Area rugs are a good way to give your room an added charm while enhancing the existing beauty. Area rugs offer a room three distinct features:

1. Accent the beauty of your room

2. Protect your floors from wear and damage

3. Retain heat, thus potentially lowering heating costs  (the threaded material used in a rug’s weaving is known to retain heat

Homes located in colder climates are known to add an area rug to a room to take advantage of this heat-retaining feature. However, area rugs aren’t only for colder climates. Area rugs are popular worldwide because of the style they add to your decor.

The Features of an Area Rug

Area rugs are diverse and varied. They come in nearly any shape or size you can image. Many people think of vibrant colors when they think of area rugs. These colors are capable of adding life to any room.  However, the rug’s versatility allows you to really infuse your creative mind when decorating every corner of your home.

Handmade area rugs are typically expensive, and are known to be less durable than mass-produced rugs. However, not many mass-produced rugs can compare to the beauty and elegance of a handmade area rug.

Maintaining Your Area Rug

Area rugs require very little maintenance, for the most part. You need little more than a vacuum to clean your rug. However, vacuums can do harm as well, particularly around the edges of your rug. If your rug has fringe, take special care to avoid these areas with your vacuum.

What you probably should NOT do is shampoo your rug or use cleaning sprays. Also, despite popular belief, do not beat your rug. Beating it will only quicken the unraveling of the rug’s threads.

Below are some other helpful hints to maintain your area rug:

• Rolling up your rug is the best way to store it. Avoid folding it as this will create harmful creases

• Stains do happen. If you do stain your rug, use steam cleaning. Avoid harsh cleaning products whenever possible

• You should vacuum your area rug weekly on both sides (yes, both sides)