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How To Clean Your Outdoor Rugs
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How To Clean Your Outdoor Rugs

Outdoor rugs especially custom carpet rugs and doormats are some of the best ways to add style quotient and comfort to your homely space. As the outdoor rugs are kept outside and subjected to outdoor things they go through a daily wear-and-tear process, rugs can start looking ugly and untidy. Fortunately, it’s not a hectic work to keep them looking neat and fresh as before by following some simple steps for outdoor rug cleaning routine. Further in this blog, you will get to learn about outdoor rug maintenance to make it worth buying and also to keep it looking new by following some tips and simple care routine.

The blog further is going to cover few points such as:
  • Supplies and essentials for cleanliness of outdoor rug
  • Steps to wash the outdoor rugs
  • Mould removal process
  • Tips for Outdoor rug maintenance
  • Supplies and Essentials for Cleanliness of Outdoor Rug

Before getting into the process of the outdoor rugs cleaning, it’s more important to have all the right supplies and equipment for cleaning. Pick a nice sunny day for the cleaning. Most of the supplies or items may be already there in your place and you need not to spend extra money on buying these essentials. The cleaning products depend on the type of spots or problem you’re dealing with. So some of the very common supplies for cleaning include:
  • Broom for primary cleaning
  • Vacuum for dust removal
  • Sprinkler Hose or a High-pressure cleaner.
  • Cleaning solution – It helps to Preserve the colour of the rug. It can be prepared simply by using a mild detergent that won’t cause any colour fading. One can also buy specialised products for rug cleaning available in the market such as rug shampoo. To save money, one can also prepare their own cleaner by mixing a tablespoon of clear dish soap with a gallon of water.
  • Bucket
  • White vinegar
  • Baking soda for cleaning spot
  • Gentle scrub brush – A bristled brush like a deck brush is best for brushing woven rugs, while a sponge mop is good for rugs with a smoother texture.
  • Steps to Wash Outdoor Rugs

Here is a step by step guide available for cleaning outdoor furniture:
  1. At first Remove all the excess dirt and unwanted debris by shaking the rug or you can also sweep the outdoor rug using a broom.
  2. To Clean smaller dust particles from rugs one should use a vacuum. For the best results, vacuum the remaining dirt from both the sides of the rug to loosen any leftover dry dirt.
  3. Use the cleaning solution and gently scrub both sides of your outdoor rug with a small amount of solution.
  4. Dip your rug in a cleaning solution and rinse the rug completely using the sprinkler hose or high-pressure cleaner to remove all the cleaning solution from the rug.  To avoid the rug dropped in water, one can lay it on a driveway or over any other inclined surface. It can also get dry if you hang it or drape it over a fence.
  5. Lastly, let the rug dry out completely. To do this, flip it regularly to ensure that both sides are fully dry. If you rug gets wet, try to get it dry under the sun heat to protect against mould and mildew problems.

Also Read Here: Top 5 Rug Types for 2022


  • Steps to Clean Unwanted Spots on Rug

  1. If any liquid spills on the rug and it is fresh, just soak up the excess spill using a towel. Don't rub the rug and gently soak it until all moisture is absorbed.
  2. To remove any dried spills, free handily scrub off the solid material with a sharp-edged knife or any other sharp material. 
  3. Next a cleaner had to be prepared. For any general spot, prepare a dish soap and water cleaner. Use this for rug cleaning. But for some tough stains, different solutions needed to be made.
  4. Some Sticky stains like if a gum sticks to a rug, then just put an ice pack over it to harden the material by freezing it. Scrap the material from the rug.
  5. For other tough stains like Grease, use the same dish soap and water to remove them.
  • Mould Removal Process

Even though most modern rugs Melbourne are synthetic and are made in a way to obstruct the growth of moulds and mildew, sometimes you may see that it grows occasionally during wet and humid environments. Good quality rugs are available in rug sale Melbourne for their people. Depending on various needs of users, try to clean the rugs or remove the spots through the above steps given in the blog. But to remove the mould growth, take out the detergent, baking soda and vinegar that work as outdoor rug mould cleaner.
  • First, sprinkle baking soda gently over the mould growth or the affected area of your rug.
  • Then soak the affected area with white vinegar and allow it to stay for five minutes.
  • Finally wash and rinse the rug with water, then leave it to dry completely under the sun's heat.
The combination of vinegar and baking helps to decline and resist the moss and mould growth. It also works as a great natural deodorizer that’s good for rugs especially in areas where pets live or where many people use it to rub their feet.
  • Tips for Outdoor Rug Maintenance

To Keep your outdoor rug looking best and new, one needs to follow some simple tips for care and for long-term maintenance. Some of the tips are:
  • Store the rug when it is not in much use.  Just roll it up and cover it with a plastic bag and cover it properly. One important to Remember before putting it away, is to make ensure that the rug is completely clean and dry
  • Before following any cleaning process, just Check the tag on the rug to find if there is any specific recommended care instruction given for the outdoor rug. As some may need special care, and have specific ways for maintenance. But most of the outdoor rugs are made to be long-lasting and are of good quality. Most of them can be cleaned with easy home cleaning methods.
  • Try to Reduce the formation of dust and unwanted spots and particles on your rug just by vacuuming your rug on a regular basis. However it’s still a good thing to wash the rug before storing it and keeping them away for the season, but vacuuming and sweeping on a regular basis also helps prevent any wanted odours and extends the quality of the rug for a long use.