How to Renovate a Ruined Rug

It gets very discouraging when that rug that you absolutely LOVE is stained beyond repair. You've move your furniture in every possible arrangement and just cannot hide the stains anymore. It's even more discouraging when you have to price the possible replacement rug! Be discouraged no more cause now you can renovate that rug for just a few dollars rather than replace it for a few hundred. Here's how to do it...

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• flat latex paint (your choice of colors)
• paint brushes
• paint rollers
• drop cloth
• painter's tape
• a large sponge

1. If your rug is a natural fiber rug, simply protect the area around and under the rug with a drop cloth and roll a base coat over the entire rug (your background color). If the rug is more of a carpet type material, dilute the paint with one part water to two parts paint and sponge the paint into the carpet to provide a base coat. Be sure to separate the fibers of the carpet so they won't be quite so stiff when the paint dries. Make sure the rug is well covered with paint and allow it to dry thoroughly.
2. Decide on the designs you want on your rug. If you are artistic, you can use acrylic paints to place free-hand flowers, stencils, or other designs along the edges or in the center of your rug. A safe alternative for the not so artistic is to use the painters tape to mark off stripes, diamonds or other geometric designs.
3. Paint in your design. Use the same method of paint preparation mentioned in the first step for carpet type materials. Using complimentary or contrasting colors, almost any design can be created and any color scheme can be matched. Make sure the areas are well covered and allow the rug to dry thoroughly. Once the areas are dry, remove the painter' s tape. Place your rug where you want it and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• I prefer not to use fabric dyes because the stains will often absorb the color differently creating an even more visible blemish. The paint tends to cover completely.
• Allow the rug to dry completely between colors. This allows you to paint light colors on top of a darker background, although you may need to apply more than one coat of paint.