How To Clean Surface area Rugs Yourself

Learn how to properly clean expanse rugs yourself with this footstep-by-pace guide.

Introduction

No need to hire a professional person, y'all can clean your expanse rugs yourself! Follow these steps for clean, brightened and refreshed area rugs.

Eventually, the time comes when your area rug or removable carpeting needs more than than only some other vacuuming. If stains are piling upwardly or there are deep-rooted problems with dust (or worse, dust mites), information technology'due south time for a full cleaning. Fortunately, you don't need to hire a professional to fully clean your rug! You lot just need the right tools, cleaner and approach. Hither'due south how to make clean expanse rugs from start to stop.

Note: A true area rug will be far also large for one person to successfully handle. Spare your muscles by getting a couple of other people to help you with this task. It will only take a couple of hours if everything is properly prepared!

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Project step-past-step (7)

Stride ane

Set an Outdoor Station

  • Pick a twenty-four hour period when the forecast is clear and sunny (preferably for the side by side few days), and ready a station to clean your rugs.
    • Pro tip: Summer is an first-class time to clean your rug because you'll need to do it outdoors. Attempt not to ready over the lawn, as you don't want any cleaners soaking into the grass.
  • The back up system you choose needs to exist a lot stronger than a clothesline, as rugs are usually quite heavy.
  • If you take two trees, yous can stretch bungee cords or thick rope between them.
  • Benches and any sort of sturdy wall can also work.

area rug on fence

Stride ii

Vacuum Thoroughly On Both Sides

  • Vacuum the fibers, so flip the rug over and vacuum the other side to remove any lingering grit.
  • When information technology's clean, it'due south fourth dimension to curl it up advisedly and accept the rug outside to your cleaning station.
  • Prop it upwards at the station with the right side facing you.
  • If your carpeting is still dusty at this stage, yous can beat it with a broom handle or similar tool to knock even more dust out.
    • Pro tip: Don't whack besides hard, but give the rug a few firm knocks to see if clouds of dust come out. If they do, keep whacking.

vacuuming area rug

Step three

Test Out Carpet Shampoos

  • Ever test out the carpet shampoo before you apply information technology to the whole rug.
  • Use a little to a small-scale corner or patch, mix in some water, and allow it settle for a few hours.
  • Go dorsum and rinse that spot off.
  • Check carefully to see if there is whatever color damage or fiber harm.
    • Pro tip: It'due south a good thought to await for carpet shampoos designed for the materials that your carpeting is fabricated with. Don't effort to brand your ain DIY rug cleaner or use other cleaners that are not specifically intended for rugs and carpet!

shampoo for area rug

Step iv

Wash the Rug and Employ Shampoo

  • With a prophylactic shampoo called, pull out the garden hose and give your carpet a adept rinse.
    • Pro tip: Don't worry almost getting information technology too wet, you need to prepare information technology well for the shampoo application.
  • Using a sturdy castor with a stout handle, work the shampoo deep into the rug fiber.
    • Note: This step volition require a lot of scrubbing and foam. Apparel accordingly, get the carpet really wet and focus on any stains. Side by side, check out how to make clean a wool rug yourself.

scrubbing area rug

Step 5

Rinse the Rug

  • Read the directions and leave the shampoo on your carpet for every bit long as indicated.
  • When the time comes, hose down the rug over again.
    • Annotation: It's of import to rinse all the shampoo out, and so you aren't left with whatever residue.

rinsing area rug

Footstep 6

Help the Carpet Dry

  • Try to wring the rug as much as possible to become rid of all the excess water.
    • Pro tip: A squeegee can help with this step.
  • Later on that, your rug will even so be very wet and you'll need to look for it to dry completely before moving it back within your house.
    • Note: Drying may take longer than a twenty-four hours—or fifty-fifty the weekend.
  • For more protected drying, consider moving the rug to the laundry room or garage.
  • When the rug is fully dry, you won't be able to feel any water even when yous squeeze hard, and information technology will probably be a fleck stiff.

drying area rug out window

Stride 7

Vacuum Ane Last Time

  • Put the surface area rug back in its place, and so give it 1 terminal vacuuming.
    • Annotation: The carpet fibers will probably exist flattened and odd-looking after a washing. A thorough vacuuming is like combing your rug to restore its proper appearance.

vacuuming white area rug