How To Clean A Rug Without Damaging It (2024): 7 Simple Steps

How To Clean A Rug

Whenever I want my room to look more comfy the first thing that comes to my mind is carpet or different rugs but how to clean a rug it is always a difficult question.

Place of carpets in rooms or in different spots my your room has more character. Carpets or rugs are not just for making room comfy but also people prefer rugs and carpets if they have crawling children in their house. Carpets or rugs help in protecting their child from any major harm whenever they fall.

If we see around us, nowadays it’s becoming trendy to have carpets in your home and if they don’t like carpets they just put different colored rugs at different places which looks more attractive than putting whole carpet in the room. Many people prefer to clean their carpets or rugs every day with the help of a vacuum cleaner but some people think that their carpets and rugs are not that material that gets dirty immediately so they clean them after a week or even after a month.

But this concept is totally wrong as carpets or rugs have the tendency to absorb the liquid material but the stains or any dirt remains in it. Though if you see from above it will look clean to you but day by day it will get more dusty or dirty and when you try to wash it or clean it, it will be very difficult for you as it will be filled with debris or dust particles which become sticky with the rugs or carpets making it more complex to clean your rug or carpet.

In this article, we are going to tell you how you can clean your carpets or rugs without any hindrance. The best way to make your carpet or rugs always look clean is to vacuum it or clean it every day or at least once in two days. Let’s get a rough idea about what our rugs or carpets are and how they are manufactured

Carpets Or Rugs:

Carpets or rugs are some kind of decorative textiles which are mainly made up of thick material and now they are used as a floor covering. If we talk about the 19th century, then rug or carpet is just a name of the material that covers some tables like table covers or wall hanging.

But with the advancement of technology when they introduced the machine -made products since then carpet or rug word is used for the woven material used to cover floors.

There is only one difference between a rug and a carpet that carpet us the woven material which covers the whole floor but rugs are the covering that covers only the partial area of the floor not completely. Rugs are mostly used for decorative purposes.

Many carpets or rugs are made up of sheep’s wool which is not only durable but also dyes readily and can be handled easily. Other things which can make carpets or rugs are Camel hair wool or goat wool which are rarely used. Cotton’s strength and smooth yarn make it an ideal wrap.

We all know that silk material is too expensive so it is totally restricted in making carpets or rugs. Although silk is too expensive and restricted this is the only material that produces luxurious, delicate rugs and it creates a different and amazing charm in carpets or rugs.

In ancient times when silk was not that much expensive, Persians mostly used silk for their carpets or rugs. Embroidery is also used in some carpets or rugs which makes it look more fancy. They are exclusively used in Europe and America.

Whenever you are buying any carpet or rugs don’t forget to keep in mind three things: Style, placement, and budget. Because when you are buying this kind of stuff, the look of these carpets or rugs makes you overwhelmed that you want to buy each and every one. And the most important thing which you should keep in mind that how easy it is to clean that rug or carpet because it is very important to buy that stuff which you can clean easily. Different rug or carpet material is also available in the market from natural to synthetic fibers so make sure to consider all these important points before buying any carpet or rug.

Best Way To Clean My Rug – What Is It?

If you do regular cleaning with a vacuum cleaner and quick spot cleaning can go a long way when it comes to helping area rugs to get cleaned and look great. Regular cleaning makes it last for years. The cleaning depends on the type of rug you own.

Scott Johnston says, “The type of rug you own will determine how you maintain and clean it”. Scott Johnston is the owner of the Carpet Care of the Carolinas in Raleigh, North Carolina. He further says that “Natural fiber rugs have to be treated differently than a synthetic rug”.

Johnston also notes that “The wool rugs are the ones that should be cleaned with cold water. The cold water protects the wool rug from damage or distortion.” Johnston continues, “You can be much more aggressive when cleaning synthetic rugs, as they can handle the hot water and stronger cleaning solutions”. Professional cleaning is always best for some types of rugs.

The Mashhadi warns, “In general, Persian and Oriental rugs, rugs made of silk or varicose as well, should be cleaned only by professional cleaning method”.

What Kind Of Tools And Supplies Are Used To Clean The Rug At Home?

The tools and supplies needed to clean the rug at home include:

Mild Dish wash soap and
Rug Shampoo
Bucket
Broom
Gentle laundry detergent or wool detergent
Sponge or Soft brush
Water
Rubber Gloves
Garden Hose
Wet dry vacuum

Cleaning An Interior Rug – How?

The best way to clean the interior rug i.e. wool rugs, shag rugs, and even mats are mentioned below.

Step 1: Remove The Furniture And Objects Off The Rug.

You have to take the rug out of the home for proper cleaning according to Johnston. He further says that “We use a lot of water while cleaning to assure proper soil removal”. And the rugs also have to dry quickly and properly to assure that the colors do not fade. You have to make sure that you do this process on a sunny day. Try not to make a bigger mess and place your rug on a tarp, drop cloth, or even a large piece of plastic instead of directly placing it onto the ground.

Step 2: Removing Dirt And Waste Matter:

In this step, you have to make sure that you clean all the dirt and debris from your rug. You can use a suction vacuum to clean the dirt and debris. It is the most effective method to clean your rug. Clean the rug on both sides with the help of a vacuum. You can use a beater bar with a vacuum cleaner that is also very effective to remove dirt.

Anjuli Bernstein says, “A great way to prevent stains from happening in the first place is to vacuum your rugs weekly”.

Anjuli Bernstein is the senior designer on the Patterson Flynn design team.

Step 3: Mixing the Cleaner:

The first thing to remember here is that, do not use a carpet cleaner or carpet shampoo on your rugs because the chemicals are too strong and damage the fibers. Use a specific rug shampoo to clean the rug. Follow the directions for mixing the solution with water. If you do not have a rug shampoo you can use the mild detergent as an alternative. Mix the detergent with warm water or cold. For synthetic fibers mix the detergent with warm water. For wool rugs mix the detergent with cold water. Warm water can shrink the rug so it is better for you to not use the warm water.

Step 4: Doing a color test:

For this, you have to test the solution on the corner of a rug to ensure that it is colorfast. If the color does not weep then it is safe to do the next step.

Step 5: Washing the Rug:

Wash the rug with the cleaning solution and use the Sponge or a soft brush to clean it. First of all, let the cleaner sit on the rug for at least five minutes before drenching it.

Step 6: Wash out the rug:

You can wash out the rug by using a bucket of clean water. You have to make sure that all the cleaning solution or detergent is completely removed from the area rug.

Step 7: Remove unwanted water:

In this step, you have to get rid of the water in the rug as much as you can. It will help the rug to dry faster. If you have the wet-dry vacuum then use it to remove excess water.

Step 8: Let the rug dry up:

First of all, put the rug flat and allow it to dry completely from the top. When the top of the rug dried completely then turn over the rug to let the bottom side dry. Before you return the rug to your room, you have to make sure the rug is completely dry.

Step 9: Vacuum the rug:

The threads and fibers can get compressed during the cleaning process. You can do this by using a vacuum.

Deep Clean A Rug By Hand – How?

You have to pay more attention to the stubborn stain. You can use the light soap with water which is recommended by Johnston to remove the stain.

Johnston says, “Do not use too much, as the soap can build up and cause more soiling”.

Johnston recommends that hydrogen peroxide can be used on blood, red wine, pet stain as well as clay mud. You can put the hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and spray it on the stain. After that wait for about six to eight hours before you mop it clean. Fresh club soda can also be used for lighter stains.

You can use a broom to beat the rug. This method works best to beat out the dust. Apply a small amount of water with a sponge and scrub it lightly to clean the spots. Schwartz says, “Before you do anything, test a small area first to see what happens”. If you want to clean the Persian rug at home then do not ever use chemicals and a solution that is harsh to the fabric or a material. Once the specific area is clean than dip the rug in clean water to remove the soap or the detergent. Put the rug on the surface or somewhere to let it air dry.

Johnston says that “Beating out a rug is a great way to dust the rug. It works”. He further says that “The dry soils are the worst enemy of the rug and getting rid of them is important”.

He further says that “You should put a rug over a clothesline and use a broom or a large leather belt to beat the rug. You will be amazed to see how much of the dust gets knocked out of it.”

Cost To Clean A Rug – How Much Does It?

The cost to clean a rug depends on the size of the rug. The bigger the rug the more expensive cleaning will be whereas the smaller the rug the more reasonable the cleaning will be. The cost to clean a small rug is about $19 to $27 and for a large rug is about $33 to $56 on average. You have to pay more attention to the natural fibers. Only the specific kind of products are used on the natural fibers. You can clean a rug yourself at your home if cleaning a rug does not bother you.

Cleaning A Natural Rug – How?

Natural rugs are considered a popular choice and for a good reason. They have a good quality material and look beautiful as well. Natural rugs are not easy to clean because they are made of materials like jute and wool. The best-recommended steps to clean the natural rugs are as follows:

Step 1: First of all vacuum the rug. Alternatively, you can beat your rug with a broom or a large leather belt to remove the dirt and debris.
Step 2: If there are any spills or stains in the rug then it needs specific attention.
Step 3: Avoid using any harsh chemicals on your rug. Just use warm water and mark any dirty areas. Do not rub it. Rubbing the dirty area can cause damage to the fibers of the rug.
Step 4: If the stains do not remove by the warm water then you can try soda water too.
Step 5: If the marks are still not gone then you can use a mild detergent with water to remove the stain.
Step 6: Do not use excess water. Make sure that your rug is thoroughly dried.

The natural rugs keep water very well unlike other rugs. If the natural rugs do not get properly dry then they can go fusty. So you have to make sure to dry the rug properly before you put it back in its usual place.

Clean A Synthetic Rug – How?

Before cleaning any rug, you have to make sure that you read the label on your rug to know what kind of materials it is made from. Most synthetic fibers are made from natural materials. Synthetic rugs do not need any special kind of treatment for cleaning. You can clean the rug just by following some simple steps. These include:

Step 1: Vacuum your rug almost two to three times a week. Vacuuming the rug keeps the dust and dirt away.
Step 2: Clean any kind of spill as soon as possible.
Step 3: You can also remove the stubborn stains just by mixing one part of vinegar with one part of water in a spray bottle. And spray this on the affected area or on the stain. This should help to remove the stain.
Step 4: You can get a professional cleaning of a rug once or twice a year. Sometimes the rugs need to be cleaned with something extra like steam or a foam Clean.

What Do You Need To Clean A Rug?

You will need the following things for cleaning of rug:

1. Vacuum Cleaner

Vacuum Cleaner is used to remove any kind of debris and dust from the rug.

2. White Cotton Towels

The White Cotton towels are used for the blotting stains to avoid the color transfer.

3. Soft Bristle Brush or a Carpet Brush

These kinds of Brushes are used to remove the stains

4. Mild Detergent With Water

The mild detergent usually dye-free soaps are used to remove the stains. The dye-free soaps do not damage the rug fibers. Do not use too much soap on wool.

5. Stain Remover

The stubborn stains are removed with the help of the stain remover.

6. Water

Water is used for diluting soap, washing as well as for rinsing.

7. A Garden Hose or a Bucket

A garden hose is used to wash and rinse the large rugs.

8. Carpet Cleaning Machine

The carpet cleaning machines are also used to remove tough stains.

Cleaning Area Rugs Yourself – How?

You do not need to hire any professional for cleaning the area rugs. You can clean it by yourself. You can Vacuum your rugs two to three times a week to remove the dust and debris. You need to do some further steps to get a cleaned and refreshed area rug. All of the area rugs need to be cleaned properly after some time. If your rugs get stained and have spills then it is time for proper cleaning. You do not need to hire any professional for cleaning your rug. You need to follow some steps to clean your rug by yourself. These steps include:

Step 1: Set Up An Area:

First of all, you need to set up an outdoor area to clean your rugs. Check the weather forecast for the next few days to make sure that the forecast is clear and sunny. You need to have a proper place to clean the rug and also a place to hang it. You can place your rugs on the wall to thoroughly dry them. Benches are also useful for this purpose.

Step 2: Vacuum The Rug:

In this step, you need to vacuum the rug from one side and then turn over the rug to Vacuum on the other side to remove any dust. When the rug is completely clean then roll up the rug carefully and place the rug back to its usual place. If you feel that your rug is not completely clean or it is still dusty then you can beat your rug with the broom or the leather belt to remove any dust and debris.

Step 3: Testing the Carpet Shampoos:

You should always test the carpet shampoo before you apply it all over the rug. You can test the carpet shampoo just by putting it in the corner of the rug and mixing it with water and letting it settle for a few hours. After some time rinse it with water. Check this area to see if there is damage to fibers or the color.

Step 4: Washing The Rug:

After the test, you have to wash the rug with the shampoo that you have chosen. Pull out the garden hose or the bucket and give your rug a good rinse. Use a brush to clean any stain or a spot to work the shampoo deep into the carpet fibers. This step requires a lot of scrubbing and foam.

Step 5: Drench The Rug:

Read the directions carefully and leave the shampoo on your rugs as long as it is indicated according to the directions. When the time is completed then rinse the rug to knock out all the shampoo from the rug.

Step 6: Let The Rug Dry:

Try to squeeze the rug as much as possible to get rid of all the excess water for drying purposes. After all of that, your rug will be still very wet and you will have to dry it completely to before putting it back in its place. Always consider moving your rug to the laundry room or garage for more protected drying. You do not feel any water in your rug even when you squeeze hard when the rug is completely dry.

Step 7: Vacuum The Rug Again:

When you place the rug back to its location then Vacuum the rug one last time. The Vacuum helps the rug to restore its proper appearance.

Importance Of Cleaning Of Rug:

If you cleaned your carpets or area rugs on a regular basis then this can help you to prevent any fungal hyphae and any build-up. Professional carpets and rug cleaners have high-powered drying tools that destroy moisture. You can prevent the fungal hyphae by eliminating moisture. One more advantage of cleaning the carpet or the rug is that it helps extend the life of your rugs and carpets. The cleaning of the rug makes it more refreshing for a longer time. If you do not Vacuum your rug on a regular basis or every 2 to 3 days then this can cause the dirt, dust, and debris to accumulate in the carpet. The dust and dirt embedded in the fibers of the carpet can cause damage to the fibers of a rug. Professional carpets or rug cleaners use methods that involve hot water extraction. The hot water extraction helps to remove the debris from the carpet. You can Vacuum the rug regularly to decrease the dust and debris build-up in the area rugs.

Conclusion:

Nowadays it’s becoming trendy to have carpets in your home and if they don’t like carpets they just put different colored rugs at different places which looks more attractive than putting the whole carpet in the room.

This article is written to learn the methods to clean the rugs. Many people prefer to clean their carpets or rugs every day with the help of a vacuum cleaner but some people think that their carpets and rugs are not that material that gets dirty immediately so they clean them after a week or even after a month.

If you guys are here then you are surely searching for the methods to clean the rugs. In this article, I have concluded all the best methods to clean the rug whether they are natural rugs or synthetic rugs. You do not need any professional cleaning for your rugs. You can clean your rugs at home too.

And it is not so difficult to clean the carpet at home. Hope the methods in the article help you a lot in cleaning the rug.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Often Should Rugs Be Cleaned?

Answer: The rugs should be cleaned after every 12 – 18 months. There are a number of different factors that can make it a good idea to clean your rugs.