We all love jute home accessories, such as rugs, placemats or drapes. It takes your home decor to another level. They are very stylish and durable if maintained well. Not to say it is an all-natural eco-friendly material.
But we need to take into account many factors when choosing a jute rug for our home, such as where are we going to place it and the traffic there’s going to be in that area.
As you already know, jute is a material that comes from plants and therefore, even though it is very durable and biodegradable, it is a bit tricky to clean. The good thing is dirt and dust don’t cling too hard on jute fibers, and so if maintained well, the cleaning process is much easier!
Can jute rugs get wet?
This is a complete no-no if you want it to stay in its original shape. As jute rugs are made up of vegetal fibers, they are very sensitive to water and can get damaged easily if not treated correctly.
If you want it to be as durable as manufacturers say they are, keep it away from moist and humid areas, and try not to use water when cleaning it.
If this got you worried and you want to learn more to see if this type of rugs fits you and your home, here’s an article just for you!
How to clean jute rugs: remove stains
Now, let’s get into the messy part. If you’re reading this is because you already have a jute rug.
Let’s say that cleaning jute rugs isn’t difficult, just different from the cleaning process of other types of rugs. They need to be maintained more often to have them look as the very first day…
When stains happen, the only way to get them out of jute rugs correctly and 100% is to act immediately. The most recommended cleaning method for this type of rug material is dry cleaning but sometimes, other methods are needed. Here you’ll learn about all of them!
Method 1: Vacuuming
You may be tired of reading this tip all over the place, but it’s the only way to really keep a rug cleaned, despite the material they’re made from…
Jute tends to disintegrate easily with time and use. It will rot and get brittle a lot. That is why vacuuming a jute rugs is so important.
This will also prevent dirt to get rubbed into the jute fibers. Vacuum in the direction of the fibers have been woven.
Method 2: Spot Cleaning
When you need to clean more in-depth your rug or remove a stain, this is an effective way to do it, aside from vacuuming (you’ll see!)
Step 1: If you accidentally drop something, first remove all the solids there might be and blot the stain gently with dry paper towels if there’s any liquid. If the stain is already set in because some time has passed, try adding a bit of water to the paper towels. But no too much… we don’t want to soak the rug! Avoid paper towels with any kind of color or drawing as it could transfer to the rug.
Step 2: To remove the stain you can use two things:
– Mix: 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of water
– Club soda (best for red wine or tomato sauce stains!)
Step 3: By now, all stain tend to have gone away, so let it air dry if it’s a warm sunny day or use a hairdryer or fan to accelerate the process.
– If there’s still some stain remaining, repeat the process adding some soap or a sisal spot cleaner such as this one!
[amazon link=”B008EUJBM6″ title=”ForceField – Fabric Cleaner”/]
[amazon box=”B008EUJBM6″]
Step 4: Once the stain is gone and dry, sprinkle some baking soda on top and let it sit for a whole day or night. Vacuum it afterwards.
Method 3: Dry or air Cleaning
This method uses a dry cleaning powder to remove stains and odors from jute rugs.
And the best thing is you can buy it online or DIY!
– Buy online here:
[amazon link=”B01MS4I0H2″ title=”Capture Carpet Dry Cleaner Powder”/]
[amazon box=”B01MS4I0H2″]
– Make it homemade with this amazing baking soda recipe we’ve prepared just for you!
Now, before applying it on the entire jute rug, try it on a small invisible area. Once you’ve tried it and you’re sure it won’t damage it, sprinkle the dry cleaning powder on the stain or the entire rug if you want to clean it all.
Then brush it in all directions with the brush that comes with the kit or any clean brush you may have at home. After it, sprinkle some more all over the place and let it sit for a while. And last, vacuum it thoroughly, at least twice if you cleaned the whole rug to get all that powder out!
By now, you should have a bright and clean as new jute rug! With these 3, methods you have all you need to bring your jute rug back to life!
How to clean jute rugs: remove odors
Jute is great but it is also a great absorbent. Thatis why jute rugs tend to catch lots of odors and never let them go if you don’t do something about it.
So here are 3 fantastic ways to remove odors from jute rugs:
1. Good old Baking Soda
Sprinkle some all along your jute rug and let it sit for at least 15 min. The longer the better results you’ll get. After some time, use the vacuum to remove all of it thoroughly. Repeat this process all the times you need until the odors have gone away or try mixing the different methods to obtain better results.
2. Nothing better than the Sun
There’s nothing better than nature to help us fix our daily problems, such as bad odors. In this case, the sun will take charge! Take your jute rug outside on a warm and sunny day. Let it sit for a day at direct sunlight. This will take away all the humidity your rug has been accumulating, and leave it completely dry.
3. Use air fresheners
You may think air fresheners will damage your jute rug but there are, in fact, some that won’t! And they work miracles. Spray some all around your jute rug and let it sit. Leave the door and windows open to ventilate and let some new air in.
Here is one of the best air fresheners for jute rugs!
[amazon link=”B07D7HXJVL” title=”Febreze Fabric Refresher, Odor Eliminator, Extra Strength”/]
[amazon box=”B07D7HXJVL”]
Conclusion
When you have a rug you love, you’d do anything to keep it. Great, beautiful rugs are just so hard to find! Especially natural fiber ones.
Why are they so hard to clean then? Well, nothing can be perfect. And we’ve seen they aren’t that hard if you keep a cleaning rutine… there’s just one thing you can’t forget!
No matter what happens… avoid all type of moisture on your natural fiber rugs, especially jute rugs in this case. Don’t ever use steam to clean them or wet shampoos.
Only the 3 methods we’ve talked about before:
– Vacuuming regularly.
– Spot cleaning.
– Dry cleaning.
This is the only way!