Rug Addiction

Tips on general rug cleaning - green rugs as an example

Whether you have beautiful rug to look after in the living room, runners down the hallway, or bedside rugs to warm your feet in the cold mornings, it helps to extend their life and appearance to know how to clean them.

Here are some useful tips anyone can keep up with a try.

Vacuum regularly

When you are looking to get the dirt out of a larger rug it makes sense just to vacuum them often, the same way you do your carpets. If you have a reversible rug that you use both sides of, vacuum both sides and underneath too. You keep up on top of the loose grit and dirt and it has less time to work its way deep into the rug. Just be very careful if your rug has any kind of fringe.

Give smaller rugs a shake now and then outside

With rugs that are smaller give them a shake outside rather than vacuuming. It is a good way to get the loose dirt out without having to keep getting out the vacuum and sometimes rugs are hard to vacuum when they are small. 

Use a brush for stubborn pet hair

If you are a pet owner then you may already know the downside to the hair they leave behind in your carpets and rugs. Often even with a decent vacuum, the pet hair does not all come out. This is when you can take a brush and use it on the rug to remove that hair.

Turn your rugs now and then

Another good thing to do for your rugs is to turn them now and then. Rotating them helps spread the heavy traffic across the whole rug and stops them from getting worn down in one spot. Try remembering a couple of times a year, or even at least once.

Remove stains with a detergent mix

If there is a spill and the rug gets stained try to move as quick as you can, the sooner you deal with it the less it will stain. Fat-based stains, tomato sauces, alcohol, coffee and soft drink stains can be removed using a mix of detergent and water. Do not rub at the stain, using a blotting action only.

How to clean rugs with natural fibres

Any rug made from a natural fibre usually comes with an open weave that allows dirt through to land underneath it. This means they need vacuuming more often and flipping more often. Flip them for even wear as well and clean the floor below it now and then. When cleaning stains on olive green rugs made from natural fibres put a towel under it and a plastic cover. Then use a soft brush and the detergent water to gently clean. Blot it really well though and find ways to speed up the drying process. Water will weaken the fibres and ruin the rug.