In addition to being the most important parts that warm our home and make it look beautiful, rugs are the most exposed to dirt. Although we intervene in the dirt with various methods, these methods can often be inadequate and we may have to clean our rugs completely. In this case, you have options such as getting help from carpet washing companies, washing your rug with a carpet washing machine, and cleaning your rug without using a machine. If you are one of those who prefer to clean your rug without a machine, I would like to remind you of a few points you should pay attention to while doing it.
Rug cleaning without a machine should be done using natural and hygienic materials. For example, water with vinegar is ideal for this. Rugs cleaned with the mixture obtained by adding a small amount of vinegar to the water are free from stains and odors. Another material that can be used is carbonate. It both destroys bacteria and cleans odors. However, it is necessary to add some moisture and oil-absorbing corn starch while using it. It is enough to wait half an hour after sprinkling this mixture on the rug. Then it is enough to clean it with a broom.
Using too many chemicals can cause allergic and even more important diseases. For this reason, natural cleaning materials that remain on the rug after use should not affect those living in the house. Rugs, one of the most important items in our home, need to be cleaned more consciously since there is a recent turn towards nature. Apart from dirt and odors, the most important issue for cleaning the stains on the rug is immediate intervention. First of all, pouring soda on the stain allows the stain to rise to the surface without going deep and can be cleaned immediately. Keep reading for more information!
How to Clean Your Rug Without a Machine
Many factors determine the methods to be used in rug cleaning, from the type of rope used while weaving the rug to the rug type such as mass production product or hand-woven. Thanks to the following practical information for rug cleaning, you can clean your rugs in your home, where hygiene should be paid the most attention. If you want your rug to be long-lasting while keeping it clean, you need to know which methods such as wiping, washing, sending to the washer, shaking, and sweeping should be applied and how.
You can of course pick up your rug from your home by calling a rug cleaner and get it cleaned in a few days. However, if you think that the heavy chemicals used, the washing and drying environments are not clean enough, the rugs are not dried enough to be delivered and it will bring financial burden, you can keep your rugs clean with various rug wiping methods.
Since washing rugs at home cannot be done continuously and the conditions required to dry completely cannot be provided at all times, hand wiping with correct methods and at regular intervals will provide sufficient hygiene. Wiping the rug with only cloth and detergent will cause the dust to trap under it and will not provide a real cleaning. Therefore, the tricks of rug wiping should be known. You can start by removing the powders first.
It is vacuumed nicely with a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the rug. However, it is not possible to get rid of all the dust by sweeping the rug from the top only. For this reason, if your vacuum cleaner has an apparatus that can reach the depths of the rug, using this apparatus after standard vacuuming will provide you with healthier results. Now that your rug is free of dust, it is ready to be wiped.
Especially for hand-woven, wool, and naturally dyed rugs, by using soap instead of detergent, you can prevent situations such as color bleeding, fading, and rug wear. Wiping rugs with soft soap is a method that has been used since the old times, rug shampoo is a method that keeps its popularity by spreading it by word of mouth by housewives against million-dollar advertising budgets of companies. Since it consists of sunflower oil and soap base, this product, which does not contain harmful chemicals, has come out with additives due to the decreasing costs and increasing competition.
Soft soaps, which are made by adding burnt old oils and cheap essences, are unfortunately no different from chemical detergents. For this reason, you should definitely choose 100% natural soft soap. Rug cleaning can also be done in a healthy way thanks to carbonate. With a product such as baking soda that is both inexpensive and easily available, you can purify your rug from bad odors, destroy bacteria, dehumidify, protect its color and get rid of oil stains. The type of brush and cloth you use as well as the cleaning agent you choose to wipe the rug will have an impact on the result.
When wiping your rug, you need to keep it as dry as possible. For this reason, microfiber cloths that do not hold much wetness can be preferred in the cleaning process. The brush should be chosen from very soft ones in order not to wear the rug. If everything is ok, it is useful to wipe the entire rug after removing the stains in order not to spread the dirt. Otherwise, the stain may spread more and become more difficult to remove. You can easily reach dust and dirt in all areas by wiping your rug with circular movements.
Tips for Washing a Rug Without a Machine
It is possible to wash or wipe your rugs by hand, with a rug washing machine, and with professional rug cleaning companies. As a preliminary preparation for washing your rugs by hand, you can get cleaning tools such as brushes, brooms, buckets, and rags. Do not forget to use gloves during cleaning. The trick to washing rugs at home is as follows: Wash your rug back and forth until there is no detergent residue, and then let it dry thoroughly. Otherwise, an odor may occur with the production of bacteria and the rugs are not hygienic even though they are washed.
After washing the rug in general, it is necessary to deal with the rug tassels separately. Some rugs have very dense tassels. There may be still dirty places that do not take up water and detergent. With the help of a brush, you can brush, open between them and clean them thoroughly. When drying the rug tassels, you should dry them on a flat surface so that they do not interfere. If you are going to use a rug washing machine for rug cleaning, you need to know which detergent is used in the rug washing machine.
You should buy rug washing shampoos and stain removers for cleaning, which you can easily find at any store. If we look at the types of detergents for rug cleaning, it is possible to find many organic and chemical options. Although the detergent selection varies according to the wishes and needs of the person; In terms of health, our recommendation is to first turn to organic solutions such as vinegar and baking soda.
If you want your rugs to shine and be free of stains, you can apply the white vinegar cleaning method. You can add vinegar to the water to shine, and you can use a mixture of vinegar and salt to get rid of the stains. To get rid of the stains on the rug quickly, it will be enough to clean the rug with washing soda. It is a natural rug cleaning method because it contains only sodium carbonate. Do not neglect to ventilate and vacuum frequently to maintain rug cleaning for a long time.
What Materials to Use When Cleaning Your Rug Without a Machine
Rugs are one of the most difficult items in our home cleaning. This is because rugs generally cannot be put into the washing machine and require special cleaning. It is also important to clean it regularly, as dust and mites accumulate on rugs, which can cause allergies or worsen existing allergies. Although they accumulate dirt, rugs are a unique decoration for our home. It adds warmth and soundproofing to the home.
In return, we can find particles such as dust, dirt, crumbs, hairs of our pets in rug tissues. We will discuss what we can do as a solution to these. If you have questions about how to wash the rug, the first thing we should do is to take care of the rugs. For this, we need a vacuum cleaner. Most of the dust and particles can accumulate on our rug weekly. We can clean them with a powerful vacuum cleaner.
In order for the rug to be cleaner, we need to vacuum not only on one side but also on both sides. The most effective method for spilled liquid or special stains that cannot be removed by the vacuum cleaner is to use natural soap. For rug washing, I recommend using soap and water instead of cleaning products such as ammonia, stain removers, etc. This is because rugs are usually made of delicate textures and materials and are not an item we wash regularly. We must make sure that the product we use does not corrode the rug or fade the color of the rug.
If we are not careful, we can cause permanent damage to our rug. Therefore, if you have a new stain on the rug, you should use cleaning water and a natural soap available in your home. If the stain persists, you can contact a professional who knows how to wash the rugs. Dissolve the soap in a bucket of warm water and scrub the stain with a soft bristle brush. For the rinse, you can use a cloth to remove the soap residue and add water to remove the soap. Remember to treat the stain as soon as possible, because if the stain dries, it will be harder to remove. This is the most effective technique for washing rugs at home.
Another option is similar to what we mentioned in the previous step; However, you should fill the bucket with hot water and some white vinegar and rub it gently with the mixture until the rug stains are gone. Not only do rugs get dirty, but they also have bad odors over time. Therefore, if the rugs are not too large, it is recommended to air them once a month and hang them outdoors to remove bad odors. Here are the rug cleaning steps:
- Rug control. We examine the rug to evaluate its condition: look for tears, stains, and check the texture of the rug for the best care.
- Removing the dust. We vacuum the rug to remove dust and other buildups.
- Color control. We check if the color of the rug is fading.
- Cleaning with water and natural soap. We clean both sides of the rug using hand rubbing with natural soap to remove 100% of the dirt on the fabric.
- Rinse. We rinse with purified water to remove the soap and all other products we use for rug washing.
- Winding in rolls. The rug is wrapped and hanged in order to prevent all the water in the rug without damaging the tissues and to prevent breakages.
- Drying. We completely remove the moisture from the rug thanks to the outdoor environment.
- Scrub. After the rug is cleaned, with the help of a brush, the last hair, fluff, bristle, etc. substances are removed.
- If the rug requires dry cleaning, cleaning can be carried out using perchloroethylene.
- How often should I wash the rugs? : For proper care, we recommend that you vacuum your rug weekly as mentioned earlier. You can also remove the stains by hand using natural soap.
It is necessary to store a rug well so that it does not accumulate dirt, mites, and spoil or deform when we do not use it. The most effective method for this is to use an old bed sheet:
- We must lay the sheet on the floor and put the rug on top; the sheets should come off the ends of the rug.
- We should wrap the rug and the sheet together in a roll and tie the ends of the sheet with a rope. Thus, we can keep the rug completely clean.
- We put the rug roll in a big bag or a plastic that is used to isolate it completely and protect it from dust or spillage that could fall on it.
- The rug should be stored in a dry place, ideally in a closet. It should be stored in a horizontal position to prevent deformation due to its weight.
- The correct cleaning of our clothes and belongings is important for us to use them as long as possible.
No-Machine Rug Cleaning Agents
The rugs, which make the house look more modern and stylish, are the products that collect the most dust and bacteria. Rug cleaning is very important, especially in homes with children, in order that the child does not have allergies. The detergent you use when washing rugs at home or to remove stains on the rug should be natural. Detergents with intense chemicals sold in the markets both spoil the texture of the rug and the detergent residues do not completely come off the rug.
Detergents used for wiping often cause the rug to wear out, the wool to deteriorate, and the color to bleed. When choosing detergent, you should determine the most suitable one for your rug type. The wool of machine-woven rugs is more durable than hand-woven rugs. Handwoven, patchwork, or shaggy-type rugs have a delicate structure. Especially when washing or wiping these rugs, handmade or soft soap should be preferred instead of detergent.
There are rug cleaning shampoos that are considered to be the best rug cleaning detergent to remove heavier stains and dirt. These shampoos both eliminate the microorganisms that accumulate on the inner surface of your rug and provide the most perfect hygiene and help keep the hair soft. Rug shampoos help you to wash even the most delicate rugs, especially hand-woven, without wearing them easily.
There are many different brands of rug cleaning detergents on the market. If your bleach rug is monochrome, you can wash or wipe your rug with bleach. However, bleach should not be used for multicolored rugs, rugs made of cotton, polyester, or acrylic. Bleach, which has a dense content in terms of chemicals, will cause the hairs of the rug to break. Instead, you can choose the rug washing shampoos available in the market.
Thanks to the rug shampoos and stain removers sold at very affordable prices, you can easily obtain the amount of foam you want and get rid of all the dirt on the surface. In addition, you will prevent the rug from collecting dust. The most important feature of the rug shampoo, which allows the substances spilled on the rug to remain on the surface, is that it helps to clean the rug more easily in the following periods.
Tricks of Rug Cleaning Without a Machine
I wish our rugs were never dirty and always kept as clean as the first day… Yes, we are sure that if this were the case, we would all be very happy. However, our rugs need to be cleaned periodically. Rug cleaning is important both in terms of hygiene and making the rug look as bright and beautiful as the first day.
First of all, we should always stay away from heavy chemicals and cleaning products that will spoil the texture of our rug. We must definitely vacuum before starting rug cleaning at home. Hair, crumbs, and dust on it should be carefully swept away and the cleaning process should be started that way… Especially if you have a small child in your house, the rug can get dusty or crumbs can fall off much more quickly. For this reason, we first remove the dust on it.
After cleaning the rug at home, we can move on to cleaning the stains that are difficult to remove after first vacuuming. It will be much easier to remove stains with baking soda. For this, get a pasty consistency by mixing baking soda with water. Take a medium soft brush in your hand. The hardness of the brush should be at a level that will not spoil the texture of the rug. After dipping your brush in baking soda, lightly press it on the stains. After waiting for 10 minutes, you can take the carbonate on it with clean water.
After removing the stains on our rug, we can start general cleaning. Let’s mix by adding a little vinegar and a little soft soap in a bucket of water. You can adjust the amount according to the size of your rug. Let’s soak a cloth that we can easily wipe in water and then squeeze it well. Let’s start wiping our rug with a cloth by rubbing it on its surface. After wiping our rug slightly moist without leaving any wetness, we complete our process.
Our rug should not remain damp because bacteria can reproduce more easily in humid environments. For this reason, we must wipe our rug again with a clean cloth and then ventilate it if we can. Here you can hang your rug on the balcony or open the windows to let air inside. After making sure that our rug is dehumidified and dried, we apply a broom for the last time to remove any dust that may arise when brushed, and our rug is clean. The operations we apply are very simple and practical.
Attention: If your rug is hand-made, please consult a professional or give it to a company for cleaning. Handwoven rugs should not be worn as they are cleaned with a special process.
Cleaning Rugs at Home Step by Step
The rug is a beautiful decorative element that colors your home. However, a dirty rug can change the whole atmosphere of your home in a sudden negative way. In addition, rugs provide an environment where dust and bacteria love to accumulate and multiply. This can cause problems especially in people with allergies or asthma. In the following paragraphs, you can easily learn how to clean the rug, how to disinfect the rug, what to clean the rug, how to wash the rug at home, and what are the tricks of these processes.
Rug shampoos and rug cleaning powders are the leading products used to clean rugs. However, it is possible to choose natural solutions to wipe rugs at home. For example, baking soda and vinegar can be used to remove stains. If you do not have a vacuum cleaner that can absorb water while cleaning your rug, we recommend you use a sponge. The best tools you can use to wipe rugs by hand are a sponge, microfiber cloth, or a sponge mop.
For regular rug cleaning, air your rug once a month and vacuum it at least once a week. Thus, you ensure that the rug is free from dust and breathing. The answer to the question of how to wipe a rug at home is very simple. First of all, vacuum your rug. Choose your product according to the type of your rug. Silk, shaggy, and handwoven rugs require different treatment than other rugs. If you have a flat and standard rug, you can use the cleaning products mentioned above.
First vacuum your rug. Thus, you get rid of dust and dirt and you have done the rough cleaning. Try the shampoo you will use on a small and invisible area of your rug. Be sure to read the instructions for use of the shampoo to make sure that you do not damage your rug. Proceed to the shampoo wipe. Mix the shampoo with water and start wiping it with a sponge mop so that the rug will not get too wet. Do not be too hard on your rug; this can damage the surface of your rug.
Remove the remaining shampoo. Rinse your rug with the help of a sponge or sponge mop you just soaked in clean water and let it dry. If you don’t have special materials for wiping rugs at home, you can also resort to natural solutions. Vinegar, baking soda, water, and powder detergent quartet will be the answer to the question of what to wipe with a rug at home. But remember; Vinegar, which can be preferred for superficial cleaning or purification purposes at home, never provides disinfection on the surface you apply. In addition to powder detergent, you can also choose a quality liquid softener. In this way, your rug will smell sweet.
First vacuum your rug. Dust and dirt that can be easily removed by sweeping will give you extra difficulty in wiping if you do not vacuum. Prepare your cleaning mix. In a large bowl, mix a teaspoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of powder detergent, or a quarter cup fabric conditioner with a quarter cup vinegar and half a glass of water. The mixture will foam on its own. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Apply it especially on the blemished areas and then leave it on for a few hours if possible. Proceed to the cleaning process. Again, rinse the area with the help of a sponge, sponge mop, or microfiber cloth. If the stain is too stubborn, try removing it with a stiff brush.
How to Clean Your Rug at Home
It would be ideal to vacuum the rugs at least once a week and to wash them at least twice a year. First of all, vacuum your rug well with a vacuum cleaner. Thus, you can easily get rid of dust and dirt that you can take away from washing. If there are stains on your rug, treat them with a clean cloth without excessive rubbing. For this, you can use a dish detergent that does not contain bleach, which you can drop into warm water. Then rinse with warm water.
Get one of the special shampoos produced for rug washing. When you say what to wash the rug with by hand, be careful not to use the product you choose as specified in the instructions, and then not to use too much water to dry more easily and not to apply enough force to damage the rug. If your vacuum cleaner has a water absorption feature, you can use it to speed up the drying process.
If you are using a rug washing machine, add the amount of rug shampoo indicated on the label to the clean water compartment. After washing the rug thoroughly with the machine, remove the excess water with the water absorption function. Finally, let your rug dry. In the meantime, take care to avoid direct sunlight and dry in a well-ventilated place so that the color is not damaged.
Treat the surface of your rug immediately when it is stained and avoid rubbing it while cleaning as it may spread the stain further. Take care to choose a suitable shampoo for your rug type. For example, you should use special wool shampoos for wool rugs. Rug cleaning products in powder form are faster and easier to clean because they do not have a problem such as drying time. If there are bad odors in your rugs, you can sprinkle baking soda on the rug, leave it for a few hours and sweep it thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner.
There may be situations where soap and water will not work during the rug cleaning. Especially if stubborn stains, settled odors, and years of dust have accumulated, the answer to the question of what to clean the rug with is more important than anything else. Rug shampoo is generally the preferred option when it comes to removing stains from the rug. Remember to follow the instructions on the package when using the rug shampoo, which you can find in many varieties:
Prepare your cleaning mix. Unless otherwise stated in the instructions, mix enough shampoo with water according to the size of your rug. Try not to wet your rug too much while wiping it. You do not spend an unnecessary amount of detergent and shorten the drying time of your rug. If necessary, use a brush. Brush off stubborn stains using a bristled brush. Let your rug dry. After drying, vacuum the shampoo residue.
If you have bought a new rug and your rug is hairy, it will not be enough to vacuum your rug. You can get rid of the pile of the new rug, by combing it with a flat, medium-hard rug brush. Take a bucket of water and your rug brush. Start collecting the hairs with the brush, starting from the top of the rug.
Throw the collected fluff in another bucket. Be careful that the brush does not wet the rug too much. Thus, you will not damage the structure of your new rug and the drying time will be shortened. Wait for the rug to dry. The rug must dry completely before proceeding to the next step. Pour some baking soda on your dry rug. You can vacuum your rug the next day.
Best Rug Cleaners That You Can Buy Online
