The construction of a carpet and an area rug are not the same. A primary plastic and a secondary backing are glued together to make carpet. Tightly woven threads catch and hold dirt in the foundations of area rugs.

Only a professional shop can perform proper dusting. When a rug is vacuumed at home, the dirt is contained in the backing, which, when combined with the cleaning chemicals and water, results in a tougher plaster-like substance hidden deep within the rug. The foundation fibers will become brittle and break when you walk on the rug, grinding away at the strands.

Unless it’s made of wool, carpet is made of nylon or plastic. Carpet cleaning chemicals differ significantly from those used to clean wool rugs. Consider this: you would never wash your hair with dish soap.