Rugs experience a lot of wear; they put up with foot traffic, dirty shoes, spills, and other messes. And, while you want to trust that you will be careful to take care of it, you need a proven method to keep your carpet clean without ruining it.
Keep reading to learn how to take proper care of your woven and wool rugs.
6 Ways To Clean A Woven Area Rug
To help you get your woven rugs looking just like new, we provide six methods that you can use to clean. Each method has its particular use, so make sure to choose the appropriate method for your rug.
1. Vacuum The Entire Rug
The first method to clean your rug is vacuuming.
Vacuum cleaning helps suck up dust and dirt particles as well as debris. The best part is that the vacuum should not damage your rug fibers – if you use the correct suction level.
Your vacuum suction plays an integral part in cleaning your rug without damaging it. If the suction level is too high, you could damage your carpet. For example, wool rugs and flatweave kilims require less suction and a higher vacuum head height because the vacuum could pull out the natural wool fibers. The beater bar will also need to be turned off because it could destroy your rug.
Most rugs should be cleaned with regular vacuum cleaners with the beater bar off. While cleaning, try alternating vacuum direction to ensure that all dirt is removed.
Natural woven rugs should receive regular vacuuming at least twice a month. Make sure to incorporate vacuuming into your cleaning routine!
2. Snow Dusting
Snow dusting is an old-fashioned rug cleaning method used in Russia. Here is what it entails:
After a heavy snowfall, bring your rug outside to let it acclimate to the freezing temperatures. Lay it in 3 to 5 inches of powdery, dry snow.
Use a bloom or handled brush to add a liberal amount of snow across the entire rug.
Beat the snow around the rug with a broom or soft brush. The small amount of ammonia in the snow will react with the cold air, causing the grime to solidify and fall out of the rug.
Let the snow sit on it for 15 to 20 mins.
Flip the rug over and repeat sets 2 to 4.
Shake the snow off the rug and hang it up for 20 minutes.
Shake it one last time and bring it inside!
3. Shake It Out
A simple rug cleaning method is shaking it out. All you need to do is carry your rug outside and shake it out for at least 30 seconds. The dirt will shake loose easily! You could also string up your carpet and use a rug beater to whack out the debris.
If the weather forecast looks clear, you can always lay it out for several hours.
4. Spot Cleaning
If you spill red wine, coffee, or something else that could stain your rug, you need to spot clean it immediately. A stain can set within 15 minutes, and your rug will never look the same. Here is how you can clean your rug depending on the type of stain.
Wine, fruit, and vegetable juice stains
Pour salt over the affected area. The salt will absorb the liquid from your carpets, lifting it easily. After the salt has finished absorbing the stain, use a spoon to lift the salt off the cloth. Sprinkle cold water over the area and blot dry.
Food, cosmetics, soil, and clay stains
Mix 8 parts water, 1 part white vinegar, and a squirt of mild detergent in a bucket. Blot the solution on the rug with a clean cloth. Rub the wet area with a dry paper towel until it is dry.
Pet stains
Apply the vinegar solution above to the carpet using a paper towel. Dab the cotton or wool rug with the solution. Rinse well with cool water and blot dry with a clean white cloth.
6. Dry Cleaning
A proven way to clean your rugs is to get them dry cleaned. A professional cleaner can clean a rug thoroughly without damaging the fringe, pad, or fibers.
2 Ways NOT To Clean Natural Fiber Rugs
Wool area rugs are extremely delicate, and some cleaning methods will result in damage.
1. Steam Cleaning
We do not recommend steam cleaning your woven rug! You should never wet the entirety of your rug at home. You cannot dry it fast enough to prevent mold and mildew from developing on the natural fibers. Additionally, the steam will not remove dirt or dust inside your rug. Instead, it will wet it and create mud inside the rug.
2. Machine Wash
Do not throw your carpet in the washing machine. Even if it is on the gentle cycle, it is likely to ruin the fringe of your rug and damage the rug pad.
How To Clean Handwoven Rugs
Rugs experience a lot of wear; they put up with foot traffic, dirty shoes, spills, and other messes. And, while you want to trust that you will be careful to take care of it, you need a proven method to keep your carpet clean without ruining it.
Keep reading to learn how to take proper care of your woven and wool rugs.
6 Ways To Clean A Woven Area Rug
To help you get your woven rugs looking just like new, we provide six methods that you can use to clean. Each method has its particular use, so make sure to choose the appropriate method for your rug.
1. Vacuum The Entire Rug
The first method to clean your rug is vacuuming.
Vacuum cleaning helps suck up dust and dirt particles as well as debris. The best part is that the vacuum should not damage your rug fibers – if you use the correct suction level.
Your vacuum suction plays an integral part in cleaning your rug without damaging it. If the suction level is too high, you could damage your carpet. For example, wool rugs and flatweave kilims require less suction and a higher vacuum head height because the vacuum could pull out the natural wool fibers. The beater bar will also need to be turned off because it could destroy your rug.
Most rugs should be cleaned with regular vacuum cleaners with the beater bar off. While cleaning, try alternating vacuum direction to ensure that all dirt is removed.
Natural woven rugs should receive regular vacuuming at least twice a month. Make sure to incorporate vacuuming into your cleaning routine!
2. Snow Dusting
Snow dusting is an old-fashioned rug cleaning method used in Russia. Here is what it entails:
3. Shake It Out
A simple rug cleaning method is shaking it out. All you need to do is carry your rug outside and shake it out for at least 30 seconds. The dirt will shake loose easily! You could also string up your carpet and use a rug beater to whack out the debris.
If the weather forecast looks clear, you can always lay it out for several hours.
4. Spot Cleaning
If you spill red wine, coffee, or something else that could stain your rug, you need to spot clean it immediately. A stain can set within 15 minutes, and your rug will never look the same. Here is how you can clean your rug depending on the type of stain.
Wine, fruit, and vegetable juice stains
Pour salt over the affected area. The salt will absorb the liquid from your carpets, lifting it easily. After the salt has finished absorbing the stain, use a spoon to lift the salt off the cloth. Sprinkle cold water over the area and blot dry.
Food, cosmetics, soil, and clay stains
Mix 8 parts water, 1 part white vinegar, and a squirt of mild detergent in a bucket. Blot the solution on the rug with a clean cloth. Rub the wet area with a dry paper towel until it is dry.
Pet stains
Apply the vinegar solution above to the carpet using a paper towel. Dab the cotton or wool rug with the solution. Rinse well with cool water and blot dry with a clean white cloth.
6. Dry Cleaning
A proven way to clean your rugs is to get them dry cleaned. A professional cleaner can clean a rug thoroughly without damaging the fringe, pad, or fibers.
2 Ways NOT To Clean Natural Fiber Rugs
Wool area rugs are extremely delicate, and some cleaning methods will result in damage.
1. Steam Cleaning
We do not recommend steam cleaning your woven rug! You should never wet the entirety of your rug at home. You cannot dry it fast enough to prevent mold and mildew from developing on the natural fibers. Additionally, the steam will not remove dirt or dust inside your rug. Instead, it will wet it and create mud inside the rug.
2. Machine Wash
Do not throw your carpet in the washing machine. Even if it is on the gentle cycle, it is likely to ruin the fringe of your rug and damage the rug pad.