All You Need to Know About Cleaning Your Natural Rug Co. Natural Fiber Area Rug

Natural rugs, while not hard to maintain, do require some TLC worthy of their beautiful, sustainable fibers and superior craftsmanship. Below are tips for regular maintenance of natural fiber rug, as well as instructions for spills and deeper cleaning.

Bamboo Area Rugs and Mats 

• Shake loose dirt out of your bamboo area rug or mat. Regularly wipe your rug or mat with a clean, damp cloth or gentle floor cleaner.
• For a bamboo rug with a cotton border, spot clean the border with a mild water and dish soap solution. 

Note: In addition to regular cleaning, protect bamboo rug slats from scratching and cracking by using plastic or felt casters for chair and furniture legs. 

Wool Area Rugs

• Regularly vacuum your wool area rug, avoiding your vacuum's highest setting to protect wool fibers from being pulled out. Note: New wool rugs tend to shed at first - especially high quality wool rugs - but shedding will lessen over time.
• If necessary, shake your wool area rug out outdoors to remove dust and dirt from its fibers, or drape it over something sturdy and beat it with a broom handle to dislodge debris.
• If your wool area rug is dingy, but not heavily soiled, use a dry shampoo for wool rugs. Apply it all over, let sit for the recommended timeframe, then vacuum. 
• For a deeper cleaning, use a detergent formulated for wool rugs. If the rug has any solid stains, scrape them off using the edge of a spoon or spatula before cleaning.
• Dip a clean sponge into the detergent and lightly scrub a small area without making the rug overly wet. Then, dip a sponge into clear water and remove the detergent. Blot the moisture out with a towel before moving onto the next section.
• Make sure your wool rug is completely dry before putting it back in place. If necessary, hang it for a few hours or place it near a fan for faster drying. 

Jute Area Rugs

• Vacuum your jute area rug with suction only, not with a beater bar/brush.
• Spot clean your jute rug using a mild dish soap and water solution, first testing in a small, inconspicuous area to ensure there's no discoloration.
• Liquid spills on jute rugs should be blotted immediately by pressing a clean, undyed cloth into the spill to absorb as much as possible before spot cleaning.
• For a solid spill on your jute rug, use the dull edge of a knife to scrape up as much as possible and then follow spot cleaning instructions above.

Cotton Area Rugs

• Shake loose dirt out of your cotton area rug and then vacuum on both sides using suction only, not a rotary brush. If necessary, take your cotton area rug outside, hang it over something sturdy, and beat dirt and debris out using a broom.
• To get rid of germs, sprinkle an antibacterial powder on your cotton rug before vacuuming. Test a small area first to ensure the powder won't damage the rug.
• To wash, prepare a bucket of a few capfuls of liquid dish soap and warm water. Avoid hot water, as it can cause fading and shrinking. Test a small area before using on the entire rug.
• Lay your rug on a flat surface and work the liquid solution in using a sponge or soft brush. After a few minutes, brush the entire rug deeply until the detergent lathers, then rinse it thoroughly with a garden hose or buckets of clean water until suds are completely removed.
• Get rid of the excess water in the rug using a wet-dry vacuum or a squeegee working in the direction of the rug's nap. Clean, dry cloths may be used as well.
• Leave the cotton rug out to dry completely. If drying flat, make sure the top of the rug is completely dry and then flip to dry the bottom. 

With proper regular care and an occasional deeper cleaning, your natural fiber area rug will maintain its beauty for many seasons to come.