How To Clean Rugs: Tips for Washing Rugs
Is it time to give your rug a good wash? If you know how to clean a rug properly, you can do the same for all of your other floor coverings whenever you choose. Even while they help tie a room together, area rugs are often subjected to abuse from things like foot traffic, pets, and spills. When you can’t get all the dirt and debris out with a vacuum, it’s especially helpful to know how to clean it yourself.
Rug cleaning is a simple task that can be completed by anyone. A professional rug cleaner isn’t needed unless your rug is very fragile, like an antique rug, Persian rug, or oriental rug.
Please keep in mind that routine rug cleaning is not necessary. Instead, only clean the rugs when they are obviously unclean or smell bad. Keep reading our instructions to learn how to revive your dirty area rugs so that they look as wonderful as the day you brought them home from the store.
What's inside
Setup Cleaning Area In An Open Air
Set up a rug-cleaning station on a day when the weather is expected to be clear and sunny (ideally for the next few days).
A great time to clean your rug is in the summer when you can take advantage of the nice weather and do it outside. You should avoid setting up in an area where cleaners could leak into the grass.
Since carpets are usually pretty heavy, the system you choose to hold them up needs to be much stronger than a clothesline.
Bungee cords or a thick rope can be strung between two trees to create a makeshift bridge.
You can also use benches or a whole wall.
Necessary Equipment
The specific items you’ll need to clean an area rug thoroughly are as follows:
- Rug cleaning (or mild dish soap)
- Equipment: Bucket, Sponge, or Brush with Soft Bristles
Optional:
- Rubber gloves
- Watering can
- Hybrid wet/dry vac
Clean up the Mess and Dirt
It’s time to get the vacuum out and give the rug a good cleaning on both sides. As much trash as possible should be removed. To remove any remaining stray hairs from your pet, use the brush attachment.
Blend Your Cleaning Solution
This Bissell rug shampoo can be used as a real cleaning solution. Make sure to combine your shampoo according to the instructions provided in the container.
The alternative is to use a mild dish detergent diluted in a gallon of hot water. Don’t use boiling water on it because it could shrink the rug or fade the dyes.
Conduct a Color Test
Make sure the cleanser won’t cause the colors to run before you start scrubbing. Make sure the solution is colorfast by testing it on a small area of the rug. Do not proceed to the following stage unless you have confirmed that the color will not bleed.
Clean spots and stains on Area Rug
Work the cleaning solution into a lather on the carpeting using a sponge or soft-bristled brush. Do not begin rinsing the rug for at least five minutes after applying the cleaner. Insufficient cleaning will result from anything less. For best results, give it five minutes to start working and removing the dirt.
Clean the whole Rug
Soap residue can be removed from the rugby by rinsing it in clean water using a garden hose or buckets. Remove all the cleaning solution from the rug and make sure the water that runs off of it is absolutely clear.
Take Out the Extra Water
Now is the time to remove as much excess water from the rug as possible to hasten the drying process. If you don’t have a squeegee, you can use the direction of the nap to suction up any moisture or use a wet/dry vacuum if you do.
Put the Rug Aside to Dry
Next to vacuuming, letting an area rug air dry is the final thing you should do when cleaning it. It’s best to dry the top of the rug flat on the floor. Once the top side is dry, flip it over to dry the underside. Prompt assistance from fans is available. The rug must be completely dry before it is returned to the room.
Clean the Rug with a Vacuum or Brush
Threads and fibers may become crushed and compacted when being cleaned. Brush them with a soft bristles brush or run a vacuum over the dry rug to bring them back to life. You can finally relax on a spotless carpet when all your hard work is done.
Stains can be safely removed from rugs with dish soap (preferably dye-free). When washing wool, use as little soap as possible. Adequate stain removal products (such as Zout or Resolve) can assist in eliminating unsightly blemishes. Water: You can dilute the soap, wash it, then rinse it with water.
How do you give a rug thorough handwashing?
Apply a paste made from 1/4 cup each of salt, borax, and vinegar to any particularly stained or filthy areas of carpet. After a few hours, when the paste has dried completely, vacuum it up from the carpet.
The question is, how can you properly clean a rug that has been heavily soiled?
Carpet Cleaner You Can Make Yourself
Put together 1 cup of Febreze, 1 cup of white vinegar, and 1 cup of Oxiclean Stain Remover (NOT Oxiclean Detergent). Add the contents to the carpet cleaner, together with the hot water, up to the fill line. Your carpets will be clean and fresh-smelling after using this method. The carpet will have a faint vinegar smell till it dries. As a precaution, try it out somewhere unnoticeable first. That shouldn’t harm any carpets at all.
Cleaning Rugs with Baking Soda
Let the baking soda lie for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming it up after cleaning the carpet. Because of its absorbent nature, baking soda becomes more effective at removing odors, grime, and oil from rugs the longer it is left there. If you leave baking soda on your rug and then vacuum it the next day, it might help.
The average price of rug cleaning
There is a wide range in how much it will cost per square foot to have an area rug professionally cleaned, but on average, you can expect to pay between $1.64 and $7.12. Your rugs in the living room are filthy and need to be professionally cleaned.
