They say a person’s home is their palace. Of course, the last thing you want in said palace is a dirty rug!
Just like your carpets, rugs tend to attract a lot of mess:
- Dust falling from elsewhere
- Dirt and debris from outside
- Pet dander
- Anything you’ve got on your feet
So it’s no surprise that rugs tend to become a hub for messes, smells, stains and dust.
Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Regular rug cleaning and maintenance can help ensure your rug’s freshness and cleanliness. Whether it’s spot cleaning or something deeper, you’ll want to make sure you know how to clean a rug properly.
1) Start by vacuuming and brushing it out
The first step when cleaning a rug (or any upholstered or fabric surface, for that matter) is to start with a quick vacuum.
The reason we recommend vacuuming is to pick up any loose bits of dirt and debris.
Think of this as the modern equivalent of brushing your rug, or hanging it up and beating it. By removing significant amounts of loose mess and debris, you make the next couple of steps significantly easier.
If you can, go over your rug with both a traditional dry vacuum and a “wet” vacuum, just in case.
Done? Onto the next step…
2) Check your rug label
Just like with upholstery, you’ll want to check the label on your rug.
By doing this, you’ll be able to get an idea of what type of cleaning your rug is capable of taking, as well as any special cleaning instructions you may have to follow.
In particular, you’ll want to figure out:
- What material your rug is made of
- Whether it’s machine-made or handmade
- What type of dye is used
Each of these can change the optimal cleaning method. For example, cotton shrinks when it’s exposed to hot water, and certain dyes may run if not handled properly.
Luckily, the label will outline any special cleaning requirements.
And if not, well, at least you’ll know enough to Google the rest yourself!
3) Get to work
Now that you know which method(s) are best suited for cleaning your rug, it’s time to get to work!
If your rug is safe for steam cleaning, we recommend opening a window to accelerate drying. Another thing you can do to accelerate drying is to turn the heat up.
We also recommend opening by performing spot cleaning. If there are specific stains that are more prominent than others, you should focus on those first.
When spot cleaning, it’s a good idea to start with milder products first – there’s no need to go for the nuclear option right off the bat, after all. Only if mild solutions don’t work (and your rug can handle it) should you graduate to more potent products.
4) Air clean and air dry
Assuming you aren’t using a dry technique, the final step is to dry your rug out.
What many homeowners do when trying to clean a rug is simply hang it up on their clothesline.
This isn’t something we recommend.
For starters, rugs can be a lot heavier than T-shirts and the like, potentially damaging your clothesline.
Not to mention, treating your rug like an ordinary piece of clothing isn’t good for the rug either.
Unlike a T-shirt, rugs have a hard spine. As it dries, the spine “sets” for lack of a better word. This leaves you with a rug that with a distinctive hump from where it was hung.
Instead, what you’ll want to do is lay your rug out flat. This preserves its shape and ensures you won’t have to put up with a lumpy, uneven rug once everything’s said and done.
Don’t know how to clean a rug on your own?
Call the Masters for professional rug cleaning
At Master Cleaners, our motto is this: we’ll master what you can’t clean.
That doesn’t just mean tough and challenging jobs – it also includes jobs you don’t have time to do on your own.
Master Cleaners offers powerful carpet and rug cleaning solutions as part of our comprehensive domestic cleaning services.
Using a wide variety of powerful cleaning products that allow us to clean any type of rug or carpet, we ensure freshness and cleanliness in your favourite rug.
Master Cleaners offer exceptional cleaning services in Melbourne and Sydney. Contact the Masters today at 1800 11 22 34 or fill in the form to request a quote for your cleaning requirement.
