Your Step-by-Step Guide in Cleaning A Cotton Rug

Cotton rugs have always been a popular choice of rugs for home décor. They warm up and add color to your home; they are washable and easy to clean. They are soft, fluffy, cozy underfoot, and suitable for use in the bedroom, living room, toddlers' room, gaming room, bathroom, kitchen, and they are also perfect for slumber parties.

But for your cotton rug to last for years, it has to be well maintained, and regular cleaning is an essential part of the maintenance routine. 

Regular cleaning prevents dirt from being trodden deep into the rug, making cleaning harder because the dirt will not be easily removed.

The first thing that most people interested in buying cotton rugs want to know is if cotton rugs are easy to clean.

Cleaning a cotton rug is not hard at all.  In fact, some of our brands design their rugs to be washable in a domestic washing machine.  In that case, just follow the cleaning instructions on the back of the rug.  This guide will detail the step-by-step process of cleaning cotton rugs that do not fit in your washing machine, to keep them looking fresh and in good condition.

Step by Step Guide in Cleaning your Cotton Rug

1: Gather Your Tools and Supplies

For a successful rug cleaning, you will be needing:

• Vacuum cleaner
• Rug shampoo or cleaner, or a mild liquid dish soap
• Warm water (not hot water)
• Bucket
• Soft brush or sponge
• Rubber gloves (optional)
• Garden hose

2: Shake the rug To Loosen Embedded Dirt

Before you start cleaning, it is best to shake your rug to dislodge any loose dirt that has been trapped within the fiber of the rug. This will make cleaning easier as the vacuum cleaner will easily pick up the loose dirt.

3: Remove loose dirt with a vacuum

Once you have loosened the dirt, the next step is to use your vacuum cleaner. Do not use a rotary brush as this can cause fiber shedding and damage the rug; use the suction function. Vacuum the rug tightly using a nozzle attachment. You also need to clean the back of the rug; it accumulates dirt and crumbs.

You can sprinkle antibacterial powders on the rug before vacuuming to get rid of germs. But be sure it will not damage the material by testing on a small part of the rug before using it on the whole rug.

If you have a pet, this is for you. Vacuum sometimes leaves pet hair behind, so you can use a stiff brush to brush out pet hairs after vacuuming in the direction of the nap.

4: Take the Rug Outside

Roll the rug and take it outside. Once outside, unroll it and place it upon a fence or railing, and use a broom to remove the remaining dust or dirt at the back of the rug. Whack the rug with the broom until there is not any dust left.

5: Test your Cleaning Solution on the Rug Before Use

You can get a rug shampoo or cleaner, follow the mixing instructions on it, or use mild liquid dish soap.

If you are using mild liquid dish soap, add a couple of capfuls of the liquid soap into a bucket of warm water. Do not use hot water as it may fade the color of the fiber or shrink the fiber.

Test your cleaning solution on a small section of the rug first to check if it will not damage the material or make the colors run. If you are okay with the result, then proceed to the next step.

6: Wash the Rug

Lay your rug on a clean flat surface, and using a soft brush or sponge, work the cleaning solution into the rug deeply. Leave for some minutes for the cleaner to set in and lift away dirt. After a few minutes, scrub the rug with the brush deeply until the cleaning solution lathers. Now it is time to rinse. Make sure your rug is laid close to a water supply for easy rinsing after washing.

7: Rinse the Rug

Rinse the rug using a garden hose. If you do not have a garden hose, you can make use of buckets of clean water. Be sure that the soap solution is completely rinsed away from the rug by checking if there are no more soap suds and the water is clear before you finish.

8: Remove Surplus Water

You need to get rid of excess water after rising for easier and faster drying of the rug. You can make use of a wet-dry vacuum if you have one, and if you do not, you can use a squeegee (a tool often used in window cleaning).

To use the squeegee, press the squeegee's rubber-edged blade into the rug and pull out the excess water as much as you can. Work the squeegee in the direction of the nap of the rug.

If you do not have any of these tools, you can use a clean and dry cloth. Mop the rug with the dry cloth until excess water is completely removed.

9: Dry the Rug

The next step is to leave the rug to dry out. Spread the rug to dry, and when the upper part is completely dry, flip over and allow the other side to dry also.

To avoid mold, mildew growth, or foul smell, make sure your rug is completely dry before returning it inside.

10: Loosen compacted fiber

During the cleaning process, rug fibers can get squished or compacted. No worries, you can restore them to their original form by running a vacuum or brush over the rug to loosen up the fiber.

Conclusion

Rug cleaning is essential and cleaning it in the right way is even more critical.  Using the wrong method in cleaning your rug may result in severe damage to it.

So, using the step-by-step guide listed above to clean your cotton rug will keep this important décor of your home durable so that it can last for years.

You can get the best cotton rugs at Rugs by Roo. The company prides itself on being one of the industry's leading suppliers of innovative and fashion rugs. It has helped thousands of customers find the perfect area rugs for all spaces, and they can help you find yours as well!

For more information click here: https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/house-cleaning/tips/how-to-clean-area-rugs/