Having your rugs cleaned at home is a daunting task. It needs a competitive amount of effort as well as keen measures for soaping and rinsing. You need to be ready to make this effort if you want your rugs cleaned properly. Especially if you’ve got a braided rug at your home, you need to make sure not to damage the rug’s braid.
In order to clean your braided rug you have to take the following steps: washing it gently, soaping the stains, and rinsing the dirt off from it. Using these simple steps you can wash your braided rug easily and in no time. This guide will provide you with complete insight into the methods for cleaning your braided rug. Let’s start cleaning!
How To Clean Your Braided Rug?
The first thing before you even move on to your cleaning phase is to check whether your rug is washable or not. There are several types of rugs in the market that are made from synthetic materials such as nylon, polyester, etc.
Companies that manufacture washable rugs make them using different layers of materials. The washable layer can be separated and washed when needed. Keeping this in mind, you should examine your rug if it is washable.
It is most likely that it will be washable since most of the products nowadays are manufactured with washable technology. Moreover, it will also have instructions attached to the tag that will instruct on how to clean it. If not, then you’re fortunate because we’re sharing a detailed insight on cleaning your braided rug.
Step 1. Check for Stitching Breaks
As said earlier, you don’t want to ruin your rug while cleaning it. In case of cleaning your braided rug, you need to check for stitching breaks in it. Since such rugs are braided together with millions of stitches, damaging anyone of those can loosen the rug and cause damage. Therefore, before you go on cleaning your rug, make sure to see whether the stitches are loose or not. If yes, then opt for gentle scrubbing instead of a thorough cleaning.
Step 2. Beating the Rug
It’s time to take out your frustration over your rug. You’ve heard it! The next step is to beat the rug to push out dirt and dust out of it. In case you’re worried about the stitches, use a vacuum with non-rotary brushes to remove the upper soil layer.
This will help remove the accumulated dirt from the rug, making it easier for your cleaning solution to dive deep within it. In addition, keep tumbling the rug over and over so that every area gets a beating, and dust is wiped out from it.
PRO TIP
TUMBLE IT OFTEN
Pro tip Content.
Instead of just tumbling and beating your rug when you decide on washing and cleaning it, you should do it regularly. Just like carpets, rugs tend to accumulate dirt and dust in them. However, in comparison to carpets, beating your rugs is easier and can be done without much hassle. Moreover, you can do a regular vacuum over your rugs and underneath them to keep them in a good shape.
Step 3. Scrubbing The Stains
The next step to do is to scrub the stains. One important element to note here is that using soap can actually double your entire effort. You may have heard of wicking, haven’t you? If not then check out this post.
For scrubbing the rug, you’d need to add white vinegar to the solution. Vinegar is great in wiping out stains. Adding vinegar to the solution and then gently scrubbing the rug will help remove the stains without damaging the stitches of the rug
Step 4. Rinsing
Another important part of your rug cleaning phase is to clean it with a high pressure water hose. The use of a high pressure water hose is necessary since rugs tend to store detergent and soap, which needs to be removed. The woolen material of the rugs not only accumulates more dirt but also accumulates detergent, increasing the chance of wicking in the results.
To avoid this situation, it is necessary that you rinse off the detergent with a powerful hose.If you’re doing it at your home and your garden hose doesn’t have the pressure, give it a cleaning. If that doesn’t work, then it’s better to take it to car washing to help pressure clean. Another thing that you can do is to constantly rinse it with plain water by putting it on the ground.
Step 5. Drying
The drying phase is as important as the cleaning process. Just like carpets, your rug does need to get dry from both sides. If possible then try cleaning the rug on a warm and sunny day. It will help to dry it faster. In doing so, keep an eye on the rug to notice any wicking. If you do, then give it a rinse again so that it can be cleaned effectively.
Wicking is a clear sign that your carpet or rug isn’t washed well and the soil is still present in it, especially at the bottom. Since rugs don’t have padding, the chances of wicking occurring are less but not truly mitigated. So there you have it. Your braided rug has been cleaned in no time. In case you experience smell coming from the rug, then spread baking soda on it and brush it off to take away the smell.
Cleaning Other Unique Rugs
Now that you’ve seen how you can clean your braided rug, it’s time to see how other type of unique rugs can be cleaned in a similar manner:
Delicate Rugs
Such types of rugs usually come in the vintage category and that is what makes them delicate in the first place. These are handmade with the finest quality materials, crafted with utmost care.
Their cleaning needs to be done with superb care so that the stitches don’t get damaged in any manner. For cleaning such rugs, don’t vacuum directly but cover with a nylon screen and then vacuum it. The maintenance of these rugs is highly necessary to maintain their appeal.
Natural Fiber Rugs
As evident from the name, these types of rugs are made from natural fibers. Their composition is made in a way that allows the dirt to swift through the floor. For cleaning such rugs, you’ll have to very careful since the fibers are fragile and can get damaged. To clean natural fiber rugs, take a soft brush and dip it in a soapy solution.
Now take this solution to slowly clean the stains from the carpet. The key here is to be patient and gentle in the cleaning phase. When the cleaning phase is done, you can move on to the rinsing step. For rinsing the soap from the carpet, take a towel and place it on the wet area to blot out the moisture and soap. Water affects greatly on the fibers; that is why make sure to thoroughly dry out the moisture from the carpet.
Animal Fur Rugs
Another type of rug that is also considered within the category of delicate rugs is animal fur rugs. These rugs are specially crafted from animal fur and have to be cleaned with exceptional measures. For cleaning these rugs, spread talcum powder and spread it on the rug. The rug can either be fur, sheepskin, or hair-on-hide.
Leave the talcum for few hours and then keep brushing the talcum, again and again, several times. This will help remove the dirt on the fur as well as remove any odors coming. For cleaning the back, use a warm soapy mixture and a cotton rag that will help rinse off the dirt effectively.
Conclusion
Having a braided rug at your home is something that would enrich the appeal of your place. However, just as the best-carpet-cleaners-near-me recommend, getting it cleaned should also be on your priority list. Do it often and do it right to keep your rug in good shape!