Braided rope rugs are durable and long lasting, making them an ideal choice for high-traffic or high-dirt areas. They are versatile and can be used as doormats both indoors and out, or laid on the kitchen or bedroom floor. While vacuuming is fine for day-to-day cleaning, occasionally your braided rope rugs require deep cleaning.
What are the two types of braided rugs?
There are usually two categories of braided rugs – hand-crafted rugs/heirloom creations and newer, machine made braided or rope-style rugs. The former needs to be handled gently and with great deal of care. Vacuum it regularly, at least once a week to remove dust, soil and pet hair. Vacuum both sides of the rug and use the upholstery attachment to hand-vacuum it or vacuum with the beater bar set to the highest level to avoid pulling on the fabric fibers and creating any damage. Newer, machine-made braided rugs generally are designed to be more durable but they have to be vacuumed regularly as well to maintain aesthetic appeal. Vacuum both sides with the vacuum’s upholstery attachment or with the regular vacuum head.
How to deep clean braided rope rugs?
- Take your rope rug outdoors and shake it out thoroughly or hang it over a railing and beat it with a broom to loosen dust particles.
- Lay the rug flat and scrub any stains with a solution of half white vinegar, half water and a scrub brush. Avoid soap, which can become trapped in rope fibers and leave a white residue.
- Spray the rug with a high-pressure hose. If your garden hose doesn’t have enough pressure to remove ground-in dirt, take the rug to the car wash, lay it on the ground and spray it with plain water.
- Hang your braided rope rug to dry. Allow it to dry completely on both sides before bringing it back inside. Hang it in a sunny spot on a warm day to help it dry faster.
If you take your rug to the car wash, spray the ground clean first before laying your rug down. Please don’t use soap in the high-pressure hose at the car wash – as mentioned above, the suds can end up trapped inside the rope and also remove protective coating on the fibers. Only water and vinegar should be used for cleaning. If your rug is especially large, old or dirty, consult a professional carpet cleaner before attempting to clean it yourself to avoid ruining the rug.
