Top Ways to Keep Your Shag Rugs Looking New

Rugs add to the ambiance and aesthetic appeal of any space. You will find different types of rugs in trend with various designs, patterns, and colors. While you have plenty of options, the soft texture of the shag rugs can make your home warmer and cozier, as well as add a stylish and modern touch to your space. 

Unlike other rugs, shag rugs come with a deep pile that provides a softer feel. There are several varieties in shag rugs like mid-century designs, contemporary rooms, minimalist layouts, etc. The materials of shag rugs usually include faux, real fur, flokati wool, leather, and acrylic. Shag rugs are long and give a luxurious look.

When it comes to cleaning the shag rug, many of you may find it difficult because the deeper pile needs more maintenance. However, it is not difficult to clean the rug if you use some simple tips. You can also vacuum it. Here are some ideas for easy cleaning of your shag rug to maintain its physical appearance as the new one.

Shag rugs have natural materials like cotton or wool. Besides, they also include materials that look like synthetic or mixed fabrics. Their texture is highly soft, fluffy and these natural fiber area rugs have extra durability.

How to Keep Your Shag Rugs Looking New?

Let’s look at the tips for how you can maintain your shag rug well so that it looks new.

1. Vacuum the Shag Rug

You can vacuum your shag rug regularly. The high and long pile of shag rug makes it a bit hard to clean because the dirt particles move into the depth of the notches. It may not be easy to take out the deeper dirt with a brush. Still, vacuuming can be an excellent option for a thorough cleaning by reaching the deeper areas. It may also help to prevent dirt build-up.

You can vacuum regularly or every next day, depending on the need. If your rug is in a high-traffic area where children or pets play around, you may need to vacuum regularly. You can set the vacuum to a high pile if it has the option. Make sure not to use the vacuum beater bar or powerhead on your shag rug, or else it could loosen the strands. You can flip over your shag rug to clean its woven underside when needed.

2. Untangle Frequently with Comb

Regular combing is essential to avoid tangling on your shag rug. It will also help you make your shag rug look new. You can brush in one direction and untangle the knots with a comb. Foot traffic will cause the carpet to tangle. Frequent combing will prevent your rug from looking old and will keep it beautiful, soft, and beautiful. Moreover, you can use your fingers to untangle any heavy knots.

Here is another technique you can use to make your shaggy rug look new and soft again. You can take a damp towel and lay it over the trampled area, and you can run a warm iron on it gently. The rug fiber will look fluffy again.

3. Shake your Shag Rug

You can shake large shaggy rugs well to remove all dirt and debris by hanging them up and beating them with a rug beater. Repeat shaking your rug several times for both sides. It can quickly lose the lodged-in dirt. After shaking, it will be easy to vacuum it. Besides, you can sprinkle the rug with baking soda. It will help to remove the dirt better and will smell fresh too.

There are rug brushes specifically for the shaggy carpet. If you use a small rug brush, you have to kneel down and carry on thorough cleaning of debris. However, for a small size rug, you can easily hold and shake it well to loosen dirt and dust from it.

4. Shampoo your Rug

Make sure to use the right shampoo for your rug and read the instructions carefully before applying shampoo. If your shag rug can absorb the moisture well so you can add shampoo in hot water. The excellent quality shampoo will effectively remove all dirt without affecting the material. You can dry your shag rug outside in the air to prevent damage.

You can shampoo your rug by sprinkling absorbent and carpet shampoo to keep it fresh and new. Allow shampoo to penetrate as per the time instruction on the label of shampoo. Then wash thoroughly and dry in the open air. It may take some hours to dry completely because of the heavy pile.

5. Focus on Spot Cleaning and Steam Cleaning

You may need spot cleaning depending on the condition of your rug. If you have heavy foot traffic, there will be more spots on your rug. You can remove them by spot cleaning. It is not always essential to clean the whole carpet. You can only clean the worn-out, torn, or affected area with detergent, then wash it off and dry it in an open space.

Steam cleaning is another effective option that you can use. You can do it by using a steam cleaning machine with hot water and non-foaming rug detergent to clean your shag rug effectively. Then you can let it dry for a long time because the shag rug absorbs a lot of water. You can try this method twice a year.

Bottom Line

Hiring a professional for cleaning your shag rug may be costly because of the high pile. In this case, it is best to use these simple tips to maintain your shag rug. Also, it is a suitable option to clean it occasionally so that you can keep it in good condition. Furthermore, you can make your shaggy rug look new by rearranging furniture, regular deep cleaning, stretching out the rug, and minimizing foot traffic.