How to Clean Your Rug: The Ultimate Guide!
Life is messy. Accidents happen. Area rugs are a great way to anchor a living space and turn a house into a home, but because they spend all their time on the floor, they tend to catch a lot of abuse. Shoes carrying dirt and traces of whatever you walked through earlier that day, spills from food and drinks, your dog’s dirty paws, the list is endless. The truth is, it doesn’t take long to accumulate a whole lot of dirt. But depending on the material that your rug is made of, there’s hope!
As a general rule, the safest option will always be water and a mild soap/detergent. This tends to be the least aggressive path and shouldn’t pose any danger to your rug no matter the material.
- Water and soap/mild detergent
99% percent of the time, this will be the safest option. Start with water and a soap or detergent before trying harsh cleaners or chemicals. Dish soap is effective against oils and grease, while detergent may fair better against stains and mildew. You may decide to go with an unscented soap for sensitive noses or something aromatic.
- Upholstery/Fabric Cleaner
The next option to try is a dedicated fabric or upholstery cleaner. These tend to foam up when sprayed from an aerosol can or spray bottle and are designed to lift and trap dirt and stain particles in the foam. This makes it easy to wipe away the dirt with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Wet a rag with warm water and apply your choice of soap or detergent to the affected area and allow 30 seconds for the stain to loosen. Blot the area with a dry cloth or paper towel to capture the dirt and remove it, making sure to turn the cloth or towel each time to prevent reapplying the dirt. Pro-tip: use a light-colored towel to track how much dirt you’re removing!
This Bissell steam cleaner blasts away grime in a flash.
- Steam Cleaning
For extremely stubborn stains, a steam cleaner (whether small and portable, like a handheld Shark cleaner, or a larger machine) may be your best option. The high heat and moisture of a steam cleaner is very effective at removing stains from fibers without drenching them in liquid, resulting in a relatively dry cleaning method.
- Upholstery Cleaner
What’s better than a vacuum? A vacuum with a spray nozzle! These carpet cleaners feature a brush, vacuum, and spray nozzle all in one. Clean, hot water and solution are filled in one tank, while the other tank collects excess water and dirt.