How to Clean an Outdoor Rug?
An outdoor space in your house, usually a balcony, or a terrace, is where you have your outdoor furniture. An outdoor rug or a carpet is usually found with this furniture and is subject to loose dirt around it. This can be anything from dust to other stains. For backyard gatherings, outdoor rugs frequently serve as catch basins, soaking up burger juice, iced tea spills, and other outdoor food and beverage messes. And that's on top of the layer of slathered-on dirt, mud, and whatever else Mother Earth or Mother Nature feels like tossing at it. While preparing for a backyard party, everyone remembers to clean the tables and chairs, but the outdoor area rug is frequently forgotten. When you look online, the vinegar or baking soda method is one of the profound solutions for its long-term maintenance with a bucket of water.
While cleaning the rug, an outdoor living space item, people keep color in mind and want to retain the original color. Being found in the open, it is left on different façades in different houses. Sometimes they take the entire surface or are even found under patios. They are key outdoor elements that make your territory look elegant and scenic. Outdoor rugs are contrary to mold and mildew defiant; the presence of moisture and dirt around them is an invitation to bring in pesky fungi.
Below is the list of accessories you will need to clean your outdoor rug and give it that glow it had when you brought it home for the first time.
Accessories to Clean the Outdoor Rug
To clean an outdoor rug, what you'll need as supporting tools are:
- Broom
- Vacuum
- Hose
- Liquid dish soap
- White vinegar or baking soda
With the ingredients mentioned above, a step-by-step cleaning process is mentioned below to wash the outdoor rug and give it another shot at a different season.
Step 1: Get Rid of the Dirt.
Before vigorously shaking your carpet or rug, wear a dust mask and safety gloves. Place this rug over leaves or outdoor seating, shake it, and remove all the excess dirt. Drape it like a towel over a fence to lose the rug fiber. Remove the locked-in dirt from the rug with your hand, or use a broom.
Step 2: Vacuum and Rinse
A thin layer of dust is found after you have shaken the cloth; use the vacuum cleaner to clean both sides of it. Battery-powered vacuums are on the market, and the rug's material will determine if you must use a dry vacuum or a wet one for deep-down dirt. For pet hair, use the indoor vacuum, and attach the handheld rod and brushes to clean the rug.
Your rug might be made of washable material, and you must look at the care label for instructions. You can rinse it, and you can also use a garden hose to wash the plastic rugs. Inclined surfaces like stairs are the best places to do this step as they will assist in draining water quickly.
Step 3 Lather Followed by Scrubbing
Outdoor rugs benefit a lot from a gentle scrub, unlike indoor ones. Look out for the care instructions to be aware soaps won't damage the rug's material. Be aware of using the manufacturer's recommendations if you have misplaced the tag.
Diluted dish soap and a few others are solutions that work well on outdoor rugs. For a lousy mix of dirt, the solution of warm water and some dish soap should work to retain the original colors. Acidic stains are painful, and another popular choice is club soda which is extremely helpful in removing them. The approach toward sticky stains uses hydrogen peroxide and baking soda as a paste for spot cleaning.
Upon lathering, carefully scrub any sensitive areas or the entire region with a clean sponge.
Step 4: Rinsing and Drying the Rug
Remove all the cleaning agents by rinsing water from the rug's surface and letting it dry on a flat surface. To keep the color and shape intact, don't drape it around any railing, as it could affect the rug while drying. Once one side is done, you can flip it over and let it dry. For colorfast materials, consider sun drying. If you have bad weather, the best suggestion is to wait and dry your rug another day and make sure it is scorched before placing it in storage or under your compact patio.
Step 5: Storage or Placement of the Rug
Depending on the weather, people tend to change their rugs habitually. To prolong the life of your rug, take it indoors during the rainy or snowy seasons and avoid the cost of having it damaged. Ropes and stretch cords come in handy while storing them in the roll. When it is maintained in a deck or shed, you might want to pack and put it under the tarp in plastic.
If the rug goes back to its original place, clean that place where it once was by meaning pressure washing the deck, or if it was in the garden, use excess water from the garden hose and clean the space. Please keep it on your reminders or the calendar that you must clean it up again after three months.
Importance of Cleaning an Outdoor Rug
Outdoor rugs are a great way to add a pop of color and style to your patio or deck. However, they can also be a magnet for dirt, dust, and other debris. Over time, this build-up can force the rug to become stained and faded. Additionally, it can provide a breeding ground for mold and mildew. For these reasons, it is essential to clean your outdoor rug regularly. The good news is that this is effortless to do with just a few household supplies. Simply vacuum the rug to remove any loose dirt and debris. Then, mix up a solution of warm water and mild soap and use it to scrub away any remaining dirt gently. Allow the rug to air dry completely before putting it back in place. With just a bit of effort, you can keep your outdoor rug looking its best for years.
Keep Your Rugs Clean and Long-lasting
The Outdoor rug plays an essential role in the outdoor furniture segment in furniture stores; it steals the show by being set in the spotlight and a beautiful segment for your homes. You would want to keep them the way you got them from the store and have your house stand out differently from the rest of the houses in your locality. By using the right products and following the instructions mentioned above, you can keep these rugs in good shape. Regular maintenance is complex, so if you take the initiative once in three or four months, you can make the rug look sensational. Visit our website to know more.