How To Clean An Area Rug In 5 Easy Steps

Regardless of whether you’ve placed your area rug in a high-traffic or low-traffic spot, it’s important to clean it regularly to prevent dust, grime, and dirt accumulation. Below, we’ve asked a home cleaning and organization influencer for her advice on how to clean an area rug, big and small. 

What To Consider Before Getting Started

• Read the care guide. Before beginning the cleaning process, always check the manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations and follow their care guide. It will be specific to the material(s) that the rug is made up of. “This will prolong the beauty and life of the area rug and prevent voiding any warranty they may have,” explains Booth.
• Consider the size. “Second, the size of your area rug will dictate how you go about cleaning it.”  

How Often To Clean Area Rugs

The frequency that you clean your area rugs will really depend on factors like traffic area, pets, and if anyone wears their outdoor shoes while on the rug. For high-traffic areas where shoes and pets are involved, Booth recommends vacuuming daily, spot cleaning as needed, and deep cleaning every other month. For low-traffic areas, vacuum two to three times a week, spot clean as needed, and deep clean at least twice a year.  

What You Need

For small to mid-sized washable rugs:

• Vacuum cleaner 
• Washing machine 
• Stain remover (optional) 
• Laundry detergent 
• Drying rack or place to allow for the rug to air dry flat 

For large washable rugs:

• Vacuum cleaner 
• Carpet cleaning machine 
• Stain remover (optional) 
• Cleaning solution recommended by the carpet cleaning machine manufacture 

How To Clean an Area Rug

To clean small washable rugs:

1. Take the rug outside and shake to loosen any embedded dirt. 
2. Vacuum to remove any remaining dirt that may be trapped in the rug’s fibers. 
3. Pretreat any stains with a stain remover of choice and blot with a dry white cloth to remove as much stain prior to washing.
4. Follow care label on the rug for proper wash water temp. If you no longer have the tag, wash in cold water, on a gentle cycle, to be on the safe side.
5. Lay flat to air dry. A drying rack or bench is a great option. This will prevent visible creases from forming when drying over a clothesline. 

To clean large washable rugs:

1. Remove furniture from the rug. If you’re not able to, slide plastic wrap or aluminum foil under the feet of the furniture. This will prevent any color transfer from the furniture onto the wet rug.
2. Vacuum to remove dirt. 
3. Pre-treat any stains with a mild stain remover and blot with a dry white cloth to remove as much stain as possible prior to washing. 
4. Follow the user manual usage guidelines for the carpet cleaning machine of choice and use the recommended cleaning solution for best results. 
5. Replace furniture or remove protective wrap used under the feet of the furniture after the carpet is dry. 

Tips for Cleaning Area Rugs

According to Booth, it’s best not to use any cleaning methods or products not recommended by the rug manufacturer to prevent voiding your warranty or damaging your rug. “When spot cleaning, don’t scrub stains—this can damage the fibers and change the texture of the area you scrubbed,” she explains. “Don’t use multiple cleaning products one after another when trying to remove stains, as this can cause a chemical reaction between cleaners, causing permanent staining and damage.”

Also, any sized dry-clean-only rugs should only be cleaned by a dry cleaning professional. “These types of rugs are made with materials and dyes that are susceptible to damage caused by water-based cleaning methods,” explains Booth.