This is probably the time of year when everyone brings their dirty feet into the house, whether it’s your dogs or the family - and no matter how many mats you place outside, or mud-scrapers you conveniently place by the door, dirt will appear on your rugs. Admittedly, if you have fully fitted carpets it’s going to be a tad more difficult, and you will need to use a carpet cleaner or hire specialists to do it for you, but an area rug you have just thrown down in the hall or in front of the sofa - and despite the battering they have received by countless feet - can be brought back to life easily. After a while, using the vacuum isn’t enough to get it truly clean, and some elbow grease might be needed.


Area rug cleaning is a project you can easily take on yourself. There’s no need to hire professional rug cleaners for the task—unless your rug is extremely delicate (for example, an antique, Persian, or oriental). Just check the fibre of your rug first, as carpet cleaners aim to work for stains on synthetic fibres, which are the primary materials for carpets, but are not necessarily good for natural fibres. You won’t need a specific schedule either, just do it when they are noticeably grubby or smelly (dog maybe, or that glass of milk from Christmas that Santa didn’t drink but managed to knock over).


Tools - for your synthetic rug, here's what you'll need - rug cleaner (or mild dish soap), a bucket, soft bristled brush or sponge, and water. Bonuses would be rubber gloves, a garden hose or a wet-dry vacuum.


Surface clean – Get rid of the debris on both sides of the rug by giving it a good vacuuming, and if you have pets, use the brush attachment to remove those stubborn stray hairs. If you don’t have a vacuum, hang it over the washing line and give it a good beating, the old-fashioned way. You need to make sure any stubborn dust, hair and grit are gone.


Cleaning Solution – You can use a cleaner specifically for rugs - just follow the instructions on the bottle for mixing. Alternatively make you own, using a mild dish detergent mixed in a bucket of warm water – not hot, as this might cause the rug to shrink or encourage colour fading. Do a colour test before you start scrubbing, to make sure the cleaner doesn’t cause the colours to run. Test the solution on the corner or reverse - if the colour doesn't bleed, you will be safe to continue.


Wash – Using the soft bristled brush or sponge, work the cleaning solution into a lather on the rug. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes before you start rinsing - give it those minutes to set in and start lifting away dirt.


Rinse - Use a garden hose or buckets of clean water. Make sure all the cleaning solution is completely removed and the runoff water is clear - this might take several shots, after which you will want to get rid of as much excess water as possible to help it dry faster. Use a wet-dry vacuum if you have one, use a ‘squeegee’ in the direction of the nap (the way the rug naturally feels smooth), or hang over the washing line.


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Dry – The longest part is probably getting it dry. Lay the rug flat and allow the top surface to dry, then flip it over to get the underside dry. A bright sunny day it will help, if not, fans could help speed up the process. Make sure the rug is fully dry before you return it to the room.


Last step is vacuum or brush again, to revive your rug to its former glory. If one particular area is getting worn more than others, this is a good time to rotate the rug to even out the wear before any furniture gets moved back into place, or even better, move the furniture round to get a completely new look to your room!

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan