To remove candle wax, break the wax apart using a spoon or spatula. Then place a brown paper bag over the wax, and run a hot iron over the bag (figure A). The iron will heat the wax, causing it to soak into the bag. This process takes a while, but you can eventually remove most or all of the wax from the carpet. To remove red-wine stains, pour a teaspoon of ammonia into 1/2 cup of water. Brush the solution into the stain with an old toothbrush until the stain begins to dissolve (figure B), then wipe up the residue. Spray the area with a mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water to neutralize the ammonia. Pet stains can be particularly harmful to Oriental rugs. Blot them up as quickly as possible, then spray the area with a mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water. Thoroughly clean your rug once a year. If you do it yourself, use cold water and a neutral detergent. Hot water or alkaline detergent will take the lanolin out of wool, making it look dull and lifeless. You may prefer to have your rug cleaned by a professional occasionally. Professional cleaning costs about $60 to $80 for an 8' by 10' rug.
RESOURCES :
Mark Keljik
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