Shag rugs are great at keeping your floors warm during the winter months and they also look cool, especially if they’re done in a pattern or color scheme that matches your home decor.
However, shag rugs aren’t always easy to clean. They can get pretty dirty over time. That means cleaning them regularly is essential, especially if your shag rug is situated in the hall or living room where dirty shoes and boots are walking over it.
Shag rugs add style to any home, but you want to maintain their fluffy exterior, cleaning them properly is essential. This article will explain how to clean your shag rug properly so you don’t damage the texture of the rug and you can keep it clean and looking brand new.
What Is A Shag Rug?
A shag rug is a lot thicker than a normal rug as it has long fibers that are made from synthetic material to make it soft and fluffy. As it has thousands of thick strands to create its thick appearance, shag rugs require a lot more maintenance than normal rugs.
As the texture of the strands is thick and soft, they are prone to catching more dirt and dust than normal. If your shag rug is located near the floor, dirt may be brought directly onto the rug which requires quick cleaning to make sure that the dirt doesn’t damage the rug permanently.
How Often Should You Clean A Shag Rug
As shag rugs are prone to holding onto dirt and dust, they should be vacuumed every day to make sure that you get rid of any dirt or debris that is stuck to the fibers of the rug. This will help to keep your rug looking in good condition and stop it from becoming worn out.
Shag rugs are full of thick fibers, so regularly cleaning the rug is essential as vacuuming alone cannot keep the rug completely clean. It is also recommended that you have specialist equipment to clean your shag rug to make sure that it is kept in the best condition possible.
Equipment To Clean Your Shag Rug
To effectively clean your shag rug, you will need specific tools and materials to make sure that you can get rid of all the dirt that is hidden away in your rug. Even if the rug doesn’t look dirty to the naked eye, it is most probably hiding away amongst the fluffiness of the rug.
Dishwashing liquid, washing soda, soft brushes, carpet rakes, sponge mops, and a broom are all important tools to keep in your home for cleaning your shag rug. They will help to eliminate dirt from the rug and keep the rug clean and looking brand new!
How To Clean A Shag Rug
It is important to clean your shag rug properly to make sure that you don’t damage the rug or the style of the rug. These tips will make sure that your rug stays fluffy and clean! Before you start, make sure to check the label on your shag rug to see if there are any cleaning instructions or a specific cleaning code.
Read on below for the Soffa Mag guide to shag rug cleaning!
How To Clean A Shag Rug
Start With Shaking The Rug
Next, It’s Onto The Vacuum
It is a good idea to use the hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner to target specific areas of the rug to make sure that you are picking up lots of dirt from deep inside the rug.
Don’t forget to vacuum the underside of the rug as well as the top. This will help to keep both sides clean and stop dust and dirt from accumulating underneath your rug. It will also get rid of any dirt that has become embedded at the base of the rug that can’t be loosened by vacuuming the top of it.
Wash Away The Stains
Using a soft brush is important so that you don’t damage the fibers of the rug. A thick, hard brush may loosen the fibers and cause bald patches across your rug, which you will want to avoid.
Be sure to check out our handy guides on stain removal!
Dry The Rug Properly
Leaving the rug wet for a long time will result in an unpleasant smell, so make sure that it can dry as soon as you are done getting rid of any stains.
Excess water can also damage the fibers of the rug, so drying quickly is essential.
There you have it! How to clean a shag rug is a simple, four-step process. Anyone can do it and get their beautiful shag rug looking as good as new!
How To Deep Clean A Shag Rug
If you want your shag rug deep cleaned, it is always advised that you consult a professional first as lots of chemicals are harmful to shag rugs. Excessive moisture can negatively impact the rug, so consulting a professional about how to deep clean your rug is advised.
Things like red wine spills may need a deep clean and shampoo if they aren’t dealt with quickly and have set in.
How To Clean A White Shag Rug
The process of cleaning a white shag rug is exactly the same as any other color. The only thing to be aware of is making sure you get to spills and dirt straight away before they become stains. White is that little bit more challenging to keep clean. But worth the hard work in our opinion.
How To Vacuum A Shag Rug
We recommend vacuuming a shag rug with a standard vacuum head. Try to avoid the motorized powerheads, as the long strands of the shag pile can get caught in the rotating brush, and could leave your shag rug with unsightly bald spots!
If you have pets, vacuuming your shag rug or carpet often is a must to collect any hair or fleas that might be infesting it.
How To Make A Shaggy Rug Fluffy Again
Firstly, give your shag rug a vigorous vacuum. This will remove any dirt that might be causing the fibers to lay flat, and the suction will encourage them to lift.
To completely revive your shag rug, you can either use steam or a carpet rake. Or both!
The easiest way to clean without a machine is to take a clean towel (preferably straight from the wash). Run water over it till damp and place it over the flattened area of your rug. Gently run a warm iron over the towel and repeat as needed until the carpet fibers stand up again.
Specific carpet rakes or carpet combs to lift stubborn carpet fibers are available, and can easily be found online or in specialty retailers.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this article has shown you how to safely clean your shag area rug at home. You can easily get rid of any unwanted dirt or stains when using the right equipment, just make sure that the brushes that you use are soft so you don’t damage the rug permanently.
Looking after your shag rug is important as it can accumulate dirt very easily, so getting rid of any dirt will help to keep it looking clean and in good condition for much longer.
If you’re a faux fur fan, make sure you check out our comprehensive guide on cleaning a faux fur rug.
For another perspective on how to clean a shag rug, check out this informative video from AtHomeWithNikki.