Area Rug Maintenance: Keeping Your Area Rugs Looking (And Smelling) Fresh

Area rugs are a great way to spruce up a room, provide warmth in a chilly space, and give your home some personality. Many people ignore area rugs when it comes to carpet cleaning, as they aren’t sure how to go about keeping them fresh. Here, we’ll discuss what you can do to keep your area rug clean and fresh.

Always Vacuum First

Before attempting to clean your area rug, you’ll want to get the space as clean as possible. Vacuum a few times, in multiple directions, to remove dust.

Spot Clean Visibly Dirty Areas

Before cleaning the entire area rug, spot clean any areas that show visible dirt. Use a spot treatment solution and a toothbrush to remove as much of the dirt as possible, then blot with a white towel.

If you’re dealing with a pet stain or other hard-to-remove stain, you may want to use an enzymatic stain remover to help break down the stain.

Get To Work

First, take your rug outside, wet your rug with warm water, and then work in mild dish soap with a soft brush. Be gentle as you work on the rug, working the dish soap in gently as not to do damage to any delicate fibers.

Time To Rinse

After you’ve thoroughly worked a mild soap into the rug, spray it with a garden hose to remove soap.

Drying Your Rug

It may take a few days for your rug to dry completely. You’ll want to allow the rug to dry flat. If you have large fans available, allowing them to blow air on the rugs may speed up the drying process.

A Few Words Of Caution

While it may be tempting, don’t fold up your area rug and toss it in the washing machine unless the label explicitly says that it’s ok to do so.

While some small rugs can be tossed in the washer, many cannot. If you try to machine wash a delicate rug, at best, you’ll get an ineffective cleaning, and at worst, you’ll get an unraveled mess.

Is Cleaning Your Area Rugs Too Much Of A Hassle? We’ve Got You Covered

At SteamEx, we know that it’s important for you to keep your home as clean as possible, and we’re here to help. Whether you have an antique rug, an especially delicate rug, or simply aren’t sure how to clean your area rug or would prefer to have a professional take over, give us a call. We’ll do all that we can to safely restore your rug to its original beauty.