When you are decorating your rooms, area rugs can be an excellent choice to accessorize and spruce up the place.
No one likes to step on a cold, hard floor first thing in the morning after getting out of their beds. Area rugs help create a soft and warm flooring that is perfect for bringing together the entire design of the room.
But, they only look beautiful and cozy when they are clean. And you surely won’t like to step on a dirty and dingy-looking area rug.
However, it might take you some work to keep your area rugs clean; that’s why we’re here to lend you a hand. In this article, we’ll talk all about vacuuming and how to beat a rug to keep it clean and crisp.
We’ll cover all the necessary bases of carpet cleaning, so without wasting any more time, let’s get started!
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Steps To Clean Area Rugs
To make your carpet and area rug look beautiful and appealing, you need to keep the dirt and dust particles away. Regular vacuuming and rug beating can do wonders in cleaning area rugs.
While it may sound like a lot of work, it’s actually quite easy. And we’ll discuss some simple and basic steps that you can follow for cleaning all your rugs.
Step 1: Setting Up The Vacuum
The first and foremost step is to set up the vacuum cleaner with the right settings. Area rugs and carpets are made with delicate and soft fibers, so it is best to keep the airflow of the vacuum at a minimum to prevent damaging them.
Also, minimum airflow will prevent the fibers from getting caught in the vacuum and ripping your carpet. Hence, adjust the settings of your vacuum cleaner before using it on your area rug.
Step 2: Regular Vacuuming
If you want your area rug to stay in top shape, it is best to vacuum it regularly. Vacuuming your rug once a week is enough to clean away dust and debris. Moreover, if you have a reversible rug, you need to vacuum on both sides.
However, special rugs with fringes on the edge aren’t suitable for vacuuming. The fringes will get caught in the suction every time you try to vacuum it.
Also, be careful of the beater bar on the vacuum as it can damage the fibers and pile of your rug.
Step 3: Using Baking Soda And Shampoo
When it comes to carpet cleaning, you not only want your rug to look clean but also want it to smell clean. So, baking soda is always a good option while vacuuming the rug as it neutralizes any odor during frequent cleaning routines.
Once the odor is neutralized, you can wash off the carpet using some carpet shampoos. In this way, you can ensure that the rug smells fresh without moldy or foul odor.
Long story short, the baking soda and shampoo essentially help make the area rug smell good while cleaning.
Step 4: Beat Up The Rug
After you’ve vacuumed and washed your rug, it is time to beat it up. Take the rug outside to prevent flying dust from covering your rooms. Now, hold the corners of the rug and give it a good shake so that the dust and debris can fall off the surface.
Then, hang it over the clothesline and let the rug dry before you can start beating it. Once bone dry, you can take a broom or a rug beater and beat the rug in rapid strokes. In that way, you clean off all the debris and dust particles from both sides of the rug.
You can also use a beater brush if you have a smaller rug. Plus, we think it is best to beat up the rug once or twice a month because beating your rug frequently might damage the fibers.
Step 5: Clean Under The Rug
Once you remove the area rug from the floor, make sure to clean the place. Usually, dust and debris gather under the rug, and if you don’t clean the area, they will go right back into the rug.
So, when you’re cleaning your area rug, make sure to vacuum the floor under the rug.
Step 6: Rotate The Rug
Finally, to keep your rug clean for a long time, rotate it once in a while every six months. Hold the corners of the rug and alter its direction to avoid natural wear and tear of the fibers from sunlight and foot traffic.
Furthermore, if you have a reversible rug, you can use both sides and flip it from time to time.
Final Thoughts
Keeping the area rug clean is a part of your daily chore, and it can be pretty straightforward if you know all the necessary steps. And we hope our article has helped you with all the details for cleaning your rug, from vacuuming to beating it up.
We’ll suggest you be careful while beating up your area rug so that it doesn’t ruin the fibers and texture. Also, if you have fancy, high-end rugs, it is best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning them instead of just beating them.