Shag rugs make a great accent to any room. Their long soft fibers feel luxurious on bare feet, making them the perfect cover for tile or wooden floors. Keeping shag rugs clean and looking their best takes a little more work dedication than with regular short fiber rugs. However, with a little patience, a shag rug will look great for years. Here are some tips for keeping your shag in great shape without breaking your back with hard labor or your bank account with steep dry cleaning bills.
Vacuum shag rugs at least once a week:
To prevent damage to the fibers in your shag, vacuum up dirt at least once a week. Use a vacuum with its brush set to its highest setting to prevent damage to the rugs fibers. You can also use the suction hose attachment to vacuum the rug. This can take a while longer, but will usually remove more dirt than regular vacuuming. Secure the corners of square rugs with furniture to keep the rug from being sucked up into the vacuum, or if your rug is small you can use your foot to keep it in place.
Sweep your shag with a stiff bristled broom regularly:
Get a stiff bristled straw broom and sweep your shag on a regular basis. Stiff broom bristles can get below the surface of the shag and get the hard to reach dirt. If you can find the time, its a good idea to sweep your shag on a daily basis. This will also prevent the shag fibers from becoming matted and clumped together.
Treat your shag to a yearly steam clean:
At least once a year, rent a steam cleaner and give your shag a deep clean. Steam cleaners are the most effective way to get deep down dirt out of your shag rug. However, you can have too much of a good thing and over steaming can also cause damage. Steam clean once to twice a year for optimum results.
Promptly treat spills with a gentle cleaner to prevent stains and odors:
When spills happen, you will need to clean them immediately. If you have a white shag, you can use a solution of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water to remove stains and odors. If your shag has a pattern, such a zebra rugs, be careful not to use a solution that will allow the two colors to bleed into one another. For colored rugs such as red rugs, only use color safe bleach so you don’t end up with pink rugs instead. You can also try a vinegar solution. Use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. This is an effective odor remover and is safe for all color rugs.
Pay close attention to the cleaning instructions that come with your shag rug. You may find they have special instructions and give you tips on keeping your shag in top condition. Although shag rugs may take a little more time to keep looking their best the extra effort is worth it to have a soft, luxurious rug underneath your bare feet.
How to Care for Shag Rugs
Shag rugs make a great accent to any room. Their long soft fibers feel luxurious on bare feet, making them the perfect cover for tile or wooden floors. Keeping shag rugs clean and looking their best takes a little more work dedication than with regular short fiber rugs. However, with a little patience, a shag rug will look great for years. Here are some tips for keeping your shag in great shape without breaking your back with hard labor or your bank account with steep dry cleaning bills.
Vacuum shag rugs at least once a week:
To prevent damage to the fibers in your shag, vacuum up dirt at least once a week. Use a vacuum with its brush set to its highest setting to prevent damage to the rugs fibers. You can also use the suction hose attachment to vacuum the rug. This can take a while longer, but will usually remove more dirt than regular vacuuming. Secure the corners of square rugs with furniture to keep the rug from being sucked up into the vacuum, or if your rug is small you can use your foot to keep it in place.
Sweep your shag with a stiff bristled broom regularly:
Get a stiff bristled straw broom and sweep your shag on a regular basis. Stiff broom bristles can get below the surface of the shag and get the hard to reach dirt. If you can find the time, its a good idea to sweep your shag on a daily basis. This will also prevent the shag fibers from becoming matted and clumped together.
Treat your shag to a yearly steam clean:
At least once a year, rent a steam cleaner and give your shag a deep clean. Steam cleaners are the most effective way to get deep down dirt out of your shag rug. However, you can have too much of a good thing and over steaming can also cause damage. Steam clean once to twice a year for optimum results.
Promptly treat spills with a gentle cleaner to prevent stains and odors:
When spills happen, you will need to clean them immediately. If you have a white shag, you can use a solution of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water to remove stains and odors. If your shag has a pattern, such a zebra rugs, be careful not to use a solution that will allow the two colors to bleed into one another. For colored rugs such as red rugs, only use color safe bleach so you don’t end up with pink rugs instead. You can also try a vinegar solution. Use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. This is an effective odor remover and is safe for all color rugs.
Pay close attention to the cleaning instructions that come with your shag rug. You may find they have special instructions and give you tips on keeping your shag in top condition. Although shag rugs may take a little more time to keep looking their best the extra effort is worth it to have a soft, luxurious rug underneath your bare feet.