump from one attempt to another to rid the floor covering from impurities. Just hire a professional who can effectively implement a solution.

Professionals are patient enough to handle the rug and knowledgeable enough to do the job correctly. Once you hire them, you can relax. The expert rug cleaner will inspect the floor covering to determine the nature of the stains. He is qualified enough to test out inconspicuous areas before implementing a solution on the rug. This cautious behavior helps prevent issues like bleeding in the carpet’s colors.

Conclusion

Silk rugs are lustrous, lavish, and alluring. They have a precious place in your heart, which is why you can’t bear seeing them dirty.

Keeping them in a mint condition requires patience and consistency. You will have to establish ways to prevent unnecessary spills or stains from occurring on the silk floor covering. To remove a stain, you can use club soda or a water-vinegar solution. To eliminate odd odors, you can use baking soda.

When you buy a rug online look out for gorgeous ones made from silk.