Rugs add aesthetic value to your living space. They add life to any dull space, giving it a dash of color and vibrancy while lending a warm and cozy vibe to the room. The only catch though? They can soon start looking dirty and worn out, thanks to all the dirt and dust accumulated through the day and the various stains that sit tight on them, some refusing to budge. The result? Your once very pretty-looking rug has lost its original luster. Here’s some good news – you can now clean your very own rug at home in 5 simple steps! Make sure that it’s a synthetic rug though, and not a wool one, since all rug types cannot be cleaned at home. Washing them at home can result in damage, hence the steps outlined in this blog cover cleaning a synthetic rug.
Let’s look at some light-clean easy methods for rug cleaning to restore its shine and also that of your house.
Top 5 Tips on How to Clean a Synthetic Rug at Home
When your rug looks dirty and needs a bit of touch-up, you can go for some simple home-cleaning technique that can give the rug some shine, especially at a time when you’re expecting guests at home. Here’s how:
1. Vacuum the rug
Use a vacuum cleaner and clean both sides of the rug. This would help remove any debris or dirt. Use a soft brush attachment to avoid any damage to the rug fibers.
2. Do a small color patch test
This is done to check for color fastness before you use any cleaning solution on your rug. Test a small area, preferably at the corner or edges of the rug, with the cleaning solution you intend to use to check that the rug’s color does not smudge or fade.
3. Mix the cleaning solution
Using a mild detergent powder with water works for most rugs. However, we would recommend checking for manufacturer instructions on your rug for any specific guide for your rug type. Apply the rug-cleaning solution to clean your rug. Use a clean rag or a soft-bristled brush and work your way around small portions of the rug, gently scrubbing each area with the brush and the cleaning solution. Make sure not to overdo the process since excess moisture is harmful to the rug fibers. It may also cause the growth of mold deep down, reducing the life of the rug further.
Also Read: How to Clean Cowhide Rug?
4. Rinse out
Once you’re done scrub-cleaning the entire rug, rinse it out thoroughly with clean water a couple of times to make sure that all the cleaning solution is washed out. Once clean, you can use a squeegee or a wet vacuum to extract all the extra water from within the rug. Try and squeeze out as much water as possible to avoid the growth of mold or mildew in the damp fibers within.
5. Let it dry out
You can hang the rug outside in an open area that is well-ventilated to ensure that it receives enough sunlight and fresh air to dry out the rug completely. If you don’t find a space like this, you can hang out the rug indoors and use high-speed fans to dry the rug. Let it be under the fans overnight or even longer (as need be) and make sure that it’s completely dried out before using it again on the floor.
Get Your Rug Deep Cleaned with a Professional Rug Cleaner
The steps outlined above can help with light cleaning of the rug regularly, particularly when it looks dirty or worn out and needs an immediate fix. A more sustainable and correct method of rug cleaning though is to hire professional rug cleaners. Each type of rug needs specialized treatment – something that is difficult to achieve with DIY home cleaning. This is because home-cleaning methods may sometimes not work on all types of rugs or may even end up damaging the costly fabric (for instance, wool rugs, as mentioned earlier). Professional cleaners are adept at treating each rug differently. They have specialized vast knowledge of all different types of rugs, and the equipment and cleaning solutions to be used on each.
Moreover, manual DIY cleaning of rugs at home can be a time-consuming process, cutting down time for some other important tasks in your day. With one call to a professional rug cleaner, you can sit back and relax, and watch these experts at work.
Devine Rug Care is one of the best rug cleaning services in Sydney in operation since 1985. With more than 30,000 happy and satisfied customers, we are out there to ensure that your precious rug gets all the attention it deserves. Our expert professionals are well aware of each type of rug and the specialized treatment that it requires, including deep cleaning, stain removal, and more. Give your costly rugs the royal treatment they rightly deserve.