Blog Layout

Can I clean my rug myself?

Petzold Tim • Dec 13, 2012

Can I clean my rug myself?

There are many factors involved in proper and safe rug cleaning. The short answer is, yes. The longer answer is you shouldn’t unless you are talking about a bath mat or inexpensive little shoe wiping off at the back door type of rug that you can just put in the washing machine.

For any other type of rug, a professional cleaning is required. Cleaning rugs is a science and an art. It is not even close to carpet cleaning. Many, including carpet cleaners, make that mistake every day. Rug cleaning takes years of supervised study. Even more experience in which to become proficient, and even more to become expert. Being a master rug cleaner doesn’t mean being exempt from mistakes, it means that you know how to correct those mistakes, and those of others who have tried before you while cleaning a rug.

There are people that can identify rugs down to the village and family of a weaver. It is interesting…to a point. Then, someone that knows what to do with this information must…wash the rug.

As a practical matter, most people don’t own the equipment, or have the space, even if they had the knowledge to attempt to clean their own rugs to do so.

Compressed air that will blow up to 40 pounds of grit and sand out of a rug requires a very large air compressor, and what room do you want to drag your rug into to perform this task? Dust will be everywhere…for months. Then you need to identify what types of dyes were used to create the rug.

Remember, the slightest mistake in the pH of your cleaning agents can make the colors bleed and shift creating an awful mess that very few people in the world are capable of attempting to correct.

So, you are now going to soak your rug in the solution that you’ve created yourself. Where are you going to do this? Remember, it will need to soak for a day or more and wet rugs are much heavier than dry rugs to handle.

Now the washing part begins. You will get into your rug washing “pit” with a brush that won’t damage your rug’s fibers and start to brush every inch of your rug. You will notice some areas that need more attention than others. What are you going to use to safely clean those?

You now pull your rug out of the dirty water and rinse the rug until you see no more dirty water. Now you need to repeat the washing part again to try to get those areas that didn’t fully come clean. That means more rinsing and washing again. It’s not unusual for this to be repeated four times.

Now, it’s time to dry the rug. It must dry quickly or colors can bleed, fringes can turn brown and mold can grow. Where are you going to find a place with very low humidity and lots of air movement in your home? If you take it outside the UV rays from the sun can fade or even change the color of the rug. It’s still humid; it is Austin Texas, right?

Yes, you can try to clean your rug yourself. Just know what you are getting into before you start.

By Tim Petzold 14 Sep, 2023
Wool Rugs Are Made To LastOne of the main reasons that natural fiber rugs are so popular is that they're made to last. With the proper maintenance and cleaning, a high-quality wool rug can last for over 100 years. Many people have stunning Oriental rugs that have been passed down between generations of family. This The post Durability of Wool Rugs appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 29 Jul, 2023
The Beauty of Recyclable Wool Rugs When you invest in a wool rug, you're not only choosing a durable and luxurious addition to your home decor, but you're also making an eco-conscious decision. While wool rugs are known for their longevity and resilience, like all things, they The post The Beauty of Recyclable Wool Rugs appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 20 Jul, 2023
Wool Rugs are Excellent Insulators Why Insulating Fabrics Work Best Having Persian rugs in your home is a great way to live a greener lifestyle. Wool is one of the most insulating types of fabric. It traps both warmth and coolness and doesn't easily transfer temperatures between The post Wool Rugs are Excellent Insulators appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 14 Jul, 2023
Wool Rugs Are “Old School” Safe! The Importance of Flame Resistance Wool’s natural flame resistance protects your home and your health. Modern safety regulations require most home furnishings to be flame-resistant. Though this is a helpful safety measure that reduces the danger of house fires, it also The post Wool Rugs Are “Old School” Safe! appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 21 Apr, 2023
Improper Storage Can Ruin Your Rugs Popular Misconceptions of Rug Storage Most individuals believe that to store a rug properly, it must be rolled tightly and wrapped in solid plastic sheeting. Once you’ve accomplished these two tasks, you can store your rug anywhere. Unfortunately, this advice may The post Improper Storage Can Ruin Your Rugs appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 14 Apr, 2023
Spots Can Become Stains Pets vs Rugs As a pet owner, you love your pets and treat them like your little, furry children. Unfortunately, pets can wreak havoc on Persian, antique and oriental rugs. This is because pets leave behind fur and dander from shedding. These items The post Be Aware of Spots That Become Stains appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 06 Apr, 2023
Exposing Rugs to Harsh Sunlight The Importance of Rug Placement Rugs can tie a room together, define a sitting area and help protect your hardwood floors in high-traffic areas. But the placement of your rugs can impact their quality of life. Laying luxury rugs in front of The post Exposing Rugs to Harsh Sunlight appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 30 Mar, 2023
Dry Rot in Rugs What is Dry Rot in Rugs? When you think of dry rot, you probably relate it to rubber belts and the tires on your car after they’ve been in use for many years. However, wool, Persian, and oriental rugs are also susceptible to The post Dry Rot in Rugs appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 23 Mar, 2023
Damage from Heavy Furniture How Heavy Furniture Can Damage Rugs Heavy furniture can leave indentations in your rug. This compresses and mats the fibers. In some instances, this damage may become so severe that the fibers cannot be straightened. Additionally, if your furniture is not properly secured, The post Damage from Heavy Furniture appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
By Tim Petzold 17 Mar, 2023
How Neglect Can Ruin Your Wool Rugs Dangers of Dirt & Debris When a wool rug is neglected for years, the accumulated dirt and debris can become embedded in the cuticles of the fibers, making it difficult to remove them without causing further damage. If the rug The post How Neglect Can Ruin Your Wool Rugs appeared first on The Austin Rug Cleaner.
More Posts
Share by: