How to Clean a Shag Pile Rug

Clean your shag pile rug properly.

Shag pile rugs are popular in many areas of the home, as they add a fun flooring element while also being soft on the feet. Since these rugs have the long shag pile, food crumbs and other residue quickly makes its way deep into the rug, often becoming lost to the naked eye. This makes it important to give the rug a thorough cleaning on occasion, which will get rid of all of the hidden buildup.

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum cleaner
• Baking soda
• Broom

Instructions

1. Shake small rugs off outdoors to get rid of loose crumbs. Skip this step if the rug is too large to handle.

2. Sprinkle a dusting of baking soda over the rug, and work the soda deep into the rug fibers with a broom. Brush the broom downward so the baking soda can penetrate embedded soil. Let sit for 15 minutes.

3. Vacuum the rug. Stay away from any stitched rug bordering as this can tear apart the stitching. Run the vacuum back and forth over each section of carpeting roughly four times, as this will thoroughly clean the rug plus restore the fluffy pile.

Tips & Warnings

• Move the rug in different directions on occasion, and move furniture as well to even out the amount of wear the rug receives.

References

• Natural Home Rugs: Care and Maintenance
• Apartment Therapy: Tips for Cleaning Shag Rugs