Area rugs are a great addition to many a room. There does inevitably come a time however, where simply vacuuming is not enough to maintain its quality. One essential thing to remember when you are thinking of cleaning your rug is whether it should be left to professionals.  Antique carpets, Persian rugs, and other delicate pieces should be left to the professionals. They are all expensive to replace and therefore worth paying to have it done professionally. This great advice on how to clean your area rug comes from familyhandyman.com.

Step 1 – Set up an outdoor space

As rugs are usually quite big setting up a space outdoors is very important. This should be done on a day when the weather will be sunny or at the very least dry for a couple of days. You will need somewhere for the rug to hang once it is dry. A simple washing line is not enough as it will most likely break so something like a wall or bench is a more sturdy answer.

Step 2 – Vacuum and move

The next step is to vacuum the rug thoroughly on both sides. Vacuuming the fibers will remove the usual amount of dust however repeating this process on the underside will also remove more dust. Once this is done the rug should be rolled and moved to the space set up for cleaning. Dust removal can be followed up with a good old fashioned whacking of the rug. Ensuring not to damage, using something like a broom handle, give the rug a few good hard smacks. If a dust cloud appears hit it a couple more times to remove as much dust as possible. 

Step 3 – Shampoos

When cleaning any kind of rug or carpet testing the shampoo is of utmost importance. Testing a small corner or patch of the rug is very simple, just apply a small amount to the test area and mix in some water. Leave this area for a few hours before coming back and rinsing it off. Ensure there is no decolourisation or fiber damage. 

Step 4 – Wash and Rinse

The first step in the actual wash is to rinse the rug. Using a garden hose rinse the entire area thoroughly. Do not worry about it being too wet as it will need to be wet for the shampoo to work effectively. Next step is to apply the shampoo as instructed on the bottle. Use a sturdy brush to work it into the fibers. This step will require a lot of scrubbing and work. Leave the shampoo for as long as guided on your shampoo.

Step 5 – Rinse

As before rinse the rug off removing all traces of the shampoo from the rug. Residue can cause damage to fibers.

Step 6 – Dry

Hang the rug in your designated area. The rug should be very dry before being brought back into the house. A good way to test this is to squeeze an area and ensuring you do not feel any water and possibly feel it become quite stiff. Once dry bring back into the house and vacuum thoroughly. The process of vacuuming will work like a comb to bring life back to the fibers. 

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