How to Clean a White Rug

Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Last Updated: October 30, 2022 References

The class, style and softness a white rug can add to a room is unparalleled, but as the owner of a white rug, you may only see a big white accident waiting to be cleaned up. It’s like the crisp, summer look of white pants, until morning coffee gets spilled on them. Fortunately, cleaning a white rug is not as hard as it may seem. With regular maintenance, spot cleaning and tackling stains immediately, your rug can always look bright white.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Maintaining Your Rug

1
Vacuum your rug regularly. Keep your rug looking pristine by vacuuming it regularly. Dust and dirt can easily build up on a white rug and foot traction on stuck-in grit can actually wear a wool rug out. To minimize both dirt buildup and damage to your rug, vacuum the rug frequently on a low-suction setting and keep the brush roller turned off. Assess how much traffic your rug gets and stick to a vacuum routine:
- For high traffic areas, vacuum your rug daily.
- For medium traffic areas, vacuum twice a week.
- For low traffic areas, vacuum once a week.^{[1]
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- Before you vacuum the top side of your rug, flip it over and vacuum the underside. Then flip it right-side-up and vacuum again. This will help loosen dirt and grime that has settled deep into the fibers.
2
Brush pet hair out. Get rid of pet hair on your white carpet by brushing it out. Choose a hair brush with stiff metal or plastic bristles. A rubber broom can work well at picking up pet hair also.^{[2]
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- Try an extra sticky lint roller for pet hair on the surface of your rug.
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3
Shake small rugs out. If your rug is small enough to bring outside and shake, doing so can remove trapped dirt and dust better than some vacuum cleaners. Throw your rug over a rail and beat it with a broom or buy a traditional rattan rug beater.^{[3]
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4
Use a steam cleaner every 6 months. To deep clean your white rug, it’s important to use a carpet steam cleaner every 6 months to a year, depending on how much action the rug sees. Hire a professional carpet cleaner to take care of it, or clean it yourself if you have a steamer at home.
- A family of 4 with a white rug in a frequented area should deep clean every 6 months.
- A rug in a less frequented area can be cleaned once a year.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Stains

1
Blot spilled liquids immediately. The quicker you address spills the better, so they have less time to absorb into carpet fibers. Scoop any semi-solid accidents and blot liquids up immediately with a white rag or a plain, white paper towel. Don’t use anything with prints, because it can bleed on your white rug.^{[5]
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2
Try to get rid of stains with water first. Many spills can be cleaned with plain water if they don’t have time to set in. Rub spots with a water dampened sponge. It’s especially important to try water first on wool rugs, because wool naturally deters liquids from absorbing and harsh cleaners can wear the fibers out.^{[6]
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3
Use white vinegar and club soda on water-based stains. For spills like coffee, juice or—yikes—red wine, mix together equal parts white vinegar and club soda to rub on the stain. Dip a clean rag into the solution, blot and rub it on the stain a little bit at a time until the spill disappears. Sponge a bit of water on the area afterwards to remove the vinegar and soda.^{[7]
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- You can also use hydrogen peroxide as an alternative to vinegar and club soda.
4
Use rubbing alcohol to remove ink and oil stains. Rubbing alcohol can clean up oil-based spills, like milk or cooking grease. Plus, it works its magic on ink spills. Dip a clean, white rag into alcohol and apply a small amount at a time. Blot and lightly rub the alcohol onto the rug stain. Use a solution of 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) dry dish detergent to 1 US pint (0.47 L) of water to flush the alcohol out and further remove the stain.^{[8]
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5
Use a commercial stain remover when all else fails. A store-bought stain remover may have stronger chemicals in it that may be rough on your rug’s fibers, but it may be worth it if you’re dealing with tough stains like animal feces. Make sure you blot up as much liquid from the accident as possible before you apply a foam or spray-on stain remover.^{[9]
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- Follow directions given by the stain remover's manufacturer.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Caring for Specialty Rugs

1
Wash sheepskin with baby shampoo. A sheepskin rug can be brought back to life with a non-alkaline, pH balanced cleanser, like baby shampoo or sheepskin wash. Fill a bathtub with warm water and ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) mild cleanser. Lightly agitate the sheepskin in the water for 5 minutes and roll it up to squeeze out the water. Put it in your washing machine on the spin cycle to further remove excess water and lay it out to dry for the day.
- Lay the sheepskin out to dry away from direct sunlight.
- Use a metal brush to comb out the wool after it dries.^{[10]
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2
Freshen up fur and sheepskin with talcum powder or baking soda. To eliminate odors and freshen up fur and sheepskin rugs sans water, sprinkle unscented talcum powder or baking soda on your rug. Leave the powder on for a few hours, shake and brush out, and repeat as needed.^{[11]
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3
Clean woven rugs in the washing machine. If your rug is small enough to put in the washing machine and the care instructions do not advise against it, throw it in there. Adjust the washing machine cycle to gentle first, place the rug in a pillowcase or mesh bag and tumble dry on low.
- Don’t put a rug with a rubber backing in the washing machine. If the rubber begins to degrade and flake off, it could clog up your washing machine.
4
Be careful vacuuming a shag carpet. If you have a true, high-pile shag carpet, using a vacuum cleaner may be risky business. The rug fibers may get caught in the vacuum and become frayed. Turn your vacuum setting to high-pile or shake out dirt from a shag rug.^{[12]
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Warnings

Do not use too much water on your white rug, because then you will be dealing with a water stain.

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Avoid vacuuming fringed edges.

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