How to Clean a Rug

Aug 23, 2022
            

Rugs are excellent décor pieces that tie the whole look of a space together. More importantly, they are cozy and essential for making a living space into a home. It is, however, also necessary to realize that rugs, especially the thick kind, have a penchant for accumulating all types of dirt, debris, and germs due to spills and human and pet foot traffic. While you may regularly vacuum your rug, it is essential to deep clean it every once in a while, even if it may look clean on the outside. Area rugs are especially prone to hide dirt deep in their recesses which may lead to harmful health effects for people.

Roll up your sleeves and prepare to scrub out tons of grime and dirt from your beloved rugs by following these easy steps that help you clean your area rugs all by yourself:

1) Identify The Material of Your Rug

As home décor enthusiasts know, no two rugs are the same. There are several different kinds of rugs and can be classified according to design, material, size, etc. To deep clean your rug, you first need to identify the material your rug is made out of. Different types of materials have different densities and might need to be handled differently during cleaning. For example, woven and braided rugs need gentle hand washing not to destroy their weave.

2) Get Your Cleaning Supplies Ready

Once you know how to handle your rug, it is time to collect the tools needed to scrub your rug to perfection. It would help if you had the following basic cleaning products and tools to clean your rug:

  • Rug Shampoo, if you don’t have a specialized rug cleaning product, then you can also use common dish soap
  • A brush, soft bristle is recommended to protect the rug.
  • Bucket
  • Tons and tons of water, rug cleaning is a very wet process. Prepare to get drenched.

3) Set Up An Outdoor Station

Check the weather forecast before scheduling your rug cleaning, as it is an activity that is done outdoors. Pick a dry spot outside and hang up your rug to clean it thoroughly. Use a sturdy support structure to hang the rug as they tend to be quite heavy.

4) Vacuum The Rug

While you might be hand cleaning the carpet, it is always a good idea to take a machine’s help to accelerate the process. Use a vacuum to suck out most of the dirt stuck deep into the recesses of the rug. Thoroughly vacuum both sides of the rug to remove most of the dirt. You can also give the rug a few good old-fashioned whacks and beat the dirt out to be on the safe side.

5) Apply The Shampoo to The Rug

Mix the rug shampoo with water according to any instructions provided on the packaging. Rinse the rug with water to prepare it for shampoo application. Doing a patch test on the rug with your shampoo is always better, as some shampoo might cause the rug’s colours to run. Apply the shampoo to the wet rug. Use the brush sturdily to work the shampoo deep into the rug’s fibers. Work the shampoo into a lather and clean for at least a good 10 minutes.

6) Rinse The Rug

After scrubbing the rug with a brush, leave the shampoo on it for the amount of time directed on the packaging. After the desired time, wash away the shampoo with lots of water. For ease, you can use a garden hose to wash off the shampoo. Make sure all the shampoo is rinsed out as any residue will damage the rug.

7)Remove Excess Water

Try and wring the rug to remove as much excess water as possible. You can use the wet-dry option on a vacuum to expedite the process.

8) Let it Dry

The last step is to simply let the rug dry. You can hang the rug outside in the sunshine or in an indoor space to protect it from the outside elements. Rugs are quite dense. Therefore, it may take more than a day to dry thoroughly.

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