How to vacuum a shag rug? Cleaning a long carpet pile from dirt and spots: care at home.

Recently, fleecy carpets have become increasingly popular. What is the most demand for options with a long pile? They are beautiful and warm; however, cleaning can be difficult. More about how to vacuum a shag rug you can find in this article.

How to vacuum a shag rug?
How to vacuum a shag rug?

Required tools

Many people wonder how to vacuum the shag rug. For this, you need some tools.

Useful list

To do the job, you should prepare special tools, namely:

  • a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment. Here you can turn off the rug beater bar;
  • baking soda and salt;
  • clean water;
  • bucket and towels;
  • steam mop or steamer.

Knocking out a long pile of a shag rug with a rug beater. Where can you use your vacuum beater bar best?

Before you start cleaning the shag rug, you need to knock it out well with the help of a rug beater. If the carpet is compact, it is not difficult to lift it.

It is best to do such work on the street. Hang it on a clothesline, and arm yourself with a special beater. Thoroughly beat the rug to remove various kinds of dirt, as well as large debris, from it.

At the end of the work, leave the shag rug in the sun for a few more hours. This neutralizes terrible odors.

How to clean shag rugs with a vacuum?

Many people ask, can you use a vacuum cleaner on a shag rug? This can be done by adhering to the basic rules. The detailed procedure from the professional cleaner we describe next.

How to clean a shag rug underneath?

If you want to clean a shag rug, you need to start working with the underside of the shag rug. If the shag rug is huge, it is better to roll it up and then unfold it on the other side so that the bottom part is at the top.

Vacuum the underside of the shag rug
Vacuum the underside of the shag rug

Start the vacuum, and walk over the entire area several times.

Top surface cleaning

First, you need to turn off the whisk. If this is not possible, use a fetlock attachment. This can effectively clean a shag rug fiber. Vacuum the face of your rug with a soft brush attachment. Be careful not to use too much suction as this can damage the rug permanently. Always check the care instructions for your particular type of shag rug before vacuuming.

Step3: Vacuum the face of your shag rug with a soft brush attachment
Vacuum the face of your rug with a soft brush attachment

Many people wonder what kind of vacuum you use on a shag rug? It is better to use devices that can adjust the height. After all, it is better to keep the nozzle away from the pile so as not to damage it. In addition, the device must be powerful to remove all contaminants.

Related article – Best Vacuum Cleaner for High Pile Carpet: Top 9 Models

How to remove stains?

Vacuuming carpets is recommended once a week. This is enough to prevent the accumulation of dust, dirt, and debris. However, such cleaning does not help to cope with existing stains. Read more about how to remove stains below.

How to remove fresh stains?

It is recommended to remove stains as soon as they form. If the stain is light, go over it with a steam mop. If the spots are colored and bright, you have to soak them in soda or saline. Then apply some water and blot the stain.

If there is no baking soda at home, use vinegar. For safety reasons, it must be applied first to small area rugs.

This is because such a tool can provoke discoloration due to the acid in the composition. If, after testing, there are no problems, feel free to use vinegar.

How do I get old stains out?

You can also use vinegar or a mixture of salt and soda for old stains. However, it is recommended to leave the product used longer so that it can penetrate the fibers and destroy the stain pigment.

You can also use special cleaning products that are commercially available. However, read the instructions first to understand what types of fabric this product is suitable for.

How to wash a fleecy shag rug?

You should clean a shag rug regularly and have spots removed. However, washing is required from time to time. More about professional cleaning of your shag area rug we describe later.

Small pile carpets

If you have a small shaggy carpet in your room that does not have a rubber bottom, it is not difficult to wash it. Just roll it up and put it in the washing machine.

To avoid damaging the threads, you should wash the shag rugs on a delicate cycle. After washing, the shag rug should dry in the sun. The dryer must not be used, as it can damage the fibers.

Large carpets

If you have a large rug in your living room, it is better not to wash it in the washing machine because it does not fit. Stop using a steam cleaner. First, treat the product with a soda-salt mixture, and then handle the surface with a steam cleaner.

You need to steam the rug slowly. After all, first, the mixture must penetrate the fibers and clean them of contaminants.

Help from a professional

Every person who plans to put a shag rug in the house should know that it is difficult to care for it. Often the spots can be so complex that you need professional cleaning.

After all, the removal of persistent spots and unpleasant odors is carried out using special equipment, which may not be at home. Moreover, professional cleanings are very expensive.

On average, spot cleaning costs $3-8 per square foot. It all depends on what state you live in, as well as the complexity of the job. Therefore, a rug measuring 5×8 feet is cleaned for you for $150-400.

Essential tips on how to properly vacuum your carpet

Speaking about how to care for synthetic carpets and products made from natural materials, the following recommendations should be given:

  • monitor the condition of the filter and the bag into which the vacuum collects debris;
  • devote enough time to this work, haste reduces the overall quality of cleaning;
  • when vacuuming the rug, move the brush in different directions, which fluffs up the fibers and extracts the maximum amount of dust from them;
  • remember that areas under furniture and on the central part of the rug accumulate the largest number of particles, so you need to spend about 70% of the time cleaning them;
  • the carpet is an indoor air filter. The pile becomes dull, accumulating dust if you do not regularly use the vacuum.

FAQ

Cleaning shag rugs raise many questions. The answers to the most popular of them we describe below.

How do you vacuum a shag wool rug?

If you bought a wool rug, first you need to decide on its basis: tufted, fleecy, or woven. Wool shag rugs have to be dusted regularly.
The use of vacuum cleaners from Dyson or Shark is not recommended. Such models can provoke excessive napping.

How do you clean a whole shag rug?

The wool carpet is cleaned 1-2 times a week. It all depends on how heavily it is exploited. Do not forget to put on a special nozzle for shag rugs.

Conclusion

As you can see, it is pretty challenging to clean a shag rug, especially if there are tough stains. The help of a professional may be required.

Latest posts

Leave a Comment