Rugs can make any room look beautiful. They add colour and warmth to the room and give it a cosy feel.

However, these beautiful rugs have to handle a lot, including dust, mud, spills, pet hairs and what not. For the rug to last long, you must clean and maintain it at regular intervals. Here’s how you can do. You can spend a lot of money and hire a professional, or you can just consult our handy guide.

The basic cleaning

Vacuum

The first step to clean your carpet is to vacuum it thoroughly to remove dirt and dust. If the rug is reversible, vacuum it from both sides. If your rug has fringes, take care not to vacuum the fringe as it may get stuck in the mouth of vacuum cleaner

If you have pets at home, a lot of pet hair gets stuck in the rugs. A vacuum cleaner may not be able to remove them all. To remove pet hair completely, use a stiff brush and brush in the direction of the nape of the rug.

Clean based on the kind of rug you have

Not all rugs can be cleaned the same way. Different kinds of rugs need different cleaning methods. Here is how you can avoid costly mistakes while cleaning speciality rugs:

Woven or braided rugs

First of all, check the label of the rug to determine if it is washable.

If it is, place it in a mesh laundry bag and wash it a gentle cycle, rinsing thoroughly. Don’t forget to check the stitching breaks after cleaning to ensure they are intact. If the rug is big in size, place it on a hard concrete floor and sponge it using only commercial carpet cleaning foam. Rinse it gently and dry thoroughly before placing it back in the position.

Handmade or oriental rugs

When vacuuming an oriental or vintage rug, cover it with a piece of nylon screen and vacuum over it.

You can also keep the rug covered with a (transparent) nylon mesh and replace it from time to time to prevent accumulation of dust on these rugs.  

Rugs made of natural fibre

Rugs made from coir, sisal or grass are usually openly woven and they allow dirt to shift to the floor underneath.

To avoid too much dust from accumulating under the rug, vacuum the rug as well as the floor beneath on regular intervals. Many natural fiber rugs are reversible. If so, flip them every time you remove them to clean the floor.

You might also consider placing a plastic sheet underneath the rug. So, every time you want to clean the rug, you can take out the plastic sheet and dust it off. In the case of stains, dip a soft brush on soap water and rub the area softly.

Deep cleaning

Small rugs are often easy to wash. However, before washing or cleaning small rugs, check its label to determine whether they are washable or they should be dry-cleaned.

If the label marks dry-cleaning, but you want to wash it at home, test the colour strength of the rug by spot cleaning.

When you are sure that the rug is washable, wash it with cold water on a delicate cycle. To avoid tangling of fringes, you might consider dividing them into several sections using plain white strings.

Avoid using a dryer for the rugs. It is better to hang them on a cloth-drying rack or on a porch or patio and let them dry. Hanging them on a single clothesline can distort the shape of the rug.

When cleaning larger rugs, it is always recommended to test the commercial cleaning product in a small area before applying it all over. If the fabric or design of the rug looks delicate, dry cleaning is always an option.