How to Care for Your Rug

A rug adds cozy depth, warmth, and visual interest to your space. Learning how to care for a rug will protect the investment you make in your home for years to come. 

 

Wool Rugs

 

Wool is a great choice for rugs, because it's soft underfoot, but can stand up to plenty of foot traffic. This shorn yarn is a natural fiber, so it's made to resist moisture and stay warm in winter and cool in summer. Wool rugs are usually easy to clean, too, because the cuticle of the fiber is angled to protect from dirt, dust mites, and other pollutants. 

Whether you've chosen a wall-to-wall rug, an accent for your favorite furnishings or a hallway runner, keeping your rugs fresh ¬– no matter what material – helps keep your home welcoming. Learn how to care for your rug with these 5 easy steps. 

 

Use a Rug Pad 

 

No matter where you place your rug, you should always use a rug pad underneath it. These simple home accessories are made of an extremely thin material and lay between the floor and the underside of your rug. 

The pad keeps your rug in place to help prevent slipping and sliding, plus it provides a little extra bounce under your step. It feels good, but it has a practical value, too. The buffer effect helps keep your rug's fibers from being completely crushed when you put weight on it. 

Need another bonus? It's easier to vacuum your rug and clean the floor underneath with a rug pad. Dirt doesn't smash into the underside of the rug or mar the floor with grit. 

Selecting a rug pad is easy. If your rug is a standard size, you can buy the exact size rug pad for your rug. Many rugs come in one of approximately a half-dozen sizes. Runners are long, skinnier rugs and area rugs are rectangular:

• 2.5 x 9 

• 2 x 3 

• 3 x 5 

• 5 x 8 

• 8 x 10 

• 9 x 12 

• 10 x 14 

If your rugs are other sizes, you should still use a rug pad as part of your care. In this case, just trim the rug pad to fit your rug. 

For instance, 5 x 8 is a standard rug size now, but a few years ago, most rug makers relied on 6 x 9 as the standard. If you have a beloved rug you selected a while ago or if you've stumbled upon a gorgeous vintage or antique find, it might be easier for you to cut down an 8 x 10 pad. This tip is good for world travelers, too. There are some incredible rugs in marketplaces around the globe, where standard sizes may differ, and you never know what you might fall in love with. 

Outdoor rugs need rug pads, too. Place one under a patio rug the same way you would to care for your indoor rugs. It'll help extend the life of your rug by lifting it off a deck or other outdoor surface and by helping to prevent mildew.

 

Spot Clean

 

You can clean most rugs by spot cleaning them. This easy technique takes the hard work out of cleaning by letting you focus on just the parts of the rugs that look like they need a little love. 

This doesn't take the place of deeper cleaning ¬– every rug needs a good, thorough clean occasionally ¬– but small spots, stains or marks can be taken care of right away in a few simple steps. Be careful that you don't use harsh chemicals. These can strip your rug of color, denigrate the strength of the fibers or leave funky smells behind.  Try these easy rug-care tips instead:

• Try to get to spots while they're still wet or fresh. They'll lift more easily.  

• Use water first. Dampen a towel or other cloth and blot. Don't start off scrubbing. 

• If your kids get gum on the rug, harden the gum with ice and scrape it off with a butter knife. 

• You can use gentle soap or detergent on wool or other rugs, as long as they're color-fast. 

 

Vacuum 

 

Many vacuums are quite strong and can damage a rug if you're not careful. High-powered suction can unravel woven rugs, yank loops or fibers out of the rug's surface or cause sprouts. 

Sprouts are especially common on wool rugs. These inconsistencies in the pile of the rug are caused by hand-knotted or twisted loops being pulled loose by your vacuum. If you accidentally cause a few sprouts in your rug, you haven't ruined it for good. Get a pair of sharp scissors and carefully trim the sprout down, so it doesn't unravel more or cause other collateral damage.  You don't want it to happen frequently, but don't stress it once or twice. 

The best way avoid vacuum damage is to use a vacuum with a canister instead of a beater bar. You can also use the handheld attachments.  Vacuum the reverse side of your rug, too. 

 

Read the Label 

 

It may seem obvious, but many rug owners forget the basic instructions. Read the label on your rug to see what kind of care is best for it. Indoor and outdoor rugs will have different needs, as will rugs made of different materials, like wool, sisal, jute, chenille or manmade loops or pile. 

Make sure you're clear on where you can use your rug, too. If it's an indoor rug, you're fine using it anywhere in your home, although you'd obviously want to keep the fine wool for the living room or bedroom and enjoy something like a woven area rug or cushy mat in the kitchen. 

Others are specially labeled as indoor/outdoor rugs. These are great for a covered deck or lanai, for a garage or detached game room, or mud rooms where there's lots of traffic. 

 

Rotate Your Rugs

 

Rugs are meant to last a long time, but rotating can make them last even longer. Switch them up from room to room, so one rug isn't constantly in your higher-traffic locations. You can also flip their orientation if you know people pass through a portion of a room to other parts of the house, too. 

For outdoor rugs, you can roll them up and store them to help them stay weather-resistant and keep them from fading.  This will also keep them away from heavy moisture during rainy times of year where you live or when winter hits. 

With simple care and attention, your rugs should give you many years of enjoyment throughout your home. Stick to the basics, stay consistent with your cleaning, and don't forget to move them around every now and then.