Last time on the blog we took a look at one of our core skills, commercial cleaning services, so this time we wanted to address something to another portion of our audience, those homeowners who may be looking for some cleaning help or tips. One of the most common questions we see pop up is looking for help with rug cleaning. Here at Sparkle Clean we tackle carpet cleaning amongst a ton of other services so we know what we’re talking about.
Area rugs are a great little(sometimes not so little!) touch to a home, they can be made of all sorts of materials, in a bunch of different styles – which means the proper care for them can be a bit specific to the individual rug. Some rugs, like a Persian rug or an antique carpet need care from professionals, but for all else here is a brief, but useful, rundown of the process for rug cleaning!
Rug Cleaning – Basic Maintenance
What You’ll Need
- Bucket/squirt bottle
- Water
- Rug shampoo/white vinegar
- Soft-bristle brush/sponge
- Vacuum
Helpful, But Not Necessary
- Wet-Dry vacuum
- Gloves
- Hose
1.Remove the Dirt and Debris
First things first, you will want to get rid of dirt and debris! If your rug is small or manageable enough take it outside and give it a shake. Use your vacuum and cover both sides of the rug to get rid of the loose and easy to clean stuff. If you have pets, now would be a good time to break out the brush attachment that comes with most vacuums and get that hair.
2. Prepare the Cleaning Solutions and the Rug
If you are using a warm water white vinegar mix, mix them together in a squirt bottle first, 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts water. Don’t use hot water as that can cause fading or even shrinkage in the rug! If you are using a specialized rug shampoo be sure to follow the instructions. They are there for a reason!
Once you have prepared the cleaning solutions, do a small color test. Dab the cleaning solution on a smaller spot, perhaps in the corner, to make sure the rug’s colors won’t bleed. Use a white towel or rag to be sure. If after a dab and scrub the colors remain, you are good to go!
3. Wash and Rinse the Rug
You’ll likely want to take the rug outdoors for the next part, unless you want to make a minor flood in your home! Using your soft-bristle brush or sponge you can now lather the shampoo into the rug. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before you move on to rinsing.
Once the lather has had time to work its cleaning magic, use the bucket with clean water or the garden hose if available to rinse the solution out of the rug. Continue rinsing until the water that leaves from the rug is clear!
4. Remove Excess Water, Let Dry
Rugs are absorbent by nature so this part is super critical! You need to get rid of as much excess moisture from the rug as possible. If you have the wet vac we mentioned earlier, use that! Otherwise use something (a squeegee can work!) to push the water out of the rug.
When you feel like you have removed as much water as possible from the rug it’s time to let time do the rest. Lay the rug flat and allow for it to dry completely. Then flip it out over so the bottom side is able to dry. If you want to speed up the process, consider using fans to increase the amount of airflow and drying potential!
Tips
Here are some other tips that can make the whole rug cleaning process go much smoother!
- Go Outside!
- As we mentioned, cleaning rugs outside can cause less of a mess but the sunshine and air will help dry them out faster!
- Time it Right
- Speaking of sunshine, if you want to time your rug cleaning plans for when they’ll be most effective, look ahead for when there will be several warm, sunny days together! That will help everything go much more smoothly.
We hope this run down has helped you in your own rug cleaning efforts. For the bigger jobs, carpet cleanings or commercial jobs, or foreclosure work, Sparkle Clean is here to help! Our professional, expert staff are trained in the best practices and we won’t leave a job til the customer is 100% satisfied.