How to clean a rug?

mollymunchkin

I have a large cream & blue rug which has got rather grubby round the edges. It is from Laura Ashley and the label states specialist dry clean only but whenever it has been dry cleaned it comes back not perfectly clean. I'd like to clean it myself to save on the £15 dry cleaning bill! It is 89% cotton and 11% wool (same as this one http://www.lauraashley.com/invt/baroqueru2).

I have looked into it a bit and have found instructions for homemade rug cleaning solution which is made from ammonia, vinegar and washing up liquid. Would that work? Or should I try a branded carpet cleaner? Or just stick to the dry cleaning??

sweetilemon

Had a peek at this as we've got wooden floors but just bought a new rug. Could you maybe hire a rug doctor? Our local morrisons do them. Or borrow a vax from someone?

sweetilemon

PS - lovely rug!

meritaten

looking at the pic - I would say the rug itself is cotton and the binding round the edge is wool. I see no reason why a scrub with warm water and stardrops and a sponge wouldnt clean the binding if that is what is grubby. dont overwet as if its pure wool it will felt up and shrink - prob why it says specialist clean!

mollymunchkin

sweetilemon wrote: »

Had a peek at this as we've got wooden floors but just bought a new rug. Could you maybe hire a rug doctor? Our local morrisons do them. Or borrow a vax from someone?

We have tried that in the past and it was ok but was hoping this time to avoid spending too much money. Thanks for your reply

meritaten wrote: »

looking at the pic - I would say the rug itself is cotton and the binding round the edge is wool. I see no reason why a scrub with warm water and stardrops and a sponge wouldnt clean the binding if that is what is grubby. dont overwet as if its pure wool it will felt up and shrink - prob why it says specialist clean!

Yes, it's mainly the edging that always seems to look grubby. I'll have a go with Stardrops next time, thanks for the suggestion. I cleaned a bit of the edging today with some 1001 carpet cleaner and it has come up OK but the trigger on the spray bottle isn't working and didn't want to have to buy some more. I've got Stardrops though :T

I think little and often is going to be the case to keep it looking nice. Shoes were banned a little too late I think!

suki1964

I used the carpet cleaner on my mums handmade wool rug and it came up a treat. Just made sure I didn't soak it. No local dry cleaners would touch it so we had nothing to lose.

gibson123

i have a wool rug, hand made in tunisia, the best thing I find is to put some washing liquid (for clothes) in a bowl of warm water, agitate it until it goes foamy and using a large sponge (the car sponge) work the suds into the rug, for stains that are "set" use an old toothbrush or nail brush, the fringes I just dip in the water and rub between my hands, then comb them out.

warwicktiger

I am a professional carpet cleaner.

I frequently clean rugs, but these Laura Ashley ones are a potential minefield. The difference in fabrics between the main area of the rug and the edgeing lead to different drying rates, resulting in the edging becoming ruckled or bent and refusing ever again to lie flat.

When I do one of these now I will not do them in a customers house but bring them home to do in two instalments, the main area and the edging.

PS I would charge £20+.

Going4TheDream

warwicktiger wrote: »

I am a professional carpet cleaner.

I frequently clean rugs, but these Laura Ashley ones are a potential minefield. The difference in fabrics between the main area of the rug and the edgeing lead to different drying rates, resulting in the edging becoming ruckled or bent and refusing ever again to lie flat.

When I do one of these now I will not do them in a customers house but bring them home to do in two instalments, the main area and the edging.

PS I would charge £20+.

I agree, I have two, I took them to the dry cleaners (as per the label) and they told me that they wouldnt accept any liablility for them if damaged, and wanted nearly £80 to clean the pair.

I called up Laura Ashley and told them and said what do I do, they said dry clean them and if they 'fall apart' call us! I asked for this in writing but they refused. They were a chenille cotton with a cotton border.

I think I paid £200 for the pair and they were about two years old at the time, I worked on the logic that if they were ruined LA may not reimburse me and it would have cost me £80 in the process. As they were cotton I put the small one in my washing machine and it was fine. (drying it was a night mare though)

I since take them once a year to the launderette now, as the big one doesnt go in my machine, (and also they do lose some fibres)

Needless to say I have never bought another thing from Laura Ashley (although I do look on line and like their stuff!)

michelle2008

Sorry I don't have any advice but I was just about to buy a large rug from Laura Ashley. While the rug is stunning - so is OP's - I think I will look elsewhere!!

meritaten

I have read through this thread since posting -as the professional points out - its the difference in fibres between the rug and the binding which causes problems - each on thier own can be carefully hand cleaned. DONT do them both at the same time! don't overwet and your rug should come up lovely!
PS - I prefer Stardrops to 101 carpet cleaner - its less harsh and less likely to make colours 'bleed'.
glad it came up nicely tho molly!