Maintaining and cleaning the rug is very important to ensure a prolonged life of your rug without any wear and tear. There are different wet and dry methods that can be used to clean the rug. You can clean the area rugs  with both natural cleaning products or with chemical cleaning agents.

Let’s see how and why a particular product is used to clean the rug:

A home remedy to clean and maintain your rug is use of Vinegar. Vinegar mainly consists of acetic acid and water. The acetic acid is produced by the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. As it is acidic in nature it helps to dissolve mineral deposits and neutralize alkaline solutions. It is said to have strong anti-bacterial properties. Vinegar is regarded as one of the best home appliance cleaning agent. It is a very effective and cheapest alternative to the chemical cleaning agents. It not only just cleans stains but also helps in removing odors. White vinegar is fragrance free hence is a good option for people with allergies or asthma. You can use vinegar to wash the rug with water solution or you can add it in the carpet cleaning machine.

Steps to use vinegar:-

Vacuum the rug properly from edge to edge. Make sure that all the loose dust particles are removed efficiently.

1. If you decide to wash the rug by hand then make a water solution. Add around 4 cups of vinegar and some soap to a bucket full of warm water. You can also add some aroma oils like lemongrass, orange, etc to the solution to give your rug an amazing fragrance.  Then scrub the rug gently with a soft cloth dipped in the solution. After scrubbing the whole rug, rinse it with clean water.
2. To clean the rug with the carpet cleaning machine, add the vinegar solution into its tank. To prepare the solution, blend a part of vinegar with one part of hot water. Clean the rug part by part no matter what size it is. To remove the dirt water from the rug, use suction feature of the machine.
3. Move the rug out in the air if it is not too large and flip the sides so it is dried completely. But if you cannot manage to move it outside then use fan to circulate the air and see to it that it dries properly to avoid foul smell later.
4. You can also machine wash the rug if it is of a smaller size. Put a spoon full of vinegar to the machine.
5. To treat the stains and spills, washing the whole rug again and again is not a feasible option. Instead use a soft damp cloth to soak up the liquid if any, press the cloth on the stain, don’t scrub it because it will further force the stain into the rug. Prepare a mixture of vinegar and water, both in same quantity and spray it on the stain. Then again blot it with a cloth. This will help to remove the stain. You can repeat the same procedure of the stain doesn’t go in on attempt.

Steps to use baking soda:-  

1. Another useful method which is available in every home is Baking soda. Baking soda which is chemically called Sodium Bicarbonate or Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula Na HCO_3. It is white and crystalline but looks like fine powder. It has many uses and is widely used as a cleaning agent. It is used as a softener and also helps to remove odors. It can also be used to clean carpets. You can use baking soda in two forms, as a dry powder or mix it with water and other ingredients to make a rug shampoo.
2. To treat the stains and clean the rug without making it wet, use the baking soda in its dry form. Sprinkle baking soda all over making a thin layer all over the rug. Thicken the layer on stains or spills if any. Leave the baking soda in that manner on the rug for about 8 hours. Later, vacuum the whole rug thoroughly; make sure of not leaving even a little bit of baking soda on the rug.
3. Scan the rug carefully to see if any stain remains. If there are any stains left make a mixture of warm water, mild liquid detergent and some baking soda. Dip a cloth in the solution and dap it over the stain, work on the stains with your hand if the stains are too stubborn. Keep it like that for few hours then take a clean damp cloth dipped in warm water and dap it on the area to remove the soda and the detergent.
4. You can also use baking soda to make a carpet shampoo. Make a mixture of water and baking soda along with washing soda, vinegar, and some essential aroma oil like lavender oil, mix all this with a wooden spatula and your shampoo is ready. Shampoo the carpet the way you usually do, cover all the corners of the rug. Once you have covered the whole rug, fill the shampooer with water and spray it on the rug to rinse out the shampoo. Leave the rug to dry completely before using it.

Steps to use Bleach:- 

1. A chemical method to clean carpets is by using bleach. You can use bleaching powder as it is or detergents that contain bleach. Bleach is chemically known as Sodium hypochlorite, NaCIO. It is usually used as a disinfectant. Bleach as a cleaning agent comes in 2 forms, Chlorine bleach which is widely used but is a bit harsh and can sometimes cause stains and the other is oxygen bleach which is a safer option as it is milder and does not harm the color.
2. Mix one part of bleach (prefer oxygen bleach) with same amount of water and a dishwashing liquid if you wish and stir it well with a wooden spatula. Spray the solution all over the rug and a little more on the stained part. Leave it like that for around 15 minutes and then wash the rug with clean water to remove all the bleach.
3. If you don’t want to wash the whole carpet then just spot treat the stained part. Put bleach on the soiled area and keep it for few minutes. Then with a clean damp cloth, dap the area to wipe out the bleach.