How to Clean a White Area Rug?
Typically, people choose rugs with dark colors, thinking there is little to no evidence of dust or stain on the carpet. Some others believe that light colors may help to quickly spot if the rug needs maintenance so that you can keep it clean at all times. A soft white carpet might have a special heart in every rug lover, but the only reason that might stop them from buying one is that it can quickly get dirty and is hard to maintain. A white carpet can add a sophisticated touch and bring more light into a white room design. Keeping your classic white carpet is a job as it needs to be appropriately maintained and cleaned more often than usual.
This article looks at some important and easy ways to keep a white carpet as good as new so that you don't have to worry about carpet maintenance the next time you consider buying one.
Maintaining A White Rug The Right Way
Getting your snow white carpet cleaned can seem like a tough job. You might feel that it is not "white enough" or " off-white" if you are unsatisfied with the cleaning job. Sometimes maintaining a white carpet might end as quickly as cleaning it with a white towel or white paper towel when there is a little spill or stain if you had just got it cleaned a few days before. For a regular cleaning routine, the following tips might come in handy to use different methods for different occasions:
Shake and Beat Your Rug
For methods that involve removing the dust off a white wool carpet, ensure that you do it in the open and not indoors. This way, it will help to make the surrounding area free of the fallen dust and for you to not carry out a second cleaning round of the floor.
- Roll your white rug and take it outside.
- Roll out the rug once you are outside, and hold the corners of the carpet firmly to shake it. Continue shaking until there is no dust and debris on the rug.
- If the carpet is large that it is difficult to be held by you, consider hanging it over a fence or railing. Then beat the back side of the rug vigorously with a rod or stick. Be sure to carefully hit the front side of the rug so the carpet fibers don't fall off.
Vacuum Cleaning
Clean your white carpet thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner from the back side. Vacuuming from the back of the rug is the safest way to maintain the rug's fibers while cleaning. Rigorous cleaning can sometimes lead to wear and tear as the vacuum brush may suck up the suitable fibers along with the dust. Buying a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar is ideal as it will help agitate the carpet with vibrations to loosen the dirt buildup. The dust is later removed through suction in the beater bar.
Be careful not to vacuum the fringes or knots in the speed mode with the beater brush, as long fibers can get stuck and tear the rug. A carpet upholstery cleaner is an excellent option for cleaning white carpets with long fibers.
Removing Bad Odors
Cleaned your rug, but still, it's not fresh enough? Removing the dust is only the first step to maintaining the rug. While steam cleaners can do the job, white vinegar and baking soda are an excellent combination for retaining the freshness of your white rug using homemade methods. White baking soda is a natural odor absorber. White vinegar removes foul smells and even stains off the rug. The combination of vinegar with any substance can only be used for white rugs as white vinegar may react with other dyes and wash the color off the rugs to give them a dull look. Sprinkle a little baking soda and white vinegar solution on your white carpet, and let it sit for a couple of hours. Vacuum the rug up later.
Spot Cleaning
Spot shot is a method that needs you to act quickly when your white area rug has a spot or stain that you notice within a few minutes. When it's only a few areas to be cleaned, spot cleaning can be the quickest way to make your carpet spotless and maintain the overall look.
- Clean any spill and stain immediately with white towels, as the dye from any other color may easily stick to the rug and cause more stains. Also, stains are hard to remove once it gets dry.
- Remove any excess water or moisture from the rug surface or surrounding area using dry towels when there is a liquid spill. Blot liquids (like wine or urine) should be touched with a clean towel first before going for dry dish detergent.
- Mix the detergent and water in small amounts and use a clean, white sponge to scrub the stained area lightly, as rigorous scrub may lead the stain to spread further into the carpet fibers.
- Clean the sponge and repeat the process until the stain is gone. The drying process should be done under sunlight for a few minutes and later in the shade to retain the quality of fibers.
Deep Cleaning of The White Area Rug
The deep cleaning process helps remove white carpets from stubborn stains and dirt. Following are some of the tips that might be helpful:
- Mix a small amount of mild dish soap or mild detergent with water to make a carpet solution. Use a commercial stain remover if any spots or stains are to be removed.
- Dip a clean sponge(possibly white) in the cleaning solution and scrub the stained area of the rug. Start from a corner and work towards the center to cover the entire area of the rug.
- Clean your sponge frequently to avoid the stains sticking to it and causing color damage to the rug.
- Go over the entire area with clear warm water to remove dust or detergent. Be sure to dry the rug in the shade to maintain the quality of the rug.
Hang the rug in an elevated or open space with more air circulation to get it dried completely.
Consider giving your white rug to professional carpet cleaning services to eliminate harder stains and avoid any damage due to unprofessional handling.
White Carpets: A Different Carpet Cleaning Game
Usually, a carpet manufacturer or professional carpet dealer may attach a slip to advise on cleaning a white carpet and delivering your product as part of customer service. It is always best to be aware of cleaning tips before purchasing a white carpet to be entirely sure and confident that you will be able to maintain it well.
