Rug Cleaning Tips

Filed Under: News & Blog › Knowledgebase

Rugs are a great addition to any room. They provide style, comfort, warmth, and even sound proofing. Taking into account the amount of foot traffic and dirt that your rugs are exposed to everyday, it can sometimes be overwhelming to keep them clean and allergen-free. We at Rugs HQ have come up with a few helpful tips on how you can keep your rugs clean and healthy as well as last longer.

The first approach you can take to having clean rugs is adopting a “shoe-free” policy in your house. Bare feet and socks are much gentler on rugs and carpet than heavy outdoor soles. If that doesn’t work for you, then it’s important to make sure that you have high-quality doormats at every entrance to your home. This way, everyone can clean their shoes of extra dirt and dust which can harm your rugs. Rugs in high traffic areas should preferably be vacuumed everyday to prevent the dirt from penetrating into the fibers. If it is impossible to vacuum every day, then you should try to vacuum at least twice a week. This will help significantly to keep your rug clean and last a lot longer. Properly caring for your rugs on a daily or weekly basis will prevent you from having to do a deep cleaning for a year or more.

There are a few ways to check if your rugs need a deep cleaning. First thing you can do is take one of the corners of your rug and kick it up while holding onto the edge, if a lot of dirt comes out, then that means it’s time for a cleaning. Another way you can check is by rubbing the rug forcefully with your hand for 10 seconds and if your hand becomes dirty, that also means it’s time for a cleaning.

If you decide to clean your rug yourself, then try to move it somewhere outside or to your garage to save your home from getting dirty and for creating more work space for yourself. Start by vacuuming both sides of the rug thoroughly, in both horizontal and vertical directions. Next, wash the rug with cold water and shampoo it with a mild detergent. First be sure to test a small area to make sure that you won’t ruin the color. Use a soft brush with long bristles or a strong soft sponge to get rid of the dirt and dust. Do not brush the rug too hard because you can end up damaging the material. Next wash the fringes by using a laundry brush and the detergent. Brush repeatedly away from the rug in one direction. Then, rinse the entire rug with clean and cool water. By using a small shower or car window squeegee, you will be able to squeeze out the excess water. Once you have squeezed out all of the water you were able to, lay the rug flat to dry. When the top is dry, flip the rug over and permit the back to dry thoroughly as well. If the rug does not dry properly, you may have dyes from the rug bleed trough to your carpet or floors. After you are done with the shampooing and drying process, if the rug seems stiff you can vacuum or brush lightly to get some of the softness back.

One important way to maintain your rug between cleanings is to make sure you take care of stains and spills as soon as they happen to reduce the possibility of the stain to become permanent. With a little preventative maintenance, a daily upkeep and a yearly deep cleaning your rugs will last you a long time.