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How often do you deep clean your rugs/carpets and how do you do it?
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this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2026
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Asklemmy
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I have finally lived somewhere long enough for this to be a thing for me. My goal before we turn on the heat for winter is to deep clean the living room. So Ive been looking into the hows and the answer seems to be steam cleaner, yes. I too have an area rug, and it may take some time and water dumps, but I plan to purchase the smaller bissel steam cleaner, and hit both the couch and rug with it.
What I have done in the past, if you have the outdoor space for it, is bring the rug outside, hang it on a fence or something, beat the piss out of it (to remove dust) and let it hang in full sun for at least a day. The sun does good things, truely, there is a reason this has been done this way for so long. And then yeah, bring it back in and hit it with the stream cleaner with less water changes Id imagine. In the past Ive left the rug hanging through a heavy rain day, then wait til its sun dried to bring it in, and the rug does feel fresh. I am odd though so Im not sure thats normal practice lol Also, if you got a cleaner... or you know? a powerwasher? can you use a power washer on it in the driveway? then sun dry it?
Maybe someone else has a better solution, but I think you know what youre doing it seems
Thank you! l do have outdoor space but it's humid af. I guess leaving the rug out isn't different than leaving clothes on the clothes line so it's probably okay. It's a pretty big rug so not sure I have the strength to haul it outside and beat it, but I can certainly spend a few hours with the steam cleaner ๐
I have a few of those washable rugs too, but I don't love them so I think I will resign myself to a rug cleaning day once and a while.
In the old days, the common practice with rugs was to hang them out on a clothes line dry and whack the shit out of them. There was a specific tool for that called a rug beater--you can find them on ebay. An amazing amount of dirt will come out if you do that.
Anyway that method does not require a steam cleaner, nor does it matter that your area is humid. It may be a bit of a workout though.
Yeah, probably one of those chores that its better to spend a few mins on more often, than making it a whole ordeal once in a while. Id help you drag it outside haha, maybe someone could help you?
Its not much different than hanging clothes no. I think, and I could be wrong, but the sun is like disenfectant this way too. I cant tell you how excited I am to purchase a steam cleaner. I feel so lame, but my excitement beams. More stoked to do the couch, tbh, but rugs deserve attention too!
I was also looking into the washable rugs. I thought about getting one, surprised you dont like it, is there a reason? Im just curious as I was thinking about getting one
I can confirm steam cleaners are extremely satisfying.
Washable rugs (at least the one I have) is very thin. It has to be to be washable! Because it is thin it is a nightmare to vacuum. It just gets sucked into it. I have to put my foot down right behind the vacuum to keep it taut.
I believe there are types you can get that have a lower layer you detect before washing. To be honest the one I have was an impulse purchase. I liked the colours, the price was right and I wanted something to go below my office chair that wasn't a plastic mat, so the incredibly low pile was a pro not a con. I think the two part ones are considerably more expensive and I'm not interested in paying that much to find out it doesn't solve the problem.
Because it's under my desk I don't really care too much about wear, but the one I have has the print applied to the top, not created by dyed fibres being used. So when the pile is disturbed it doesn't quite look right and I don't think I could brush it all perfectly in line again.
Here is a cross section, I have washed this once.
Maybe I just bought a cheap and shitty one?