How to Clean an Area Rug on Hardwood Floor
If you have an area rug that is looking a little worse for wear, you might be wondering how to clean an area rug on hardwood floor. There is a simple solution to this problem. By using a variety of products and putting in the time, you will be able to successfully clean your area rug.
How to Clean an Area Rug on Hardwood Floor — What to Know
In this article, we are going to answer the question of how to get an effective clean of an area rug which sits upon a hardwood floor. We are going to achieve this by providing you with a step by step guide in order to make the clean as simple as possible.
Protect the Hardwood Flooring
Before you begin, it is essential that you protect your hardwood floor from any damage from the cleaning products that you are going to be using. There are a number of things that you can do to ensure that your floor is safe from harm.
- Use an old sheet under the rug, especially directly below any stains that may need extra attention. This will ensure that any cleaning product does not seep through.
- You can use some more material around the edges of the rug to protect the immediate area within which it sits.
Products to Use for Cleaning an Area Rug
There are several methods which you might decide to use in order to bring your area rug back to life. It is worth remembering to do a patch test in an inconspicuous part of the rug before cleaning the entire thing. This will ensure that the product is suitable for use on the material from which the rug is made. Some products you might use are;
- Steam cleaning machine.
- Baking powder paste (can be made using baking powder and water.)
- Carpet cleaning solution.
- Carpet cleaning with an attached brush.
- Carpet shampoo.
Step by Step Guide to Cleaning Your Area Rug
Now that you have made your preparations, you can begin cleaning.
- Begin by vacuuming the entire rug to remove any debris that may be present.
- If there are any severe stains such as a tea stain that you don’t know how to remove, you should treat these first using either a baking powder paste or a carpet cleaning solution. You may find that you need to leave the product on the stain for a period of time to allow it to work fully. The timing will vary depending on the severity of the stain but 30 minutes should be suitable.
- Once you have allowed the stain to soak, you can begin using a brush to gently scrub the area to fully lift the stain.The area can then be rinsed using a damp cloth to remove any excess product.
- You are now ready to tend to the less stained parts of the carpet, if you have opted to use a carpet shampoo, you should apply this and work the product into the rug in a sweeping motion. Try to keep moving in one direction in order to remove the most dirt. If you were to use a circular motion, you would essentially be moving the dirt from one place to another.
- Using a dry cloth, you can now soak up any moisture from the area rug, this will assist in the drying process. In order to allow the rug to fully dry, you will need to give it some time. Opening windows to allow a natural air flow will help greatly in moving things along.
- Once the rug is completely dry, you should vacuum it once again to remove any particles which have been left behind. If you don’t already know how a vacuum cleaner works, it essentially will suck up all remaining particles of dust on the rug.
Conclusion
In short, the answer to the question of how to clean an area rug on hardwood floor is simple, by following our step by step guide this is a process which is easy and manageable.
