Your rug may be one of your costliest possessions and being that, you have to take good care of it so you can benefit for a long period of time from the reasons why you bought it. This would mean that you perform the proper rug cleaning and maintenance procedure required by your precious rug. Usually rugs come with care tags which tell you how you should clean your rug, what cleaners can be used and so on. If your rug doesn't come with a care tag or if you are in doubt with the cleaning products suggested or use then you may want to consider using natural alternatives.

There are some rug cleaning products in the market which can cause potential harm to the environment with regular exposure to septic systems and landfills. Regular utilization of cleaning products for a long period of time may likewise increase your risk of developing health problems. You may want to look into less toxic rug cleaning products. Search for the Green Seal label or you may try making your own homemade cleaners.

Dry treatment

Try employing baking soda or a deodorizing powder of borax. Combine 2 cups of cornmeal and 1 cup of powdered borax then sprinkle this over your rug. Allow the mixture to sit for an hour then vacuum your rug. Furthermore, its mild abrasive texture which helps lift dirt out of your rug, cornmeal diffuses the borax. You may use baking soda as an alternative to the borax. Just follow the same procedure for the borax-cornmeal method.

Shampoo using baking soda

You may create your own deodorizing rug shampoo by adding baking soda to water. For light rug cleaning you may add more water and place this solution in a plastic spray bottle and squirt it on your rug. For spot treatments, just use a little amount of water and baking soda to create a paste. Dab this mixture onto the affected area or spot. Then rinse with cool water. Next wait for the carpet to dry and vacuum.

To clean a rug, add 1/2 cup gentle biodegradable dishwashing soap to 1 pt. boiling water. Let the solution cool down. Beat the solution with an electric mixer until the solution becomes foamy. Using a sponge dip this into the solution and press it on your rug. Wipe the foam with a clean cloth. For the last stage add one cup of white vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Apply this liquid to your rug using a clean cloth or towel. Just be careful not to put too much. Blot dry with a clean thick towel.

Spot Treatment

There are several homemade solutions which can help remove a variety of stains on your rug.

€ Scatter cream of tartar over an ink stain then squeezed a fresh lemon over it. Press the solution into the stain for a minute. Next brush away excess powdery substance and blot the stain using a damp sponge. Allow the area to dry.

€ For blood and chocolate stains you may want to try the club soda treatment. Moisten the stains with a damp towel soaked in club soda repeatedly.

€ You may also try adding dry bay leaves and cloves to dry rug shampoos before spreading the mixture onto your rugs.

€ To prevent fungus and bacteria from growing on your rugs, you can use essential oil such as tea tree, lavender and lemon. Combine them with either dry or liquid homemade rug cleaners.

NOTE: Before using any rug cleaner or solution try this first on an inconspicuous area of your rug just to ensure that it will not act negatively on your rug and damage it.

Using non-toxic rug cleaning products/solutions will not only save your rugs but the environment as well as your health.