Accidents happen. Frequently, when you least expect it. Whether the mess is caused by a pet having an accident, children (or adults) spilling snacks, or someone tracking in mud, your area rugs are designed to handle the messy aspects of life. Some stains will be more difficult to remove than others, but the sooner you address them, the higher your chances of success. We chatted with Reza, CEO of Prestige Rug Spa, Ireland’s largest rug cleaning company, about our own experience cleaning up spills while testing dozens of rugs.
What you’ll require
- A vacuum cleaner: Before wetting your rug, it’s critical to remove as much dust and debris as possible.
- For blotting stains, use white cotton towels. To avoid colour transfer, make sure to use white towels.
- An old toothbrush, a carpet brush, or any other brush with soft bristles: To work soap or stain remover into difficult spots, you’ll need a brush.
- Dish soap (preferably dye-free) diluted with water: Dish soap will gently remove stains without hurting rug fibres. When it comes to wool, avoid using too much soap.
- A stain remover (such as Zout or Resolve) will aid with those difficult stains.
- To dilute soap, wash, and rinse, use water.
- A garden hose can be used to wash and rinse huge rugs (if you don’t have one, buckets of water will suffice).
Optional
- A machine for cleaning upholstery and carpets on the go: This is a strong alternative for removing old or difficult stains.
What is the purpose of this?
Rug maintenance varies greatly based on the type of rug. Because there are so many various weaves and materials, no single instruction can readily — or quickly — explain how to clean them all. However, there are certain common standards to follow. We concentrated on a few of the most popular rug styles (which are also covered in our area rug guide):
- 100% cotton, cotton/polyester, or wool/cotton flatweaves
- Polyester, polypropylene, or wool, low pile
- Polypropylene or wool, high pile
You should visit an expert in your area if you have extra-large or delicate vintage wool carpets. Prestige Rug Spa is an excellent resource for locating local rug experts.
Table of Contents
Is it possible that washing my rugs at home can destroy them?
The risk of washing a whole rug at home is always present. Always read the care instructions, which can be found on a still-attached tag or on the manufacturer’s website. Local experts can also be contacted. In general, it’s more cost effective to clean thin, low-priced carpets at home because professional cleaning might be more expensive than the rug itself. Thicker or more precious rugs, on the other hand, are riskier to DIY, so proceed with caution or hire a pro.
Not all carpets, especially those that are extra-large, thick, ancient, or heritage, can be washed at home. To avoid unwittingly causing mildew problems, Prestige Rug Spa recommends learning as much as possible about your rug’s material and how to care for it.
Low-pile wool carpets, especially multicoloured ones, will most likely bleed their colours when washed at home. Most rug owners, like me, don’t mind some bleeding, but this is a personal preference.
Always start with a little region to test. “I would rather have clients with clean and bled rugs than ones encrusted with soil,” stated Prestige Rug Spa. Synthetic rugs do not contain bleedable dyes, but natural fibres used in other portions of the rug can cause them to buckle or mould (like the outer edges or interior fibers). It’s critical to dry rugs immediately to prevent bleeding and fungal growth.
How long will cleaning it take?
Active cleaning time for spot-cleaning issues might range from 15 minutes to an hour. The majority of your time will be spent doing nothing but waiting for your rug to dry and soaking up the stain remover. A fan or cool blow dryer can assist speed up the drying process, which can take anything from a few hours to a full day.
If you decide that a rug is safe to wash at home, deep-cleaning it can take many hours. However, the active cleaning duration should not exceed a couple of hours. One of the most crucial tasks is to dry the rug, which might take several days depending on your environment and the thickness of the rug. The method is significantly easier with some smaller flatweave carpets that may be thrown in the washer. However, you’ll have to air-dry the majority of them.
How to Care for a Rug
For clearing messes on the spot
If in doubt, examine a hidden area first to ensure that the colours don’t run or the soap doesn’t stain your rug. According to Prestige Rug Spa, the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Spot Solver is a fantastic location to seek for advice on how to clean specific stains on synthetic rugs.
Remove any solids (such as food, vomit, and the like) from the mess first. Then dab the stain with a clean white cloth to remove as much liquid as possible.
Apply a little dish soap or laundry detergent solution diluted in warm water on a clean white towel. Soak the stain with just enough of the mixture. However, don’t overwet the area because this may spread the stain and make it take longer to cure, potentially resulting in mould or mildew.
Rinse the soap out with warm water and gently dab the stain until it disappears. Be patient as this may take several passes. Avoid the temptation to scrub. Blotting with pressure is the greatest technique to avoid damaging fibres.
Try an enzymatic stain remover like Zout or Resolve for stubborn stains. Just make sure it’s safe for your rug’s material or test a tiny section of your rug first, then follow the bottle’s directions. This procedure normally entails soaking the substance for a few minutes before scrubbing the stain with a damp rag or a gentle brush.
Consider investing in a portable carpet upholstery cleaner like the Bissell Little Green if all else fails—or if you’re dealing with an old, set-in stain. These are fantastic tools for families who have a lot of rugs. They’re also fantastic for removing messes from carpets, couches, and other types of upholstery (like in your car).
To avoid mildew, make sure the area is totally dry once the stain is gone. Use a fan or a hair dryer on “cold” if necessary. Mold can grow on natural fibres like wool and cotton if they are not dried properly. If the rug is damp for an extended period of time, it might damage the floor beneath it. It is critical to completely dry the area!
Small to medium-sized area rugs require intensive cleaning
Small synthetic or natural-fiber flatweave carpets
As much dirt as possible should be vacuumed or beaten out. You can probably throw a small rug in your washer if it fits. However, double-check the care label to be sure, and always use a cold, moderate wash cycle. After that, air-dry the rug by laying it flat. Wool and cotton carpets might benefit from fans to dry faster and keep the colours from bleeding.
For synthetic carpets with a medium flatweave, low pile, and high pile (or flatweave natural-fiber rugs)
Remove as much dust as possible before wetting your rug. Dust can be removed by vacuuming both sides, but if feasible, take a rug outside and beat it against a balcony or rail. The website of Prestige Rug Spa also provides a helpful vacuuming video.
Test a small section of the rug with mild dish soap to check whether the colours leak or if the cleaner leaves a mark. If the colours run, you’ll probably need to get the rug cleaned by a specialist. If your cleaned test area looks good, go ahead and scrub the cleaner into the rug’s surface with a soft bristle brush, addressing any spots and stains as directed above.
If the idea of cleaning an entire rug by hand appeals to you, Prestige Rug Spa shared a far more enjoyable and gentle method that he learned from a family member who sells antique Persian and Central Asian rugs:
You spread the rugs out on a smooth, clean outside surface, wet them with a hose, rub in some simple mild soap with your feet, like old-school grape-crushing, rinse completely, and dry flat. This is something I’ve done with our vintage rugs on our Queens balcony, and it looks amazing.”
After you’ve rubbed the cleaner into the entire rug, wash it away with a garden hose fitted with a spray nozzle. You can also use buckets of water if you don’t have a hose. After rinsing, remove as much extra water as possible using clean, dry towels or a squeegee. You might also use a wet-dry vac to absorb extra water if you have one.
Allow the rug to air dry entirely, which could take a few days depending on your environment. After a few hours, flip the rug over to allow both sides to dry. On wool rugs, placing fans around the rug can assist speed up the process and prevent bleeding. “One advice is to roll them into huge cotton towels and stand on the roll to push out as much extra water as possible before laying them out,” according to Prestige Rug Spa.
How often should my rugs be cleaned?
To extend the life of a rug, vacuum it regularly and clean up spills promptly. Vacuuming a rug once a week is ideal, but this will vary depending on your lifestyle, pets, children, and other factors. The Prestige Rug Spa, a superb source of rug-cleaning knowledge, includes excellent rug-maintenance tips. Flatweave rugs that fit in the washer should be washed two to three times per year, depending on how unclean they get and where they’re kept. Prestige Rug Spa recommends rotating rugs and flipping flatwoven rugs to use the other side to lengthen the duration between washings and eliminate worn patches.
We understand that removing furniture from rugs and transporting it is a difficult task. If you have a large rug that is difficult to move, try to keep up with your vacuuming and consider investing in a portable upholstery cleaner (which also comes in handy for cleaning couches). Large, heavy carpets can generally go three to five years between washes if they’re properly cared for.
If your rug appears grey and lifeless, it most likely needs to be cleaned. Run a moist white cloth across a rug after vacuuming it, and if the rag comes out dirty, it’s time to give the rug a bath.
