Area Rugs: Can I clean these?

September 2, 2024 5:58 AM

I have several area rugs I've purchased from Wayfair several years ago. These are inexpensive, but they are great rugs, they have held up beautifully. But, they are getting dirty.

What is the best way to clean these rugs? I think using a steam carpet cleaner will ruin them.
Are there other methods/products that would help me clean them?
What has been your experience? Or maybe I just buying new ones?

rugs in question: https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/andover-mills-mountview-oriental-area-rug-in-navyivorybeige-w005003053.html?piid=1821731815

Thank you!

posted by james33 to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

The Wayfair page says to use a carpet cleaner. I think that means using any of the canned spray cleaners. The carpet is polypropylene, so a steam cleaner shouldn’t hurt it. I’d suggest getting a can of spray carpet cleaner and give that a shot.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:06 AM on September 2

Traditionally, you take a rug outside, throw it over something and beat it. Of course, then we got vacuum cleaners as well! If you want to go one step further, then sprinkle it with bicarbonate of soda, work that in with a dry brush, and then beat it or hoover it again. Carpet cleaning sprays work in the same way - spray on, leave to dry, hoover off. Steam cleaning or any sort of wet cleaning will render the item soggier than sprays, so you might need to leave it to dry outside depending on your local humidity.
posted by london explorer girl at 6:54 AM on September 2

I wash rugs outside on my driveway. Wool rugs are hard to get dry. This is polypropelene, and if it's dry weather, should dry pretty well. I use diluted laundry detergent, scrub by scooting around on the rug in bare feet, then rinse thoroughly. To dry, I put clean stuff under the rug - whatever outdoor equipment is handy -for air flow. My asphalt driveway gets warm in the sun,. so I move the rug.

Or rent a rug cleaner at a hardware store.
posted by theora55 at 7:01 AM on September 2

I use a Hoover steamer rug cleaner on all my rugs - wool, polyester (a few from wayfair in fact), and wall-to-wall carpeting and it works great on all of them. The dirty water that results from cleaning is eye-opening and now I steam clean my rugs more frequently now. It was about $100 from walmart, works like a vacuum but cleans really well and much easier than renting a bulky machine. Prior to getting the steam cleaner, I used the spray can and rubbing/vacuuming and that was arduous and I don't think it cleaned well. Finally a major dog incident prompted the steam cleaner purchase and it was life-changing!
posted by j810c at 8:07 AM on September 2

I would be very hesitant to rent a rug cleaner. People use them for all manner of vomit and poop explosions and some pretty vile cleanup situations. A rental carpet cleaner is one of the most likely things in this world to have been rubbed through some form of excreta.

I strongly recommend you just spend $100-200 and buy one (boxing day, black friday, prime day, etc are a great time to do this). The little dome-shaped Bissell ones are great. You'll easily find a use for it once or twice a year, so it will pay for itself by year 2 or 3.

Pro tip- Every time you use it, end the session by filling a clean bowl with hot water and a little dish soap, then dunk in the nozzle and suck it all up. Dump the tank, then suck up a couple bowls of clean water. This will clean the inside of the hose and nozzle. And before you pack it up to store it, let the vacuum dry completely with the tanks uncapped and the parts separated for optimal air flow. This will keep the vacuum from getting stinky inside.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:36 AM on September 2

The Wirecutter did an excellent article on this topic recently.
posted by dbmcd at 10:48 AM on September 2

I use a driveway and a method similar to Wirecutter's, which I learned from my mother.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:03 PM on September 2

I would rent a pressure washer and clean them on one of the gentler settings in the driveway, because pressure washers are fun and you will probably come up with a bunch of other things to wash
posted by genmonster at 3:40 PM on September 2

Yeah, I wouldn't use steam on this due to concern that the heat might permanently melt the pile, but a normal carpet cleaner (Rug Doctor, Bissell) should be fine. The hardest part about carpet cleaning is actually getting enough water out of the carpet again so it can dry, which is what these machines are great for. I know a lot of local stores in my area have pro-grade rentals; or it looks like the consumer machines are around $150-ish (and usually come with attachments for upholstery/spot cleaning as well).
posted by radiogreentea at 7:46 PM on September 2

Thank you all! Wonderful ideas!

Before the cold weather sets in, I'm going to use my sis's driveway for carpet cleaning!
posted by james33 at 9:24 AM on September 3