Explore this step-by-step guide to deep cleaning an area rug yourself if you have a carpet in a common space that you want to freshen up.
Prep Outside Working Station
For the cleaning process, you’ll need a large enough outdoor working area where you can lay the rug down flat. Preferably, you’ll want to do this on a patio or paved surface that you’ve cleaned of any dirt and grime. If that isn’t an option, a tarp over grass should function well as a workstation.
Vacuum Both Sides
Once you’ve got your rug outside, the first thing you’re going to want to do is to vacuum the rug thoroughly. You should vacuum both sides. This process will remove most surface dirt so that the shampoo can focus on more deeply embedded stains. If you hit the rug after vacuuming and still notice dust coming off the surface, beat it with a broom handle or similar item. You’ll want to keep at it until nothing rises off the carpet when you strike it.
Test Out Carpet Shampoo
Scrubbing with shampoo is a fantastic way to prolong an area rug’s life, but the wrong soap could cause discoloration or fiber damage. Before you wash the entire rug, you’ll want to test out your carpet shampoo on a small corner. If you get a soap that’s specifically made for the type of material you have, you shouldn’t have a problem, but you’ll still want to make sure that the shampoo doesn’t cause any adverse effect.
If you don’t have carpet shampoo, you can try a mixture of dish soap and tap water. You’ll especially want to test any home mixtures to ensure you’ve gotten the proportions correct. You should only need a couple of capfuls of dish soap.
Wet Rug With Hose
Spray down the rug with a hose. Don’t worry about getting it “too wet.” You’ll need it very damp for the shampooing.
Scrub Shampoo In
With a brush that has firm bristles and a handle, scrub down the rug. Work hard to get between the fibers, down to the bottom of the pile. Once you’ve finished, let it sit for a few minutes. If you used a store-bought shampoo, it should list a suggested wait time on the bottle.
Rinse With a Hose
Once you’ve let the shampoo sit, rinse it off with a hose. Make sure that you get all the soap out of the carpet at this time.
Dry
Next, you’ll want to set the rug out to dry. It would be best to find a lateral post or hang up a clothesline that enables you to expose both sides of the rug at the same time. You’ll have to let the rug sit outside for a few days to fully dry. As such, before cleaning the rug, check the weather to ensure you’ll have a few sunny days in a row.
Vacuum
When the rug is dry and back in your house, vacuum the rug one more time. This final touch will reset any fibers that got displaced during the cleaning process.
By following this step-by-step guide to deep cleaning an area rug yourself, you can return any carpet in your home to its former glory.
