A rug is a great decoration to add in your living space. It adds color and style, and a nice touch of comfort for our feet. One problem that does come up from time to time would be when it comes to cleaning them. Rugs are not exactly placed in secluded places in your house, but in a spot where they are always stepped on like entry areas.
Because of this, they get dirty easily and need to be cleaned often. It can be vacuumed, but there will come a time that it will require something more involved than that. People often wonder if it can be done on washing machine. Sure, it can be done in other ways, but the washing machine seems to be the easiest. The answer is yes – but you have to take a look at the care label first for some carpets are made for dry cleaning only. But if yours is not, then you can machine wash them with the following steps:
1. Shake Rug
The first thing to do is to shake it off to remove excess dust and hair. This way it will not get clogged in the washing machine. The more you remove, the better it will be.
2. Treat Stains
After shaking it up, you will need to look for stains. They should be treated before putting the rug in the machine for they will not get removed with just a normal cycle. You will need to employ another option or technique to remove them, and the right way to go will depend on what caused the stain. After treating the stains, then you can load your rug in the washing machine.
3. Load
Before loading your rug, be sure that it is color safe. If not, you may need to wash it separately from others. It will also depend upon your washer. If you have a front load washer, for example, you can wash two rugs together, maybe even with a towel or two. When you have top-load washer, the load should be even on all sides. If a rug is not enough, you could always add towels and rags.
4. Wash
Now, it is time to wash your rug. Remember to always wash it with cold water and always set your washer to a delicate and gentle cycle. It is also advisable to use liquid detergent to avoid solidifying of powder in the rug. If your rug has a rubber backing, never use chlorine bleach for it may cause the rubber to get brittle and weak in the machine. Instead, you could use oxygen-based bleach. Also, a rubber-backed rug should not be washed that often because it may not withstand it.
5. Dry
Rugs should be air-dried. You can place them in a rack, clothesline, or over your fence. Do not have it dry in direct sunlight for it will cause shrinking of the rug. It will also cause fading of colors. Putting it in a dryer can also cause shrinking and damage to the backing. If you want to get rid of the wrinkles, you can iron it or have it tumbled in a dry or low-air cycle with no heat.