How to Clean Area Rugs
A No-Nonsense Guide to Identifying, Maintaining & Cleaning Your Rug
Area rugs? Beautiful. Cozy. Surprisingly delicate.
If you’ve ever spilled wine on a handmade rug or watched pet hair magically weave itself into the fibers, you already know: these things need care. Not just any care, either. The right care.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to ID your rug type, maintain it like a pro and clean it without doing any damage. (Spoiler: some of this involves calling in the real pros.)
What Kind of Rug Do You Have?
Before you vacuum or scrub a single thread, you need to know what you’re working with. Different rugs = different rules.
Oriental Rugs (aka the heirlooms)
- Hand-knotted or handwoven
- Made from natural fibers like wool, cotton or silk
- Imperfectly perfect (you might see uneven edges or quirks from the weaving process)
- Fringe is part of the weave, not sewn on
Machine-Woven Rugs
- Made by, you guessed it, machines
- Synthetic fibers, often with a uniform look
- Perfectly straight edges and sewn-on fringe
Tufted Rugs
- Patterned front, canvas backing
- Often glued together
- Fringe, if there is any, is added after the fact
How to Maintain Your Rug (So It Doesn’t Die Young)
No matter the type, here’s how to keep your rug in tip-top shape:
- Rotate every 1-2 months: This helps even out sun exposure, traffic wear and any weird furniture dents.
- Vacuum regularly: Surface dirt may look innocent, but it grinds down fibers over time. The more you catch on the surface, the less will become embedded and cause issues.
- Use a rug pad: Adds cushion, keeps the rug in place, and prevents damage from the rug shifting and creating ridges. Just make sure you get the right type for your rug—some synthetic padding can actually damage a delicate oriental rug.
- Protect from sunlight: Curtains or shades help avoid uneven fading.
Rug-Specific TLC
Oriental Rugs
They’re special. And delicate.
- Use low suction when vacuuming, and skip the beater bar
- NEVER pull on loose threads
- If you don’t already have a go-to, Stanley Steemer’s Spot Remover is a safe bet—tough on stains, gentle on your rug.
- For deep cleans, call a specialist. Stanley Steemer has offsite rug facilities that cater to delicate rugs with the care (and climate control) they deserve
Machine-Woven Rugs
Tougher than oriental rugs, but not indestructible.
- Vacuum 2-3x a week if they see a lot of action
- Use a stiff-bristled brush to lift out hair and fur
- Always check the label before DIY cleaning—some synthetics don’t play nice with certain chemicals. Stanley Steemer spot remover is safe for use on any rug.
Tufted Rugs
One word: adhesives. These rugs are glued together, so handle with care.
- If you're spot treating your rug, go easy on the water—too much can loosen the glue in the backing.
- Don’t pull sprouting yarns—snip them instead
- Some tufted rugs require dry cleaning or specific cleaners, so double-check the tag before spot treating. Always test a small area of your rug before applying a cleaner at large to see if color bleeding is possible!
The Professional Clean: Because the Best Care Goes Deeper
DIY is for weekly upkeep, but for a deep clean? Nothing beats a pro clean. Here’s what we bring to the rug party:
- In-home or ultimate offsite cleaning: We’ll clean your rug where it lives, or whisk it away for a deep spa day
- Specialized equipment: Our rug duster (yes, that’s a thing), pressure washers, shampoo massagers and climate-controlled drying rooms
- Tailored care: Every rug gets its own cleaning plan based on fiber, construction and condition
You picked that rug for a reason. It brings your room together, it tells a story and it deserves better than a vacuum-only life.
With the right combo of regular care and professional cleanings, your rug will keep looking great for years (and parties) to come.
Ready to give your rug a real refresh? Let’s get it on the schedule.
