It is best to have a professional clean your rugs for you, prices can range from $2 a square foot and go up. But if you feel that you want to do yourself and you just want to a do a little cleaning here are a few tips to help you.

1. I do recommend that you do get a professional washing very one to three years. This is the thing to do to insure your rugs last.
2. Rotate your rug once a year, this will insure even wear. If your rug is in a high traffic area then do it once every six months. If it is not in a high traffic area and does not get much traffic at all you can even rotate it once every two years.
3. Rugs should be vacuumed regularly to insure they last, but don’t vacuum the fringe. Vacuuming insures you remove all the dirt and it restores life to the rug.
4. Try using padding under the rugs and make sure you use a good quality pad. Padding helps protect the rug from dirt, wear and of course it prevents the rug from slipping.
5. Spill removal- if you get a stain on your rug dilute it with plenty of water, and then blot the stain from the edge of the stain towards the center. This will prevent the stain from spreading or forming a ring. Don’t rub the area; if the spill is solid then take a spoon and carefully scoop up the material. Repeat the procedure if necessary. One thing you want to make sure you do is take care of the spill as soon as it happens.


You should have a stain removal kit handy, as you need to work quickly to remove any stains or spills. Have a bucket and include the following items in your bucket: Clean cloths, cloth brush, mild detergent (make sure not to use bleaches or alkalies), white vinegar, dry cleaning fluid, sponges, alcohol, glycerin and a week ammonia (about 7% solution).

Quick tips to remember when clean stains
1. You must work quickly.
2. Blot up excess spills with paper towels. Do Not Rub.
3. Apply any solution(s) as shown on list with a clean cloth working from edge to center.
4. Pat with paper towels. Dry with fan or hair blower.
5. Restore pile with clothes brush.

Wax removal tips- Try by placing a blotter or brown paper bag over the spot. Put hot iron over the blotter. Wait a few minutes until the wax is absorbed into the blotter. Repeat if necessary. Make sure you keep moving iron and do not let it stay in one place or you will burn the rug.
Removing an ink stain – Take a can of hairspray and saturate the stain, allow it to dry, then brush lightly with a solution of water and vinegar.
Removing glue and chewing gum- to remove the glue saturate the spot with a cloth soaked in vinegar or alcohol. To remove gum press ice cubes against the spot, wait until it becomes brittle and breaks off. Use spot remover to remove any remaining traces of the spot.

If you follow these tips your rugs should last a lifetime, when in doubt seek the help from a professional.