It can get very tricky when trying to clean a jute rug. And that’s something about natural fiber rugs that people don’t know… Yeah, they’re durable and eco-friendly, but there are also major drawbacks to buying one of them for your house. in this case, you’ll need to care about the cleaning routine.
Jute rugs are easy to clean with a simple broom or carpet rake. Just use this tool to sweep the dirt away – and the rug looks great again. Standard cleaning with a vacuum works great on the jute carpet surface, too. But it’s quite problematic to clean heavy stains on jute fiber as this material is not recommended for wet washing. In this case, the baking soda, put on the stain for a night, will help. Read further to know, what happens with a jute rug if it gets wet.
What Happens When Jute Rugs Get Wet?
Some of my readers are still hesitating, whether to buy jute rugs or not for their households. Most people avoid getting jute rugs as they are hard to wash. There is an opinion, that jute rugs shouldn’t get damp – they go bad in this case. That’s not exactly true. So, let’s consider, what happens with a jute rug when it gets wet?
There are two unpleasant things, which happen with a jute carpet after it has absorbed some water.
1. It got 5-6 times heavier
Carpets, made of jute, are 100% natural products. Jute is an annual herb, which reaches a height of 3 meters. It grows in subtropical regions of Asia, India, and Bangladesh. The main thing you should know about jute is that it is a moisture-loving plant. Research has shown jute fiber contains 23% of moisture with a high humidity factor of 88%. And still, jute remains dry at a touch! That means jute is a hygroscopic material. Its hygroscopicity is highly used by manufacturers, who create the package from jute, which keeps the cargo inside dry. The same happens with jute rugs when they get damp. They absorb water and become 5 times heavier. So, if you try to wash a 3 kg jute rug, it will become a 15 kg jute thing after getting wet. No need to say, that it is hard to deal with such a heavy thing during the hand washing.
2. The yellow water marks remain on the jute carpet surface
The other unpleasant thing, which can happen with a jute rug after it got wet and then dried out – is the appearance of yellow water marks on its surface. It’s very hard to dry out the carpet from jute. If occasionally it got wet, then I recommend you to put it on a flat surface and let it dry for 3-4 days during hot summer weather. It will be drying even longer – during 7-10 days – in winter. While getting dry, you should turn it to the other side from time to time.
If the jute carpet was dried out in the wrong way, you’ll see ugly huge yellow marks on its light surface. The marks are water remnants in the carpet fiber.
3. After getting wet, the jute rug smells bad
Another thing, which keeps the jute carpet owners from washing them traditionally, is the bad odor, which occurs immediately after the thing got wet. This odor reminds the smell of fresh earth, which seems to many people unpleasant. The good news is – after getting dry, the smell will disappear.
These three reasons make jute carpet washing not completely forbidden, but very hard to put into practice. So, how is it possible to clean the jute carpet if you can’t wash it in the usual way? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered on this one… we’re going to be giving away the best way ever to clean your jute rug without water! As you’ve guessed, baking soda can help!
Clean Jute Rugs with Baking Soda
If you’re worried you won’t have any of the things you’ll need to apply this cleaning method to your stained jute rug, then you’re probably wrong!
This is all you’ll ever need to clean jute rugs with baking soda:
– Vacuum cleaner
– Gloves to protect your hand from getting allergic reactions
– Bucket
– Fan or hairdryer
– Club soda
– Clean cloth
– Clean white paper towels
– White vinegar
– Baking soda
Once you have it all prepared and ready to use, you can start cleaning your jute rug!
Step 1: Vacuum thoroughly
This first step is too obvious… sometimes so obvious that people think it’s unnecessary and skip it. Well, let me tell you… jute rugs detach rots and bristles over time due to the natural fibers they are made from. And when trying to clean you either remove them first or end up with a dirtier rug. Vacuum in all directions to try to get it all out.
Step 2: Prepare the spill or stain for cleaning
If the spill is recent, use the paper towels to clean it up as much as possible. Press gently on the spot and let it absorb all the moisture possible. Avoid dabbing too hard as it could make the liquid sink deep in.
If the stain has been there for a while now, use club soda or a mixture of 1/2 of vinegar and 1/2 of water with a cloth to add a bit of moisture (but not too much!) to it. This way it’ll be easier to remove it. After it, use a hairdryer or a fan to dry it much faster.
Step 3: It’s time to get the baking soda working!
Once it’s all dry, sprinkle baking soda all over the area you want to clean and let it sit overnight.
In case you didn’t know, baking soda works great to deal with all types of stains and will help with bad odors as well.
Especially when cleaning jute rugs, baking soda will also help reduce the moisture it may have. And that’s a great plus to have!
Step 4: Vacuum all over again
Remember this: the more the better. So if you can let the baking soda sit for at least a night, you’ll get better results.
Once the time is over, you’ll have to vacuum the rug all over again to remove all the baking soda. Vacuum twice if needed.
Step 5: Repeat the process on the other side
If you really want to deep clean a jute rug, you’ll need to repeat this same process I just explained on both sides of the rug.
Tips to Keep a Jute Rug Clean
If you want to get your jute rug all cleaned up and bright as new, and the above cleaning method hasn’t been enough you can also use some of these tips I’m about to tell you or go to this article that talks about How to Clean Jute Rugs
1. Vacuum jute rugs regularly. You’ll get all the debris out and won’t let the dirt and dust sink in deep between the fibers.
2. Deodorize it with baking soda. This way you’ll keep it smelling fresh and eliminate the moisture.
3. Trim off the loose ends. Jute rugs are prone to getting loose ends. If you don’t remove them, they could end up tearing the whole rug apart. But don’t pull them!
4. Treat the corners to prevent them from curling. If they’re already curled up damp it a bit and place a heavy object on top, leaving it overnight. Repeat this process as many times as needed.
But even if you maintain your jute rug as carefully as possible, still there’s one problem, which can happen with them. You should know, how to deal with it. I speak about shedding.
Can Jute Rugs Be Shedding?
I have to confess to you, that jute rugs really can be shedding. That happens because of the ability of jute fibers to crumble. The rug shedding becomes even more intensive in the areas with high traffic. That’s why I don’t recommend putting jute rugs in the entryways and mudrooms. To avoid the jute rug shedding, you should put a thick pad under it to avoid its friction with the hard floor surface. Besides, it is recommended to vacuum the jute rugs as often as possible to take away the excess mud, which causes more intensive shedding. Read about the best vacuum cleaners, which help you with your jute rugs.
Conclusion
Is there a dirty stained jute rug at your house?
Are you looking for a homemade recipe that will help you get that jute rug all bright and clean?
Well, as you’ve already seen, baking soda will save your day, again. It’s incredible how many uses one can give to such a simple ingredient… and to think you’ve had it all the time right in front of you in the pantry and never used it!
Now there are no excuses for not having a clean jute rug at home. All rugs for that matter!
Use this simple baking soda recipe and find out for yourself.