Resources & Guides

How to Clean a Rug at Home – Wool, Silk, Hand-Knotted and Machine-Made

Learn how to properly clean, maintain, and extend the life of your valuable rugs with our expert guide

Comprehensive Guide

DIY Techniques

Expert Tips

Answer a few quick questions and we will guide you to the exact rug cleaning advice you need.

Cleaning a Rug with Home Remedies

You can clean a rug with things already in the house — if you match the remedy to the rug. Everything below is sorted by what it is safe on; when in doubt, mild bleach-free dish soap is the one remedy that suits every rug.

On a hand-knotted rug (wool or silk)

The only home remedy that belongs on hand-knotted wool is foam from bleach-free dish soap: scrape up the spill with a spoon, cover the spot with foam, soak it up with a white cotton towel and dab dry.
For a general refresh, wipe the pile section by section with a white towel dipped in water with a little dish soap — damp, never wet, always with the pile.
Keep the powders and acids away: baking soda, vinegar and carpet foams can lodge in the knots, dull the colours or upset the dyes.
On silk, nothing wet at all: blot what spilled and leave the rest to a specialist.

On a machine-made or synthetic rug

Odours: sprinkle baking soda over the dry rug, let it work overnight and vacuum it off thoroughly.
Stubborn spots: make a paste of baking soda and water, let it dry on the stain and vacuum it away.
Grease: cover generously with cornstarch, baking soda or talcum powder, leave it for several hours to absorb the oil, then vacuum.
Fresh spills: pour on a little club soda and keep blotting with a clean cloth, from the edge towards the centre.
Older marks: a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and cool water, applied with a cloth after a test on a hidden corner.

A home remedy that has not worked after two passes will not work on the third. At that point a professional wash removes the stain more safely than stronger chemistry.

Baking soda is not baking powder — baking powder carries acid and starch that stay in the pile as a sticky residue. And never use hot water: it sets most stains for good.

Our care routine for hand-knotted rugs follows the advice published by Catalina Rug, a Californian dealer in hand-knotted Persian rugs.

Need Professional Rug Cleaning?

While this guide provides comprehensive DIY cleaning instructions, some situations are best left to specialists. For valuable, antique, or severely damaged rugs, our own professional carpet and rug cleaning service in the Marbella area is on hand to ensure your precious items receive the expert care they deserve.