Choosing a rug that can fit your interior decoration is excellent. However, it may ruin your design when left dirty. So how to clean rugs to make them look new?
You don’t have an answer that fits all cases. You need to check the fabrics used to make your rug first. Then, use the exact cleaning method to cure it.
We will discuss the characteristics of certain kinds of rugs in this post and how to clean them. Let’s follow our guide!
How To Clean Rugs?
Rugs of certain types demand different cleaning techniques, and each product has a care tag stitched to it. You can use the tag as a reference.
Pay special attention to the manufacturers’ instructions for deep cleaning the product. They may recommend a suitable detergent for a thorough cleaning.
Wool and cotton
Wool is a fantastic material. It’s smooth, durable, waterproof, and retains its color better than many fabrics, making it ideal for manufacturing Christmas rugs.
However, the threads’ shape also makes them collect dirt. As an organic fiber, cotton has most of these advantages and disadvantages.
Fortunately, cotton or wool rugs don’t need any special care beyond what you’d expect. You can clean them by vacuuming, especially in the first months.
When your wool rugs are new, they may shed. Don’t freak out! They won’t become bare. Once the fibers start shaking, they will look great.
Jute
Jute is a robust material with strong fibers that make it difficult for dirt and dust to stick to. So, they are simple to clean. Vacuuming frequently should suffice.
Jute and water do not blend well. Jute absorbs moisture fast and keeps it for a long time, allowing mold, fungus, and harmful germs to thrive.
To clean a jute rug, you can use a hairdryer and paper towel to dry the spills. Do not wash the whole carpet. Instead, check and handle the hidden areas first.
Synthetic fiber
Synthetic fibers such as polyester, polypropylene, and acrylic are the most popular materials to make rugs.
These textiles are excellent at imitating cotton and wool for a fraction of the cost, and they don’t require any particular upkeep.
Synthetic fibers, unlike porous natural fabrics, are incredibly smooth. They will display dirt more quickly, retain color less efficiently, and fade with time. Fortunately, you can avoid these problems with proper care.
You should also be aware that many synthetic mats have a jute foundation, which means they face the same issues as a jute rug.
If you experience the same problem, do not clean your carpet with water. Moreover, dry the spills on it as soon as possible.
Natural fiber
Rugs woven from natural fibers, such as sisal, rush, coir, and grass, have an open pattern that enables dirt to drift through to the flooring underneath them.
To keep this kind of rug clean, vacuum it regularly. Remember to remove it and clean the floor too. If your rug is reversible, flip it to ensure even wear whenever you clean.
These rugs often have different squares stitched together. You can buy some extra squares or the same carpet but smaller.
If your rug square becomes permanently damaged, cut the threads joining it together and replace it with another square.
Shag
Shag carpets’ long strands are good at trapping dirt and leaving it hidden deep inside the pile. Vacuuming is also tricky due to the high pile.
You may risk damaging the fibers with strong suction. Moreover, the beater bar will tear them. https://numerologist.com If vacuuming is also the solution, do not use the bar.
If your mat is small, turn it over, and vacuum the back surface instead. This method will release any dirt trapped underneath.
How To Remove Stains From A Rug?
When your carpet gets some stains, time is important. Remember to wipe the dirty spot, not rub it, and clean up spills as soon as possible.
Drink stains
For soft drinks and alcohol, use a mix of 1 teaspoon dish detergent, 1 quart-lukewarm water, and 1/4 teaspoon vinegar. Then, apply the mixture to the stains, rinse your rug, and blot dry. The above Search engine optimization checker http://drugstore-onlinecatalog.com/ reveals.
If coffee or tea causes the stain, mix a similar detergent, apply it to the stain, wash it, and blot it. You can use a commercial carpet cleaner if a stain lingers.
Gum
Start by peeling off gum by hand. Then, get ice cubes and put them in a plastic bag. Place the bag on the remaining gum to make it harden.
Remove the gum using a knife or a spoon. If necessary, vacuum or apply a dry-solvent cleaner to it.
Paint
For latex and acrylic paint, spot clean it using a detergent when it’s still wet. If the color still lingers, use rubbing alcohol to remove it.
If the paint is oil-based, sponge it with unscented mineral spirits. Be careful not to let it soak in the backing.
Sauce
Rub with a detergent or a citrus-oxygen cleanser after sponging with cold water. Then, use a solution of white vinegar and water to rinse the stain and blot it to dry.
Melted wax
Apply the same procedure as with gum to harden the melted wax. Then, soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol for the residue and use the ball to rub the stain.
How To Deep Clean A Rug?
The easiest way to remove set-in stains is to deep clean the entire rug. For this task, you can use typical household cleansers. Now, follow these steps:
Step 1: Check the care label
Check the item’s care label before trying any deep cleaning, and follow any directions it recommends.
The label will tell you what you should take special considerations for and what to avoid.
For example, if the carpet’s backing is jute, you should not try deep cleaning it because the rug will be tough to dry. It will end up forming an awful smell and mold.
Step 2: Prepare
Deep cleaning is simple if you do it outside. It should be somewhere with a lot of sunshine so that you can dry your carpet quickly.
To take full advantage of the natural light, the greatest time to do a thorough cleaning must be in the spring and summer.
Also, do not carry the task on your lawn since you do not want the detergents to seep into the grass.
Here are some materials for the job:
- Dish detergent or rug shampoo
- Bucket
- Sponge or brush
- Water
Step 3: Vacuum the rug
Now, vacuum your rug thoroughly on both sides to remove all debris.
If it still looks dusty, don’t be hesitant to sweep it with a brush a few times to remove any remaining debris.
Step 4: Clean with detergent
If you use the rug shampoo, you have to follow the instructions. Otherwise, a mixture of dish detergent and warm water would suffice.
You also need to test the mixture on a small area for colorfastness. If things go smoothly, rinse the carpet with a hose, then use the brush to rub the mixture into the rug carefully.
You shouldn’t put too much effort into this step. Just let the solution do its job instead. Then, allow the rug to air dry for a while before rinsing it with the water once more.
Step 5: Dry the rug
Make sure the carpet is entirely dry before bringing it inside. It may take some time, depending on the construction and design of the item.
If you use the rug when it’s still wet, bacteria, mold, unpleasant smell, mildew, and some permanent damage may develop.
You can lay the carpet on an inclined driveway or drape it on a deck railing to speed up the drying time.
You can also set up a fan to help the fabric dry faster. Moreover, flipping it periodically helps it dry on both sides.
Step 6: Vacuum again
Finally, vacuum the carpet one more to eliminate any debris that you deep clean but still remain. Your rug will look new and then get ready to be stored or used again.
If you’re wondering how to store rugs, check it out!
Conclusion
When it comes to cleaning rugs, there are several factors to consider and multiple methods. The first step is to examine the fabric and its characteristics.
Vacuuming rugs on a regular basis is essential. Also, have some rug cleaners on hand so you can quickly cure the stains.
If you have other tips or hacks, please share them with us at [email protected]. Geembi will always be glad to hear from you. Thank you for reading, and see you in the next post!