If you are looking for easy and innovative ways on “how to deep clean an area rug?” you are in the right place.
Deep cleaning an area rug will revitalize it with a brand-new look, enhance its lifespan, and make it feel like new. Moreover, unaddressed and unclean area rugs also become a habitat for mold and other bacterial organisms. If you decide to deep clean an area rug, it will also eliminate any infestations from the rug and offer a disease-free environment.
How Can You Deep Clean an Area Rug?
I am sure people, inexperienced amateurs, must have told you that you cannot deep clean an area rug without a machine. However, they are wrong. The core purpose of deep cleaning is to eliminate all debris, dust, and contaminants from the rug. It can easily be achieved without a machine, and you only need a handful of supplies, time, and effort to take care of your area rug. Here are the supplies you will need to clean area rugs by hand:
- Rug Shampoo (any mild dish soap will do)
- Water and Bucket
- Soft-bristle brush or sponge
- Wet-dry vacuum
- Garden hose
- Rubber gloves
Let’s take a look at the process of cleaning area rugs by hand and see how you can deep clean your rug without the need of a machine. Stick to these steps, and you will have a brand-new looking area rug within no time.
Eliminate Any Dirt of Debris from The Surface.
Before getting started with deep cleaning and using water, you will need to remove all dirt and debris from the rug. If you have decided to clean area rugs by hand, you can use a vacuum cleaner to take care of dirt from either side of the rug. Take it outside of your home, lay it down on the floor, and use the vacuum cleaner to remove any dirt or debris from the rug thoroughly.
Furthermore, if you have pets at home, you would want to use the additional attachments with the vacuum cleaner to remove all pet dander and stray hairs from the rug. These stray hairs can often trigger asthmatic reactions among residents, so it makes sense to take care of pet dander and hair before deep cleaning the area rug.
Get The Cleaner Ready.
You can use any mil soap or rug shampoo for deep cleaning your area rug. However, you will need to pay special attention to the directions and guidelines mentioned on your shampoo bottle; otherwise, you will end up damaging the fabric of your rug. Therefore, take a look at the directions, and get your cleaning solution ready. Don’t start pouring the shampoo onto the rug, as these shampoos often use strong acids that can damage the fabric.
If you do not have access to a rug shampoo, you can also use a mild dish detergent and warm water to take care of your rug. However, make sure to add only a little amount of detergent lest you ruin your area rug. Always use warm water with the cleaning solution as it helps bring out the best of the cleaning solution without harming the rug.
Moreover, you also need to ensure that you are using warm water and not hot boiling water. Lukewarm or warm water helps ease deep cleaning, whereas hot water fades away the color.
Invest in A Color Test.
Before you start deep cleaning your area rug, you will need to do a color test. Why? Well, this color test will tell you if the cleaning solution will ruin the colors of your rug or not. This is highly important as you cannot risk destroying the quality and colors of your rug. So, pour a few drops of the solution on one corner of the rug and see if it is colorfast. If it doesn’t fade away the corner, the cleaning solution is fit for the entire rug.
Wash The Rug.
If you have decided to clean area rugs on hardwood floors and have ensured the steps mentioned above, it is time to wash the rug with the cleaning solution. You can use a sponge or soft-bristle brush to clean area rugs on hardwood floors and slowly move them across the thick fabric of your rug to get the deep-rooted dirt from the rug.
Pour the cleaning solution on top of the rug, let it sit for five to ten minutes, and start rinsing the rug with the brush. If you start rinsing the rug right away, you will end up shortchanging the cleaning process and will be unable to remove all the deep-rooted dirt from the fabric.
Remove Any Excess Water.
Now that you have rinsed and cleaned the area rug, it is time to remove any excess water from the rug. Remove the excess water, lay it down straight on the floor, and let it dry. This process may take somewhere between 24 hours to 36 hours, depending upon the rug’s thickness. Use a vacuum cleaner to give your rug a final touch, and you can lay it back in its original position. The process of deep cleaning is complete.
How Can Customized Rugs Enhance Your Interior Design?
If you are looking for the best custom rugs, Diipoo offers some of the best options at your fingertips. You can have the photo of your pet printed on these rugs, get a custom pattern, or choose a unique design for your area rug. Moreover, these are tested and proven to offer a long-lasting lifecycle and do not fade over time. These can enhance your interior design and help you achieve that edge look that you have always wanted.
What Is the Bottom Line Here?
Deep cleaning your area rug doesn’t have to be an ordeal. You can easily get it done with the right supplies, attitude, and adherence to the steps mentioned above. These steps will not take a toll on the color and help you get a fresh-looking area rug within a few hours. Make sure to color test the solution before starting the deep cleaning process, and your area rug will come out to be fresher, livelier, and cleaner than before.
